As an owner-pilot of a light business airplane (LBA), you have discovered the utility and practicality of owning and operating your own aircraft. An LBA is like a time machine allowing you to get to where you need to be directly, efficientlyand at a reasonable cost. Long check-in lines, hub and spoke routing and sitting in traffic are a thing of the past when you travel in your own aircraft.
Having an LBA also opens up numerous possibilities for putting it to use with your business. Using your LBA to travel to business meetings is one of the highlights of being an owner-pilot. Your co-workers will likely see the utility of traveling for business by private airplane and may ask for you to fly certain missions or to carry them with you to meetings.
Pilots may be able to receive reimbursement for many business flights, but certain opportunities for using your LBA for work will involve limitations that you will need to comply with in order to avoid violating the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs), FAA guidance and even your insurance coverage.
To help NBAA Members understand the privileges and limitations for private and commercial pilots, receiving reimbursement for certain flights, the NBAA Tax Committee created this Member resource.
NBAA Reimbursement of Flight Expenses for Owner-Pilots Handbook (1.35 MB, PDF)