Make Money With Private Pilot License

Flying ain't cheap. First, there are the fixed buying costs. Then comes the variable operational costs. Now you understand why most GA pilots are flying on a budget, and you're wondering how to recoup some of your expenses.

In this article, we'll show you how you can make money with your small plane. We will:

• Explain why it's so hard to make money with a PPL
• Break down 14 CFR § 61.113 in detail
• Explore what your options are with a PPL
• Show you how to use marketing to grow your business

Airbnb Update

We've had an interesting update since this post was originally published. Further down we discuss the idea of turning an old plane into an Airbnb. We couldn't find anyone doing it in the United States, which told us that there was an opportunity to be had here.

Lo and behold, someone actually considered doing it! We're not sure if they read this post or not, but we'd like to think we had some influence on the decision. We look forward to this idea taking off in the U.S. and seeing how it develops over time!

Can I make money as a private pilot?

Yes, but your options are limited, and the FAA is very strict about what you can and can't do. Figuring out how to make money flying light aircraft with your PPL can be a frustrating task!

Here's what the FAA has to say on the subject:

(a) …no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire; nor may that person, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft.

(b) A private pilot may, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employment if:

(1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employment; and

(2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire.

(c) A private pilot may not pay less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses of a flight with passengers, provided the expenses involve only fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees.

– Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute

The FAA definition of compensation isn't only referring to money. It can be a gift, paying for a pilot's lodgings, or a "Thank you" meatball sub. Even flight time can be considered compensation under the wrong conditions!

Some pilots may complain that these rules are too strict. However, there's a good argument for the FAA's decision. It's one thing to hurt yourself while flying because you were irresponsible. It's completely another to hurt a customer who didn't know how to properly vet a pilot-for-hire.

From this perspective, the FAA rules aren't about private pilots at all. They're about protecting a flying public that doesn't know how to protect itself.

Breaking Down 14 CFR § 61.113

This is your wallet with a PPL.

Let's break this down in more detail. We don't know about all of you, but the bureaucratic lingo of these CFRs often need some dissecting.

(a)

(a) …no person who holds a private pilot certificate may act as pilot in command of an aircraft that is carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire; nor may that person, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft.

– Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute

Part (a) is the FAA at its most emphatic. Under (almost, as we shall see) no circumstances can a pilot receive any kind of compensation for carrying passengers or property while flying a plane. The only way a private pilot can receive any compensation is by becoming just another passenger.

(b)

(b) A private pilot may, for compensation or hire, act as pilot in command of an aircraft in connection with any business or employment if:

(1) The flight is only incidental to that business or employment; and

(2) The aircraft does not carry passengers or property for compensation or hire.

– Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute

Part (b) opens up the door to somehow receive payment for your services as a private pilot, even though the FAA just prohibited it. It gets your hopes up a little to knock them down again.

Both (1) and (2) come along saying that it has to be "incidental to that business or employment," BUT you can't be paid to carry any passengers or cargo. So what's that mean?

It works like this: imagine that you own a business that requires you to travel a lot. You don't enjoy being on the go all the time, but what makes it even worse is that you're traveling around a relatively small region. It's too small to fly commercial, yet too big to drive efficiently.

You've had your PPL and fly whenever times permits (which hasn't been much). It eventually dawns on you that you could easily break the 100 Hour Rule if you flew yourself! You buy a plane, figure out where the airports are at, and then establish transportation from the airport to your destination.

You are getting paid while flying. However, you are not getting compensated for being a pilot. It's to do your job. You are saving time and money by flying yourself. But you are not making any extra money by flying your private plane.

(c)

Our last stipulation states that: "A private pilot may not pay less than the pro rata share of the operating expenses of a flight with passengers, provided the expenses involve only fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees."

Let's take a closer look a what pro rata is. Pro rata is just the Latin term for "in proportion." You may have even misread it asprorate, which is actually correct since prorate is the Americanized form of pro rata.

But you didn't come here to learn about dead languages. You came here to learn how to squeeze your private plane for every penny that it's worth. Don't worry! We're getting to that!

We'll use another hypothetical scenario to understand(c). Imagine you and some buddies want to go hit the links at Seminole Golf Club. You offer to fly everybody in your plane since it's better than flying commercial. Plus it gives you an excuse to fly.

