Aus Tax: Volunteer charter pilots - Offsetting CPL expenses

[anvilman]

All

If you are a volunteer charter pilot at a flight school, working weekends and odd days, not employed formally but doing charter for them for nothing, can you offset CPL related expenses against your main (non aviation) income, come tax time in June? (Australia).

For example - CPL licence issue, class 1 medical costs and issue, dangerous goods course, bi-annual flight review exam costs etc.

Naturally you need all these things to maintain your status as a commercial pilot to do charter - even if you are only volunteering at this stage and not formally employed.

Many thanks.

[Heliringer]

By Volunteer you mean working for free. If you are working for free you are the problem with the industry. This is why employers can pay crap wages. If you stop volunteering and look for a job, what if someone else volunteers and does you out of that job, how would you feel?:ugh:
Food for thought anvilman.
What is your main job and would you do that for nothing? If not why fly helicopters for free.
Ringer

[topendtorque]

I agree with Heliringer. but you take it further, the lousy sods that have you fly for nicks also have you cough up for your own renwals. The worlds oldest profession is being practised by them on you, for god's sake have some pride.

You are legit with CASA i suggest in that you are flying for hire or reward, heh heh.

But, I reckon go ahead make the tax man's day, claim everything then when he finds that you are claiming cost against a non income, he is gonna tear yer head off.

You may have noticed that the tax man in oz has just recently disallowed tax benefits from the Managed investment Fund type of primary industry ventures where leafy suburbs professionals were discounting their tax bill by paying up front for development and running costs on such things as tree plantations.

IF ONLY, say the farmers they could do the same.

good luck.

[gulliBell]

Anvilman, some friendly advice. Consider your position very carefully. You say you are doing volunteer charter flying, but you're not formally employed by the operator. What happens if there's an accident, particularly if a fare paying passenger is involved. Whether you're at fault or not, what do you think your liability might be? Anyone who suffers a loss at your hands will in all likelihood come after you, or your deceased estate. You're exposing yourself to lawyers who can easily take you to the cleaners for everything you have.
In answer to your question about writing off your flying training expenses against income derived from another field, you can't, simple as that. There must be a connexion between the assessible income and any allowable deductions. This is very straight forward and well established tax law. Read all about it in Tax Pack or at the ATO website should you need any clarification.