Under which condition may a private pilot receive payment when carrying passengers?

A private pilot may receive payment when carrying passengers under certain circumstances, and one of those is if a donation is made to a charitable organization for the flight. In this scenario, the pilot acts in alignment with regulations that permit flight expenses to be covered when the flights serve a charitable purpose, as long as the flight is genuinely conducted for that charitable cause.

This provision allows private pilots to help raise funds or support charities by contributing their flying services, thereby facilitating a connection between generosity and aviation. It's important to highlight that this does not mean that profit can be made from the flight; instead, it strictly pertains to covering costs while serving the charitable organization.

The other options do not align with the regulations governing private pilots. Options involving payment exceeding expenses or classifying a flight simply as a charity event would not conform to regulatory practices, as they may imply financial gain rather than reimbursement for costs. Furthermore, while covering operating expenses is acceptable, it must be noted that the pilot cannot receive any profit in return; thus, simply having passengers pay all expenses does not suffice if it implies profit beyond that.