Pilot under training and carrying passengers

[Helo]

Seemed like this would be the best forum for a quick answer ....

I haven't flown my club R44 for around 11 months and my licence has currently expired and I have a friend in town next month who wants to go for a helilanes trip across London.

My question is, can I fly the helilanes as PUT with an instructor, and with my friend in the back? Is that legal? The R44 doesn't have pop out floats, which I believe are required for Public flights, but can we call this a training flight with a passenger?

Thanks for the input.

Helo

[Malcolm G O Payne]

I'm a little rusty on this, but there was a requirement that your freind would have to be a full member of the flying school or club to make this legal.

[P.Pilcher]

I don't believe that there is a legal problem. Your instructor is the captain and that is where the buck stops.

P.P.

[Gbarral]

Since you are a qualified pilot and this flight is not for initial licence issue there is no problem carrying passengers. Also, it is my understanding that you can do the helilanes in a 44 even if it is a PT flight. You are not insufficiently far away from land to require floats. In any case floats are not the only issue for PT over water and out of gliding distance of land: you require two engines!