FAA Bans GA Ride Sharing Companies

FAA Bans GA Ride Sharing Companies
http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...t=email#222609
In a legal interpretation
http://www.scribd.com/doc/236884814/FAA-Ruling-Banning-Planesharing released
Aug. 13, the FAA's Chief Counsel for Regulations has prohibited "peer-to-peer
general aviation flight sharing" Internet-based operations that allow private
pilots to offer available space on flights they intend to take. AirPooler Inc.
had asked the FAA for an interpretation of the regulations—seeking to confirm
that a pilot participating in the AirPooler service would not be receiving
compensation as prohibited by FAR 61.113 and whether pilots participating in
AirPooler are commercial operators and thus required to hold a certificate
under Part 119.

The interpretation issued by the FAA disagreed with AirPooler's position and
stated that arranging for flights and passengers through the AirPooler website
met all elements of common carriage and are not legal under Part 91 because
pilots would be "holding out" to transport persons for compensation or hire.
The FAA noted that its position forbidding website-based ride sharing
operations is consistent with rulings it had made previously on nationwide
initiatives involving expense-sharing flights.