A helicopter pilot has been convicted for flying without a licence or certificate and obstruction.

Since early 2020 the defendant had advertised and undertaken paid scenic flights around the Alexandra and Clyde area without an Air Operator’s Certificate and without the correct pilot licence.

In 2021, the defendant failed to appear in court to answer charges and was found guilty on all counts in his absence. After protracted legal proceedings the defendant was sentenced at the Dunedin High Court.

Civil Aviation Authority deputy chief executive Dean Winter said, “CAA prosecutions are uncommon but, when necessary, they are pursued to protect the integrity of New Zealand’s aviation system and the public who rely on it.”

“This individual repeatedly disregarded the rules that exist to keep aviation safe for everyone. The vast majority of our aviation community operates responsibly and professionally, so when someone deliberately tries to game the system, we will hold them to account,” Winter said.

The CAA’s intervention prevented further unsafe flights, including instances where members of the public were at risk.

“In aviation tourism, passengers rightly expect that all operators are meeting the safety standards the law requires when they step onto an aircraft,” he said.

“This case is a reminder that aviation safety rules exist to protect everyone, and ignoring those rules has consequences,” Winter said.