Private pilot privileges and limitations

A private pilot certificate lets you fly for fun, travel and personal business. The big limitation is money: under 14 CFR 61.113, a private pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire, and may not be paid to act as pilot in command.

Sharing costs

You may share operating expenses with your passengers, but you can't pay less than your pro rata share. Only expenses for fuel, oil, airport expenditures (like landing fees) and rental fees count. Flying with three friends who split the airplane rental four ways is fine. Charging them more than that, or advertising rides, is not.

There are a few narrow exceptions in 61.113, like flying for your job if the flight is only incidental to it and you don't carry passengers or property for compensation, and certain charitable or search-and-rescue flights.

Carrying documents

When you act as pilot in command you must have in your physical possession or readily accessible: your pilot certificate, a photo ID (like a driver's license), and your medical certificate (or BasicMed documents) (14 CFR 61.3).

Additional endorsements

Under 14 CFR 61.31, to act as pilot in command you need a one-time logbook endorsement from an instructor for:

• Complex airplane: retractable landing gear, flaps and a controllable-pitch propeller.
• High-performance airplane: an engine of more than 200 horsepower.
• Tailwheel airplane.

Change of address

If you move, you have 30 days to tell the FAA, or you can't exercise the privileges of your certificate after that (14 CFR 61.60). It's a quick online form.