That's not new. Ignorant, or misinformed, or mislead flying instructors have been around since shortly after Messrs Wright passed on their knowledge. The rules are quite clear in this case**. The problem comes when people don't take the time to read them in their entirety *and* parse the various commas, sub-sections & references.
It used to be that cost sharing didn't exist in the rules as a private operation (and that fact that pax paid meant it was considered a charter). No one ever made mention of a 6 person or seat limitation because none was referenced in the rules. Then cost sharing was added to private ops with the 6 person proviso. That's when the ignorant started spouting crap about private ops are limited to 6 person or seats.
Another thing concerning parachute operations & payment that often gets mentioned: The rules make a specific reference to skydiving as a private operation. Comparing skydiving to charter or aerial work is a non-starter so moaning about how it's so similar to charter is pretty much futile. My belief is that rules take the view that the meatbombs pay to fall, not pay to fly. How they get to the start of the fall is incidental. It could be by plane, balloon, skyhook or catapult.
**But rather less so when it comes to defining RPT. Anyone yet found a definition for 'fixed terminal' or 'fixed routes'?
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 21st Dec 2010 at 04:27.