Tax Question Regarding CFI flying for free
Here is the example:
Owner of a flight club is a commercial pilot.
Owner gets a contract to fly “traffic watch” and asks CFI to come along as well to assist in traffic reporting and also fly the airplane.
CFI agrees to do it free of charge because CFI needs flight hours for the airlines.
Is this considered “bartering” and can the CFI be obliged to pay taxes on what renting that airplane would have cost? (CFI normally has access to airplanes with only the cost of fuel to be paid.) Thanks in advance.