Jose writes:

I would change the "sharing costs" rule, and go back to the original.
"A private pilot may share the expenses of a flight with his or her
passengers in any mutually agreeable manner." It is important that the
flight not be represented (overtly or otherwise) as a commercial or
charter flight. So, in the same style as expermental aircraft having to
be so labeled, and pilots having to inform passengers on how to buckle
and unbuckle the safety belt, pilots should clearly state to the
passengers that the flight is not a commercial or charter flight, and is
not subject to the safety rules and regulations that govern such flights.

I would also reverse the "holding out" ruling. I see nothing wrong with
(say) posting on a college ride board that John is willing to fly up to
three people to Albion for spring break, in line with other similar
postings for car ride sharing.

I think all of these regulations are incredibly anal, and I'm surprised the
FAA is even allowed to get away with them. Arguing about angels on the head
of a pin helps no one, and it's really not the FAA's business.

I don't think anyone would confuse sharing the cost of fuel with a pilot
friend with boarding a United Airlines flight for Chicago, just as nobody
pithcing in for gas with a friend to drive to the coast would confuse it with
a Greyhound bus.

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