Can anybody work out whether the derogation is available to paid pilots flying for the aircraft owner?
As you illustrate, the UK CAA has historically been somewhat out on a limb as regards the status of flights where the owner pays a pilot. While the lack of definition of "operate" in the EASA Basic Regulation is frustrating because it makes it difficult to work out who the "operator" is, I don't believe that there is any intention that such flights fall under the heading of "commercial", thus are what we would consider to be "private" flights.