Pilot Fined $6O On Flying Charges

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31783, 13 September 1968, Page 18

Pilot Fined $6O On Flying Charges

After the glider he had been towing cast off, a young pilot looped the loop at 2300 ft in an aircraft not designed for aerobatics and with the 100 ft tow-rope dangling from the plane, Mr W. F. Brown, S.M., was told the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Kevin Clement Reed, aged 19, an aircraft engineer, was fined $3O and was ordered to pay a solicitor’s fee of $6.30 and Court costs of $5 on a charge of operating an aircraft in a manner whereby avoidable danger was likely to ensue. On a charge of performing an aerobatic manoeuvre at a height of less than 3000 ft without the approval of the Director of Civil Aviation, he was fined $3O and was ordered to pay a solicitor’s fee of $3.15 and Court costs of $5.

Reed, who was represented by Mr W. A. Wilson, pleaded guilty to both charges. Mr R. B. Leete, who prosecuted for the Civil Aviation Department, said that on Sunday, March 3, Mr Reed, who was the holder of a private pilot’s licence, made a full aerobatic manoeuvre, looping the loop immediately after the release of a glider which had been towed to 2300 ft. The glider tow-rope was attached to Mr Reed’s aircraft

This was contrary to good aviation practice, Mr Leete said. Had the loop been unsuccessfully executed it would have been possible for the tow rope, which was 100 ft long, to become entangled with the rear control surfaces of the aircraft. This could have conceivably resulted in Mr Reed losing control of the aircraft and having little or no chance of preventing it from crashing on a road, houses or other property, thus endangering life. The aircraft, ZK-BTF, a Piper Cub, was not certified for aerobatic flight; To be so certified an aircraft had to be of satisfactory structural strength. The aircraft was not intended by the designers to be an aerobatic aircraft and there was also the question of the petrol supply in an inverted position. The maxium penalty was a fine of $4OO or six months imprisonment, said Mr Leete. Mr Wilson said that Reed had 359 hours flying time in powered aircraft and 71 hours on gliders. He had type ratings on 11 types of aircraft including 144 hours on the Piper Cub which he flew on this day. He only required a medical examination and a flight test for his commercial licence.

Reed had paid for his flight time out of his own earnings and was an enthusiastic pilot

He had performed aerobatic manoeuvres in both powered and sail aircraft The loop was performed below the regulation height but was not as dangerous as if it was done by an inexperienced pilot It was done in a manner so that there was no danger of the rope becoming entangled with the controls. There was only a slight element of danger to the pilot and aircraft as it was done over open country to the north-east of Wigram. “You are apparently a qualified and experienced pilot so you should be familiar with the regulations,” said the Magistrate. “You took a risk, but fortunately you were the only person involved. These two charges arise out of the one incident I will take into account yOur Oamings, but if yOu do this kind of thing again you will probably not be flying."