Microlighters

I flew down to Phalaborwa in the gyro last weekend. Flew down the Saturday planning to return Sunday.
When I arrived at the private strip 30 miles from Phalaborwa where I normally land I found the recent rain caused some damage and I decided not to land. Knowing the area from many previous microlight trips I opted to route for Phalaborwa knowing that there is a tarred strip that would not have been damaged by the rain. The fuel in the gyro was at 25L and instead of looking for a strip and wasting fuel I informed Lowveld and Hoedspruit that I would be routing for Phalaborwa.
Was informed to contact 124.8 10 miles out. After my landing I was informed that there is a fine payable of between R400 and R10 000 for not getting approval prior to landing.

I was lucky to have an old friend there that smoothed things over with the safety officer. Paid my landing fee and went to visit my friends for the evening without a fine.

Here is my quiestion to all my law crazy pilots friends: I had to change my destination at number 99. Not knowing about the new rules (did not plan to land there so did not study the notams for changes at Phalaborwa) how enforceable is this "fine" and should Lowveld or Hoedspruit not have warned me prior to landing? My mistake was not to study the notams for changes before taking off I know that. That being said it was pretty difficult to attempt researching notams with 25L left in the tank and time running out.

Are there other registered airfields with the same absurd "rule"?

Hi Ruan, technical speak you had an 'emergency/urgency' in that you were running low on fuel and had no other option to land at the field. In future I suggest you broadcast a 'PAN PAN PAN' message to ATC or in this case FIS and inform them of the urgency to land at an airfield (restrictions or not). Then at least you will have the instructions from the ATC/FIS on tape and your broadcast 'type'

other airfields which requires permission, all Military and my guess will be private airfields and airfields belonging to Mines

Would the fine by issued by the ATC or the private owner of the field?

If the private owner I would explain my predicament and if he felt he could not extend me courtesy of using his strip, failing which offer him the option of either summonsing me in court for tresspassing or a much easier solution to just kiss my arse.

Tumbleweed wrote:Would the fine by issued by the ATC or the private owner of the field?

private owner.... it is not the ATC's responsibility to inform you of restrictions as in this case getting permission at the airfield in normal operations. If you did not indent to land there and broadcast a PAN message to ATC, my feeling is that they would take the responsibility and sort it out with the owner.

Thanks guys.

Sias I was not that low on fuel and still landed with more that the required min so I did not feel it justified a PAN call. I just felt that looking for a usable dirt strip would waste more fuel than routing for a known airstrip where I have landed without problems before. I can understand military airfields would be a problem or even controlled airfields, but private airfields? Should there not be a cross (Runway closed) or some sort of sign on the runway? Phalaborwas is unmanned (124. with light aircraft including Micros and Gyros flying from there, really did not think it would be a problem. Its almost like landing at microland and suddenly being told that you would be fined.

I will get approval before going in that direction again because those are their rules and I will stick to them but next time you might not be so lucky and you wont be able to smoothe things over with the S. Officer. What then?

Splinter wrote:Its almost like landing at microland and suddenly being told that you would be fined.

Only if you arrive in a chopper and blow over my trike!



Really think you were hard done by on this one splinter....what I dont get is the range? R400 to R10k? Sheesh?

Think it will be a fine according to weight. Trike and gyro will be fined less that a PC 12 but thats just what I think.
Anyway next time I will get approval for in case I have to divert. I have no problem with them wanting a landing fee (its a very nice airport) or even the fact that they require approval, many places require approval. Just want to know how enforcable the fine is seeing that its a private field and that this could happen to someone else if they dont know about the approval or find themselfes in the same situation I was.

Just a warning guys.

Was told over the weekend by one of my family members living in Phalaborwa that his friend was issued a fine of R4000 for landing at Phalaborwa without approval. Guards were told to "impound" the plane and the owner had to pay the fine before he was able to leave. Madness! Why do you own an airfield if you hate pilots and aircraft this much?