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Thread: Dodgy or legit?
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Old 7th Apr 2017, 20:52
  #34 (permalink)  
Jonzarno
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Cambridge
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I haven't posted about this for some time, but I do have a bit of experience with this type of cost sharing operation having done a few flights using Skyuber some time ago. This is what I posted in an earlier thread about this:

My experience was entirely positive and the only reason that I stopped offering flights was that the FAA (I have an FAA licence and fly an N Reg) issued a statement saying they considered schemes like this located in the US not to be permitted. I thought the chances of my having a problem in Europe as a result of that to be quite low, but still didn't want to take the risk.

Turning to the operation itself.

1. Is it legal?

Both Wingly and Skyuber say that they have formal confirmation that, if operated on the cost sharing basis as set out by both Skyuber and Wingly i.e. sharing only of DIRECT costs (DOC) including fuel, oil, landing fees and aircraft rental and NOTHING else: it is legal in CAA and EASA land.

I am told that there are moves underway to confirm that it actually is legal in FAA land as well and, if that happens, I will gladly start offering rides again.

2. Is it safe from a pilot's perspective?

Much has been made of the question about flying with someone you have never met and the problem of their expectation that "I've paid and expect to fly" whatever the circumstances.

I never had any such problem, even though I did cancel two flights (one for weather and one when my plans changed).

The way I managed the process on all my flights was to contact all of my riders a couple of days ahead of the flight and let them know the meeting arrangements and pointing out to them that there is a possibility that the flight could end up being cancelled or the time could change And that, if that happened, I would let them know as early as possible.

I also ensured that they had my contact details in case any issues or questions arose at their end. I felt that establishing a personal contact in this way ahead of the flight would engender a greater level of understanding of what is involved.

I would check weather the day before the flight (I have an IR and thus have more leeway on the conditions I can fly) and, if it looked questionable, would contact my rider, tell them the situation and offer them the chance to cancel. None did at that stage.

On the day: if the weather looked bad or, even if flyable for me, potentially unpleasant for the rider, I would contact them and tell them what it was like and again offer the chance to cancel. One person did so and I had no problem whatever with that.

In summary: I had a number of flights, none of which was remotely problematic; and I met some nice people with genuine interest in flying.

3. Is it safe from a passenger point of view?

I have seen flights advertised by multi-thousand hour ATPLs as well as by the "61 hour PPL"; and aircraft ranging from a business jet to a microlight; as well as journeys ranging from a half hour local bimble to a trans-european flight.

Obviously, these are ends of a wide spectrum and riders do have to exercise an element of judgment.

Both Skyuber and, I believe, Wingly do vet pilots by verifying the licences and ratings held, as well as insurance and current medical. They also get the pilots to publish details of their experience and a personal profile as well as details of the aircraft to be flown.

Riders are encouraged to post ratings and reviews of pilots that flew them and pilots are also encouraged to rate riders.

That at least provides potential riders with some assurance that the pilots are what they claim to be and gives an indication of the relative level of experience and the nature of the aircraft in relation to the planned flight.

4. Is it "a nice littler earner"?

In a word: no.

I probably got a rider on about one flight in every six I offered. I was offering seats in a four seater aircraft at 1/4 of the DOC as defined above, with no rental component as I own the aircraft. I never got more than one rider on a flight.

The problem is obvious: unless the flight is a bimble with the same start and end point, not only does the rider have to want to go where the pilot wants to go and at the time chosen by the pilot; they also have to find their own way home unless they want to come back at the same time as the pilot. As a result, you are very unlikely to get a rider that wants to do the flight for a specific purpose other than just to fly; certainly I never did. That obviously limits the number of riders you can expect to get.

That is also a good reason why this isn't a "taxi service": because it is the pilot, and not the passenger, who decides where the flight is going and at what time it leaves before it is advertised.

Regarding the point about a rider handing over cash: that's not how it works. What happens is that the rider registers a credit or debit card with the site and it is debited with the agreed amount only after the pilot confirms that the flight has been completed. The share of the cost is then remitted to your bank account less the site's fee. In my case, at least, it worked seamlessly.

5. So why do it?

I did it because I quite like the idea of sharing the experience of flying and meeting other people with an interest in aviation. That's pretty much the same reason why the people who flew with me chose to do so. In achieving that it was very successful and, as I said earlier, I hope to be able to start doing it again soon.

6. So, is it a good idea?

I understand and respect the concerns expressed by several posters in this and other threads. I don't want to say that there is absolutely nothing to worry about; but given a reasonable level of engagement with the people who want to fly with you, combined with normal levels of competent airmanship and judgement: there really should be no unreasonable risk. That said: each to their own!

Personally? I have enjoyed doing it."

My £.02
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