Last December PPL Andrew Hart took off from Weston Airport, Dublin in a Piper PA-28 bound for Shobdon. On his arrival there a visiting flying instructor was concerned that he had landed in poor weather conditions and asked to see his pilot’s licence, which he was unable to produce.

The instructor informed the CAA and investigation revealed that Mr Hart’s PPL was not valid and that his medical certificate had expired. The CAA prosecuted and during the hearing at Worcester Magistrates’ Court in July the court heard that on his flight to Shobdon Mr Hart had also flown through restricted airspace in West Wales without ATC clearance, and penetrated the Aberporth Danger Area. He pleaded guilty to one count of flying without a licence in contravention of the Air Navigation Order 2016 and was fined £600 and ordered to pay CAA costs of £552 and a victim surcharge of £60.

Commenting after the hearing, Tony Rapson, Head of the CAA’s General Aviation Unit, said: “It should be self-evident that anyone flying an aircraft needs to be appropriately licensed for the type of activity they are engaged in. Unfortunately, a small number of people still think that the rules don’t apply to them and they can carry on regardless, despite the obvious risk to other airspace users and the general public. We will always take action against such people.”

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