24
November 2002 11:15 AM
A
private pilot, Mr. C.C Pocock from Knoppieslaagte was sentenced on Friday November 22, in the Krugersdorp
Magistrates Court for the violation of the Civil Aviation Act (No.74 of 1962)
in that he acted as pilot during the period of suspension of his Private Pilot
License.
He
was arrested in November 2001 whilst being in control and in command of an
aircraft at Lanseria. The suspension of the license,
in February 2001, was for civil aviation transgressions under the same act.
Pocock was sentenced to R3, 000.00 or three
months imprisonment in addition he was sentenced to a further six months
suspended for five years.
“It
is not an enforcement policy of the CAA to charge aviators criminally however
when the transgressions are serious and we have exhausted all administrative
powers allowable by legislation, in his case the Minister of Transport
confirmed the suspension after an appeal, the Commissioner has no alternative
but to turn to the judiciary in order to keep our skies safe” said Trevor
Abrahams.
He
added that the majority of aviators operate within the ambit of the law and
trust that the punishment meted out to Pocock would
be a deterrent to those aviators who act with impunity with regards to the Acts
and Regulations governing aviation.
Pocock’s Private Pilot License will remain
suspended until further notice.
ISSUED BY
THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY
Pretoria
24 November 2002
For more information contact:
Trevor Davids
083 635 0068