I am time building for my Commercial License. I also have a CHL. Since I fly with safety pilots, other people, etc. , I feel the need is there to carry my gun for safety. I have called the FSDO, and they have told me I am legal as long as I'm licensed in the states I'm flying in. Any stories,advice, or expierences?

As far as I know you're legal on a private airplane. But it's very likely that airports (especially big ones) might be subject to local/state bans on possession of weapons. You'd really need to research that carefully. It's also possible local/state laws might even forbid weapons on aircraft...that may or may not conflict with federal preemption, but you might have to take it to a federal appeals court to find out!

I typically carried a small survival kit, including a legal-length knife, on GA flights. That might be a better bet. Odds are very, very low that you'll get mugged at an airport, or by safety pilots :rolleyes:

If you feel the need to carry a firearm, in the cockpit, for your safety WHILE FLYING...I'd submit you need to find different people to fly with.

And I say that as a guy with a CCW myself...

Is it just me, or does it smell like troll in here?

No kidding, fly into an airport with security measures in effect and let us know how having a gun inside the AOA works out.

Legal to carry, good to go. Don't do something stupid like try to enter a restricted area (SIDA) though.

There is nothing wrong with taking your carry weapon on a GA plane. Hell, I've loaded what the wacky media considers to be an arsenal onto my plane before in broad daylight.

From my understanding, the FBO's at most airports are not part of any SIDA/AOA areas. Only the 121 ramp is right? Also, would I need to tell the place I rent from I carry? I assume not... there is no 30.06 sign on the door.

Each airport AOA and their SIDA requirements are different. The TSA regs only kick in if there is scheduled air service or charter operations with more than 60 seats. If you're just flying around Podunk, TX airports, you're probably OK.

Just like driving, once you leave the state the laws can change.

Wouldn't just be easier to do a background check on your safety pilot?

There are no issues carrying firearms to or from airports with air carrier service.

The issue is more one of local ordinances; for example if you depart Elkhart, IN with a LTCH and your trusty Glock 23 in a well-worn Crossbreed and land at MDW, you will be in violation of Chicago/Cook County law.

If you instead went to FWA, SBN, IND, DTW or CLE then you wouldn't have any legal issues as those localities don't have a ban on firearms or more specifically, handguns.

Same deal with "assault rifles"; I could easily put a Colt 6920 with a case of Magpul 30s in the Citation and fly from CLE to BGR, but if I stopped in ROC then I would be in violation of the NY SAFE Act.

you need the firearm to protect yourself against whom exactly?