The pilot of a light aircraft has been fined £7576 and ordered to pay £750 costs to the CAA after admitting flying over Luton Airport without air traffic clearance – four times in the same day.
His actions led to four passenger aircraft and a business jet having to be given avoiding instructions by air traffic control and forced the airport to suspend departures, impacting hundreds of passengers.
Christopher Morrow, 65, from Barford, Warwickshire, admitted four offences of flying in Class D controlled airspace without permission on September 3 2018.
Bedfordshire Magistrates’ Court in Luton heard that despite his aircraft being equipped with GPS mapping, Morrow chose to rely instead on the more traditional method of navigation using a paper chart and visual reference points.
At some point he lost awareness of his position and flew into Luton Airport’s controlled airspace twice as he tried to establish his location.
On his return flight from Duxford he once again entered Luton’s controlled airspace without permission.
Alison Slater, head of the CAA’s Investigation and Enforcement Team, said: "This once again shows the consequences of a pilot being seriously underprepared for a flight. Mr Morrow’s actions impacted hundreds of passengers onboard aircraft arriving and departing from Luton Airport. Passengers have every right to expect that their flight on a commercial airline is fully protected when in controlled airspace."