It's a road trip in the air. You all decide to split the flying expenses, but here's where things get dicey. The guys want to show their appreciation by paying for your share of the cost.

Don't. Let. Them. That would be considered compensation by the FAA and get you in serious trouble (as ridiculous as it may seem). You would instead pay pro rata , or in proportion (that's your portion) to the total cost.

So what can I do?

We've spent a lot of time establishing what you can't do with your PPL. We know it wasn't fun. However, the FAA doesn't have a sense of humor when it comes to these sorts of things.

Remember that it's not so much about limiting pilots as it is about protecting the land 'lubbers below. The GA community is, by and large, an honest and responsible one. However, it would only take a couple of bad actors to ruin it for everybody.

We said above that your options for getting paid to fly with a PPL are limited. In fact, there is only one that we could find! The rest are either for reimbursements for fundraising events and being able to pilot a plane to sell it.

There are other options to recoup your losses. However, they may not be as exciting as one would hope. Our thinking is that any little bit helps. Let's take a look at your options below.

Tow Gliders and Unpowered Ultralights

Towing gliders and ultralights is the one job we could find where you can profit off of your PPL and light aircraft. Towing gliders and unpowered ultralights may prove to be a lucrative side gig depending on where you live.

According to subsection (g) of § 61.113, pilots who have earned their PPL may tow gliders and unpowered ultralights. The FAA elaborates further in § 61.69. However, you can't just tie one to your plane and take off.

In order to tow a glider or unpowered ultralight, a private pilot must have:

• 100 flight hours in the plane that they'll be towing with
• A CFI endorsement in their logbook for ground and flight training in the type of aircraft they'll be towing
• Proficiency in glider and ultralight safety, emergency procedures, signals, etc

And these are just to name a few! As you can imagine, the FAA's language is technical, wordy, and specific to the point of confusion.

You're entering into murky legal waters when trying to make money with your PPL. We HIGHLY recommend speaking to other pilots, CFIs, and even a lawyer who specializes in GA before you start taking any kind of work using your light aircraft.

Leasebacks

You knew it would cost you money to fly, but maybe you didn't consider how much it would cost you just to have your plane sitting there. It's the kind of thing that makes you think about getting rid of it!

Okay, that last part was a bit extreme. But you're reading this article, which is at least some indicator that you want your plane and pilot's license to do more than nickel and dime you to death. That's where leasebacks come in.

A leaseback is:

…an agreement between a plane's owner and a flight school or flying club. An owner gives the organization consent to essentially become asset manager of the plane. The organization will rent the plane out to qualified pilots, handle maintenance, financial transaction, etc.

– Single Engine Pilot

That's right, we just quoted ourselves!

Many pilots see leasebacks as a great way to make money back on their investment while still maintaining ownership of it. However, to paraphrase ourselves, leasebacks can be less straightforward than they initially seem.

The problem has to do with financing. Most pilots can afford their planes by financing them. The problem is that most finance companies are (extremely) hesitant to finance an aircraft if they know the owner plans on leasing it out.

You'll need to check with your financing company before you agree to a leaseback. If you're deadset on it, then you may have to find a new company to finance through. This isn't an impossible task. It just might require a bit more legwork and a higher monthly payment.

Fractional / Shared Ownerships

Fractional / shared plane ownerships allow pilots to buy partial ownership of a plane. Think of it like a timeshare. Multiple people own the property, share the expenses, and take turns enjoying it.

However, shared ownership isn't ideal for all pilots. It could actually end up costing them more than if they were to rent. This is why initial buyers (that's you in this situation) need to make it worth a fractional buyer's while.

According to Sarina Houston, your typical fractional owner is interested in higher-end aircraft like the Cirrus SR22. But not many folks can afford the SR22's $600,000 price tag. Instead, they're looking to buy a 1/4, 1/6th, or 1/8th fraction of a new plane.

This drastically reduces the cost of plane ownership. For one thing, you're fractional owners pay considerably less for access to a very expensive plane. Secondly, they don't have to worry about the estimated $20,000 per year maintenance and operation costs!

Keep in mind that it will fall upon you as the actual owner to maintain the upkeep of the plane. You'll also be in charge of drawing up the contracts and keeping track of scheduling.

Shared ownership of small aircraft takes some work. That being said, the payoff would be a top of the line plane that will practically pay for itself in time!

