BRL
Sorry - you are right. In the interests of a short post I did not draw attention to the difference between the London helicopter flight and the example I referred to. In the earlier incident I believe a journo and photographer hired / took a trial lesson (not sure which) a four seat light aircraft and asked it to fly low over a nuclear installation (which in itself was illegal assuming the heights given in the story were true). In this case it should have been totally obvious what the journo / photogtrapher were doing and stupid of the pilot / hiring organisation to allow it. I am sure that this was not the case with the BHH incident.
Doesn't remove the need though (unfortunate though it is) to be deeply suspicious of investigative journalists - they are trying to create a story. In my career I have previously made money from training people in how to deal with such people and how to handle interviews. Flying clubs in particular should be conscious of the need to keep vigilant.
If there is a light aircraft crash in your vicinity at anytime you must assume that any photo journalist asking for a trial lesson is probably looking for a story.
One day I am sure we will have a student killed on a solo cross country (god forbid). I can see the story now - "we booked a flight and without any previous experience we were allowed to use the controls.... I could quire easilly have crashed right in the middle of the city of....".
Not justifying the acts of those who work in the same area as me but we DO need to be alert to the way they work.