Yes to Plane Sharing

With the likes of Uber, arranging ridesharing in automobiles via the Internet is common in todays hi-tech culture. Not so with similar programs to share private airplane seats. If you follow aviation news from sources like AVweb, youre undoubtedly at least aware that Flytenow, Airpooler and similar services using the Internet to unite pilots with passengers willing to share expenses have been shut down by the FAA. The FAA essentially claims that the use of the Internet magically makes that a commercial activity.

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA has shut down online services (e.g., Flytenow) facilitating private plane expense sharing, asserting that using the internet for advertising transforms it into a commercial activity.
• The author argues this ruling is inconsistent with decades of FAA allowances for pilots to share flight expenses and that the platform used to find passengers should not alter the activity's non-commercial nature.
• Legalizing online flight sharing is advocated as beneficial for general aviation, making flights more economical, helping pilots maintain skills, and exposing more people to flying.

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