Aerial Photographer

Tools of the trade.

We decided to cover aerial photography since it exists in a couple of different gray areas. It also tends to be the first thing people become interested in once they get their PPL, even if they didn't already have an interest in photography.

First off, you wouldn't be getting paid to fly as an aerial photographer. Instead, you get paid for your photos. The flying is just incidental to your job.

So you can skirt around the rules regarding compensation and only having your PPL as an aerial photographer. That's all fine and good. However, it's the second gray area that pilots should consider more seriously. In fact, it's probably even more black than gray.

As an aspiring aerial photographer, you probably imagine yourself flying into the wild blue yonder with your trusty DSLR in hand (we don't really know photography. We're just assuming that's what you would use). It sounds simple enough, but is actually much more dangerous than it sounds!

Consider this: working that camera requires that you pay less attention as the PIC (pilot in command). Think of it like texting and driving. Wait. Better yet, think of it like taking pictures with a camera while driving!

Not only is it dangerous, but it's extremely unprofessional. Most aerial photographers work in teams. One person flys while the other takes photos.

While not required, it still couldn't hurt to get your CPL. The extra flight hours and flying techniques can only help you in your new endeavor. It would also allow you to work more lucrative jobs as a team.

Single-Engine Airbnb

There's been more hubbub over AirBnB in cities over the past few years than we can keep track of. While most of the controversy has been in Europe, American cities like New York, San Francisco, and Santa Monica have been cracking down on the service.

Despite all this, hosts are still competitive where the service hasn't been as regulated. This means that serious Airbnb hosts are more motivated to appeal to potential guests.

Enter Single-Engine Airbnb! It's no secret that GA has a devoted following. It's also no secret that people love novelty. So why not combine the two and let people sleep in planes-turned-hotels? This might not be everyone's cup of tea. However, there is evidence that a market exists.

Everyone knows that the GA community is a passionate group. Pilots will fly in from all over the country for fly-ins and other events just to be around others who share their enthusiasm for aviation. If you live nearby, why not offer them a place to sleep that caters to their passion?

For example, The Jet Star is an older Lockheed Jetstar that has been converted into an Airbnb. It has a 4.9 out of 5-star rating out of 177 reviews on the website!

What's more, Toby, the host, has been ranked a "Supherhost." According to Airbnb, this means that Toby is a member of a small group of "experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests."

The bulk of similar hotels we found are located in Europe and the UK, with a couple in South America. You'll have to do some logistics if you go this route, especially if you keep your plane at an airport or FBO.

Get Your CPL

We don't know about you, but we would want to do more with our small plane if making money was the goal. If you feel the same way, then you should consider getting your CPL (Commercial Pilot's License).

The main difference between a PPL and a CPL is that the FAA allows the latter to make money by flying. Want to be able to take people on charter flights? You'll need a CPL for that. Want to become a CFI? You'll need a CPL for that.

Oh, and do you know the best part about getting your CPL? Having a PPL is a prerequisite. So if you're reading this article, then there's already a good chance that you're partway to becoming a commercial pilot!

Becoming a commercial pilot opens up a whole new world of flight to you. Yes, more hours and training are required. But did you really get your PPL just to stop there? That's fine if you did. However, if you're looking for a new flying challenge and a way to make a few bucks, then the CPL is it.

Small Business Marketing

This is your wallet with marketing.

Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has given rise to a new kind of celebrity called "influencers." You may have heard of them, or maybe some of them by name. If you're of a certain age, there's a good chance someone is talking about an influencer if you find yourself thinking, "Who the h*ck is that?!"

For those that are familiar, the word "influencer" probably conjures images of people that have been cropped to pastel perfection, #livingtheirbestlife, whilst shilling for modern-day snake oil. Chances are your opinions aren't positive ones.

However, influencers serve an important purpose in the new age of marketing. Fewer and fewer people are watching regular television as more and more people are cutting the cord to cable. Traditional advertising has gone out of the window, at least for smaller companies and startups.

Enter the influencer. Influencers have tons of, well, influence, thanks to their hundreds of thousands (if not millions!) of social media followers. And it's not just people on Instagram. One of the guys here at Single Engine Pilot owns three pairs of MeUndies just because a podcaster told him to!

