Narrative:

I was asked by a tv station to take a reporter up and camera man up for photography of a special event. They also wanted to drop the game ball off at a stadium. I called the FSDO in south carolina and talked to inspector. He said it would be ok as long as that portion of the flight was not for revenue, so I did not charge the station for the local flts around charleston. I did charge for aerial photography portions. I was told by inspector that this would be ok and authority/authorized by the far. I received a phone call this morning by the FAA, after they saw the flight on tv, that the flight was operated under part 135 regardless if I received compensation or not. I only performed the flight because I was told I could by the FSDO.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A HELI TRANSPORTED A NEWS RPTR AND CAMERA MAN INTO A STADIUM WITHOUT PROPER FAA PART 135 CERTIFICATE.

Narrative: I WAS ASKED BY A TV STATION TO TAKE A RPTR UP AND CAMERA MAN UP FOR PHOTOGRAPHY OF A SPECIAL EVENT. THEY ALSO WANTED TO DROP THE GAME BALL OFF AT A STADIUM. I CALLED THE FSDO IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TALKED TO INSPECTOR. HE SAID IT WOULD BE OK AS LONG AS THAT PORTION OF THE FLT WAS NOT FOR REVENUE, SO I DID NOT CHARGE THE STATION FOR THE LCL FLTS AROUND CHARLESTON. I DID CHARGE FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY PORTIONS. I WAS TOLD BY INSPECTOR THAT THIS WOULD BE OK AND AUTH BY THE FAR. I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL THIS MORNING BY THE FAA, AFTER THEY SAW THE FLT ON TV, THAT THE FLT WAS OPERATED UNDER PART 135 REGARDLESS IF I RECEIVED COMPENSATION OR NOT. I ONLY PERFORMED THE FLT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD I COULD BY THE FSDO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.