I'd like to do a little commercial flying (<5 hrs/month) on the side, to stay current in helicopters. Does Piedmont allow this as long as it doesn't interfere with duty/rest requirements?

I believe the FOM says you need to have permission from a chief pilot, but don't quote me on that

Even higher up, Director of Ops. I don't know if anyone's ever tried to find out what he would say?

Give it a shot and report back! Less than 5 hours seems low considering how ****ty our schedules are it shouldn't affect anything.

Even higher up, the VP of flights ops, AND you have to be on leave of absence.

But I have heard the reason is it eats into our 1000 annual hours commercially. 14 CFR PART 117.23 But if it is just to keep current , you can fly your heart out for free. The military flies all the time outside of piedmont, but since they aren't compensated (directly) it doesn't count as commercial FOM 16.3.1. The military is also specifically allowed in the FOM unnecessarily as it isn't commercial flying.


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Helicopter rentals are hard to find and expensive, and I do enjoy putting helicopters to work, so I'd like to be able to do a little for-hire flying. I believe the 117 ruleset does not count hours of commercial flying conducted under 91. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I should be able to get paid for flying helicopters under Part 91 without impacting my 1,000 hrs/year for 121. Would that type of flying be allowed by Piedmont?

I'm trying to choose which regional(s) to pursue. Piedmont and Envoy are my current frontrunners. It might seem like a petty reason to chose one airline over another, but I'd really like to be able to do a little helicopter work on the side. These two have fairly similar compensation and benefits, so it may come down to which will let me fly on the side.

I would appreciate any help I can get in determining, with confidence, whether or not I'll be able to fly helicopters a little on the side with each of those two airlines.

That reasoning is just a rumor.

But the FOM says
"Company pilots won't engage in any other commercial flying."

So commercial rules apply, but PPL is allowed as much as you want.

With the exception of, "must be on LOA, and VP ops permission".
I know rentals are expensive, but you wouldn't be allowed to "work" for free?



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The FAA considers flying for compensation (even free flight time) to be commercial.

Thanks for the clarification.


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There was an FAA legal council brief a few years ago. Commercial flying is considered 135, 121 as 91 sub k. That is the only flying that would count against part 117 duty limits. That being said our FOM says commercial flying and if you were doing 91 helicopter tours and had an incident, you would have to be explaining yo the CPs, DO and VP, why you were conducting commercial flying and have a fresh violation or need to take a Fed check ride etc.