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Private aviation is the part of
civil aviation Civil aviation is one of two major categories of flying, representing all non-military and non-state aviation, both private and commercial. Most of the countries in the world are members of the International Civil Aviation Organization and work ...
that does not include flying for hire, as opposed to
commercial aviation Commercial aviation is the part of civil aviation that involves operating aircraft for remuneration or hire, as opposed to private aviation. Definition Commercial aviation is not a rigorously defined category. All commercial air transport and ...
.


Definition

Private aviation and
commercial aviation Commercial aviation is the part of civil aviation that involves operating aircraft for remuneration or hire, as opposed to private aviation. Definition Commercial aviation is not a rigorously defined category. All commercial air transport and ...
are not rigorously defined. In general, private aviation is regarded as flights that do not require a commercial pilot licence (CPL) or above. Some commercial activities do not require a CPL, for example in Europe a flight instructor may have a PPL. Nonetheless, in the United Kingdom flight instruction is considered a commercial operation. In most countries, private flights are always
general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
flights, but the opposite is not true: many general aviation flights (such as corporate and business aviation) are commercial in that the pilot is hired and paid. In private flight the pilot is not paid, and all aircraft operating expenses are generally paid by the pilot. In some countries such as the United States, aircraft operating expenses for a flight may optionally be divided with any passengers up to a
pro rata ''Pro rata'' is an adverb or adjective meaning in equal portions or in proportion. The term is used in many legal and economic contexts. The hyphenated spelling ''pro-rata'' for the adjective form is common, as recommended for adjectives by some E ...
amount. For example, if aircraft operating expenses total $120 for a flight with pilot and three passengers, each of the three passengers could pay not more than $30 (one fourth) of the expenses with the remainder paid by the pilot. It is the purpose of the flight, not the aircraft or pilot, that determines whether the flight is private. For example, if a commercially licensed pilot flies a plane to visit a friend or attend a business meeting, this would be a private flight. Conversely, a private pilot could legally fly a multi-engine complex aircraft carrying passengers for non-commercial purposes (no compensation paid to the pilot, and a pro rata or larger portion of the aircraft operating expenses paid by the pilot).


General aspects

Many private pilots fly for their own enjoyment, or to share the joys and convenience of general aviation with friends and family. In many countries, private aviation operates to less strict standards than commercial aviation. For example, in Canada and the United States, aircraft owners are allowed to perform basic maintenance tasks (such as oil or tire changes) on their own aircraft, but only licensed mechanics may perform those tasks on aircraft used for commercial operations.FAR 43, Appendix A (c)
/ref> Private pilots normally are not required to demonstrate the same level of proficiency on their flight tests that is required for commercial pilots, and they take fewer and less rigorous medical examinations. The majority of active pilots hold a Private Pilot license.


See also

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Pilot certification in the United States Pilot certification in the United States is typically required for an individual to act as a pilot-in-command of an aircraft. It is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USD ...
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Private pilot licence A private pilot licence (PPL) or, in the United States, a private pilot certificate, is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately (not for remuneration). The licence requirements are det ...


References

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External links


Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA)FAA (US) - Become a Pilot
General aviation