Originally Posted by
Cloudee
If it was for a TV show it was commercial ops, no matter if the pilot was doing it for nothing. If anyone makes money out of the photography down the line CASA will view it as commercial.
In some countries there is a grey area that if a doc crew are making a "day in the life of" and the flight is not being subsidised, then a cameraman can be onboard.(I've done this as camera op, years ago in USA and UK.)
But given the nature of this particular TV program and that Police have said there were personnel on the ground, it's likely the camera was shooting ground activities rather than a day in the life of the pilot.
Some related questions
Does news or doc filming of a private pilot on a joy flight dictate that the flight be classified as commercial or aerial work?
If so does oz airlaw make a distinction between TV doc/news, versus an entertainment show?
Does a flight need to be commercial if footage from an unmanned GoPro is used on a TV doc about the pilot?
Answer in theory, is no?
If GoPro points out window and the aerial footage shot is sold, answer to same question is yes?
Mickjoebill