[BITList] 'Cowboy' pilot flies to airport to catch plane

[John Feltham]

AAP
October 15, 2009 6:59pm
A "COWBOY" unlicensed pilot who flew his unregistered ultralight  
aircraft to a busy airport without landing clearance in order to catch  
a commercial flight has been fined $17,500.

Kenneth William Acton, 52, pleaded guilty in Cairns Magistrates Court  
to multiple counts of flying unlicensed and unregistered over a three  
month period in 2007.

The majority of the offences were at isolated locations, generally  
landing at private properties across far north and northwest Queensland.

The court heard the most serious offence occurred on July 3, 2007,  
when Acton used a public road at Gordonvale, south of Cairns, to fly  
to Cairns Airport where he was due to depart on a commercial flight.

The Charters Towers man landed at the airport without approval, in the  
process delaying one aircraft about to take off and another preparing  
to land.

Magistrate Joe Pinder said while there was no evidence of any flaws in  
Acton's flying skills, his actions had put other aircraft and the  
public at risk.

"You are nothing short of a cowboy," he said.

He fined Acton $17,500 to be paid within 12 months. 
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