That would be similar to affiliate advertising, where advertisers get a kickback when a purchase is made using a special URL, or a through a special link on their website. A lot of affiliate advertisers have recommended gear that they vouch and want others to know about.

How does this apply to you? Let's say you want to start your own aviation business like charters or sightseeing. You know that you need more than a business license to be a business. You need customers! Using influencer marketing allows you to increase awareness of your company.

Below we will explore ways to implement influencer marketing for your aviation business or side hustle:

• You going to them
• Them coming to you
• Content creation

You Going to Them

This will be the hardest part of implementing influencer marketing. However, it will be the first step (aside from getting your CPL) to make money off your light aircraft.

You need bodies. You need pictures and video of people enjoying the service your business provides, even if you haven't done much business yet. It may sound dishonest, but it's no different from a startup flooding Facebook with photos of people enjoying their new whosiewhatsy or thingamajig.

So how do you find bodies? The first thing to do is enlist friends and family. Next, enlist their friends and family. Simple enough, right?

But what if you want to go the extra mile? You want to hire professional models, or at least people who aspire to be professional models (aka aspiring influencers). This is where Craigslist comes in handy. You can place an add on your local Craiglist looking for models for business photos.

Okay, so this sounds like the opening to a horror movie, and there are negative connotations on both sides. However, the key to finding quality talent is to present yourself as a quality client. Research how models evaluate a potential client and tailor your Craiglist ad to that.

You'll want to make sure that you're posting your job under Gigs > Talent. This is where the people you want are looking for work. From there, it's an issue of being professional as well as a little bit of luck.

Keep in mind that the people who respond to your ad are most likely freelance. We can speak from experience that freelancing is a very small community and word spreads quickly. You want to be someone that has a stellar reputation to attract (and keep!) stellar talent!

Them Coming to You

Now let's switch gears to something more "passive". In this strategy, you'll rent out your plane to people who want to use it for their own creative and / or business purposes.

Influencers are very concerned about their image. Their livelihoods depend on it! After all, they don't make money from getting likes and shares. They get paid by companies who hire them to market their products through their various social media feeds.

Maintaining this image requires influencers to, ahem, "curate" their daily lives. They do this through the use of filters, cropping, photoshop, makeup, and good ol' fashioned camera magic.

All of this is fairly intuitive. However, you may have found yourself wondering how influencers can lead such glamorous lifestyles when they don't actually do anything.

Their secret?

They don't.

Case in point: there's a photo studio in Moscow, Russia where influencers can get their photos taken to flaunt their seemingly lavish lifestyle. The studio features a Gulfstream G650 jet that, get this, never even leaves the ground!

So what's stopping you from doing the same?! You'll probably have to check with your airport or FBO first. However, there's a good chance you can spin it as free advertising for them, and who can say no to that?

Your best bet here will be Craigslist. List your plane like you did when searching or models, except under Services > Creative. Offer your plane for photo shoots or whatever else people may need. You might be surprised by what kind of work you can find for yourself.

Content Creation

Our last key factor for influencer marketing is content creation. Consistently producing quality content is essential to maintaining your relevancy, as well as positioning yourself as an authority in your field.

Don't get bogged down with doing it "right," or worrying about how high the production value is. Viewers aren't thinking about that. They're looking for something informative / entertaining, and not necessarily in that order.

Consider the viral video genre of "guy ranting into his phone while driving his truck." They just sit there. In their truck. And yell. And you know what? Some of them have hundreds of thousands of views!

Now, we're not knocking guys who drive trucks. Everyone here at Single Engine Pilot is from Tennessee and we'd probably get kicked out if we didn't. At the least, we wouldn't be invited to the next potluck.

Our point is about providing value to your followers' lives in a way that keeps them coming back for more. It may take a while but, eventually, this value can translate into them spending money on your products and services.

You'll want to be regularly releasing new content on:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Blogging
• Podcasts

The key is consistency. You want to be releasing new content every week, if not more often. If you can convince someone to keep clicking then they're one step closer to becoming a paying customer. Convince them to subscribe and they're yours forever!

Share your thoughts!

Drop us a comment below! Let us know if you've tried any of our suggestions and how they went, or feel free to add your own!

Make Money With Private Pilot License

Source: https://singleenginepilot.com/how-to-make-money-with-your-small-plane/

Posted by: faysuildrued.blogspot.com

Share this post