MJB asks if students should be trained in film work at the flight school stage???
No, this stuff is definitely post-graduate work. The student has enough on his plate just trying to fly the aircraft, without trying to operate it. That's why they call it Flight School, not Operations School.
A friend lost his B206 to an ignorant (and I mean it in the true sense of the word) Japanese film crew, again on a car shoot. He drove to the area of the shoot for a survey, and saw that their chosen site had power lines crossing the road. He showed them that a site 400 m further down the road was just as suitable, and didn't have the wires. They moved the car and rigs down to the new site, and he drove several miles back to where the chopper was being fitted with the camera.
Some hours later, as usual, the crew is screaming for the chopper, and as usual the mount is the delaying factor. Eventually it is ready, and he flies to the rigs, lines up on the car, and begins the run.
Can you tell what is going to happen? Yes, the Japanese crew decided they liked the first site better, and moved all the gear back to the first spot.
TWANG!
SPLAT!!
Not my fault, says the crew.....
