Just say NO to arial photography

Mavmb

Mavmb

Well-Known Member
Well that's wasn't worth the 1.3 in the C-172. This guy called and said he wanted to do aerial photography. The FSDO said it's okay for us to do aerial photos at the flight school as long as we don't land at another airport, stay within 25 miles of the airport of origin, and do not go lower than 500 ft, maintaining the 1000 ft obstacle clearance required above the city.
rolleyes.gif


So anyway, I meet the two guys at the airport. The person requesting the photos refuses to go in the plane. "I ain't gettin in no airplane. No way. I don't fly. I gotta go to Salt Lake City next week and I be drivin."

So now it's just me and the photographer getting in the plane. The photographer sees how much the C-172 windows open and he says, "What kind of [expletive deleted] is this? I can't shoot through the glass! I need this window all the way open! Just unscrew this window hinge here!"

I was reluctant to do that but I've seen the windows unscrewed before so I finally just took the one screw out so we could go.

Well we got half the pictures done. The guy that knew where the pictures were supposed to be taken was the one that was afraid to fly.

Then we came back and the bill was 1.3 for the plane and 1.3 for the instructor. The photographer said, "Why am I paying 1.3 for an instructor, I'm not a student!"
confused.gif


He got very mad and said, "Well I'm paying for the plane and I thought the pilot was included in that."

We went back and forth arguing. I called the manager. He spoke to the manager on the phone. Finally, my boss just said he would pay me for the flight, just charge the guy for the plane if the guy won't be reasonable at all and all else fails.

Finally, I just told the photographer, "You get paid for what you do right? Now with all due respect to you, you're refusing to pay me for the job I do!"

I don't know if that was the right thing to say or not, but the guy finally paid 1.3 for the plane and 1.3 for me and went about his way. All that hassle and the company he took the pictures for is going to reimburse him anyway!
banghead.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
All that hassle and the company he took the pictures for is going to reimburse him anyway!

[/ QUOTE ]
Ha, what a prick, the guy!

I think you told him the right thing.
wink.gif


It's not like you own the airplane anyway!

Alright, he rents the plane. Now what? Who's gonna fly it?
grin.gif


Crazy people, don't mind them.
spin2.gif
 
what a jerk that guy was. Id say that was the right thing to say and you held your composure quite well. I had the same experiences with students getting mad because I would bill them for no shows. I would give them one warning and after that I would bill them the entire session if I got no showed. One student actually tried to use the excuses he forgot to erase his name and he overslept on accident.
banghead.gif
For some reason people think things are different just because a darned plane is involved. I swear the smell of 100LL makes people illogical at times.
 
Photoflights are great if you have the right photographers - obviously the two goof balls you had were NOT experienced. Probably real estate guys who were too cheap to hire a pro.

And yes, you have to take the screw out for the left side window - that's pretty standard.
 
i would have told the guy if he's going to have that attitude he better pack a parachute next time. i'd make sure he gets some real "candid shots" of the landscape
mad.gif
 
Man, that sucks, but I think you said the right thing. I used to do photo flights when I was instructing full-time. Two of the Cessnas had a camera hole in the floor, but it required removal of the rear seats, and was an all around pain in the ass, because by the time the photographer figured out what he was seeing through the little hole, we were already 5 miles past the target (despite my "approaching target" warnings). Both of them also had that hinge removed so that the window would open all the way.

Ahh..the memories: Hot, windy and bumpy...left rudder mashed to the floor in a hardcore, 95-knot right turn/sideslip type maneuver, jockeying the throttle and yoke with left hand (and occasionally right knee), and holding the window open for the photographer with the right hand....plus making radio calls on CTAF and to ATC cause we're a mile from the airport at 800 ft. AGL.

Woo hoo...good times!
insane.gif
cwm27.gif

(I need a beer just thinking about it...)
 
Question:
Is it illegal for a private pilot to take some aerial photos and sell them? (The photographer and the pilot are the same person.) I'm not asking whether this is responsible or safe, but is it legal?
 
I'm gonna have to go with no. The pilot is being compensated for an aerial photo operation, that requires a commercial certificate.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Question:
Is it illegal for a private pilot to take some aerial photos and sell them? (The photographer and the pilot are the same person.) I'm not asking whether this is responsible or safe, but is it legal?

[/ QUOTE ]

I reall have no expertise in this area but I would say yea, your not getting compensated for your flying skills so if I had an educated guess i'd say yea its ok.

Ryan
 
Also, where's the justification for the 25sM limit on aerial photography flights? Aerial Photography is mentioned seperately from sightseeing flights (which do have the 25sm limitation) in 14 CFR 119.1(e)(4)(iii). If the FAA intended there to be a 25 mile limitation on photo flights, in stands to reason they would've either grouped aerial photography in there with sightseeing flights and specifically mentioned that limitation.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm gonna have to go with no. The pilot is being compensated for an aerial photo operation, that requires a commercial certificate.

[/ QUOTE ]

What if we said that the pilot was a photographer by trade...then the flight is only incidental to his/her business, right? I think it's legal, as long as we call the person a photographer and not an aerial photographer".
wink.gif
 
I think as long as the person pays for the aircraft costs its ok. He just happens to have taken some good pictures while flying his plane for the heck of it one weekend. I say more power to him. Your making profit off of photography/artwork not off of flying so it sounds good to me. Just keep them seperate and it seems ok. The pictures happen to come from the air but your still covering the costs of the aircraft. Now if someone paid for the costs of the plane and then also the photographs there would be a problem
 
Private pilots can fly (and be compensated) in furtherance of business if the flight is incidental to that business. (61.113) Have an aerial photography business? You can have someone else do the flying or do it yourself. Either way, your business demands aerial photography, so you can reimburse yourself for the flying.

Now, the big question…
Is the plane still airworthy after the screw has been removed from the window?

Note: The question does not ask if it is SAFE, but rather, is it AIRWORTHY.
 
Of course it's legal to take pictures with a private. You can even say you are an aerial photographer.

You are not carrying passengers, etc. so it does not requrie a commercial license.

The flying is incidental to the business - since you could use a tower, balloon, hire a plane, etc.
 
I did an aerial photo flight today, it was my first revenue flight as a commercial pilot. The photographer was a great guy. We took the (window) screw out and kept it with us, and then put it back after the flight. No Problem. Really challenging flying. Very gusty, alot of traffic. One place we orbited was right next to an airport. I had to tell him we couldn't orbit at TPA over the left downwind to base area of the pattern. He was satisfied with 500 above. It was really fun to finally have a paying customer!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top