Pilot fined R12 000 for low-flying
Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 8:06 am
Dries Liebenberg, Beeld
Durban - In the first case of its kind in South Africa's oldest world heritage site, a pilot was fined because he disregarded the minimum flying altitude above the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Aircraft and helicopters which fly too low over world heritage sites like iSimangaliso (formerly known as the St Lucia Wetland Park) and the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg Park are a growing concern for conservation authorities.
The KwaZulu-Natal conservation services (Ezemvelo), which was quite recently appointed the managing body of the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg park world heritage area, is also gearing up to prosecute pilots for such transgressions.
According to Andrew Zaloumis, chief executive of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park authority, parks are like "honey pots", and there are pilots who profit from flying tourists low over such attractions.
The negative impact which aircraft and helicopters have on endangered bird and other animal species, has been well documented worldwide, said Ian Rushworth, ecological and advice co-ordinator of Ezemvelo.
"These days people are increasingly exposed to stress and have to travel far to establish a spiritual bond with nature. We get more and more complaints from people about the noise from aircraft and low flying helicopters," said Rushworth.
Francois Burger, 41, a flying instructor from Mbazwane near Sodwana, was found guilty last Thursday in the district court in Mtubatuba for disregarding the minimum altitude above the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park in February last year.
Gravity 'encouraging'
According to Zaloumis, on that day Burger took a client, who wanted to decide whether he wants to qualify as a microlight pilot or not, for a flight. During the flight, the wheels of Burger's aircraft touched the beach 6km south of Sodwana Bay before he gained altitude again.
Magistrate M de Klerk found Burger guilty of transgressing the Conservation Areas Act and sentenced him to a fine of R12 000 or 12 months in prison. Of that, R10 000 or 10 months was suspended for five years.
Burger paid the fine.
The minimum altitude for pilots above the iSimangaliso park is 4 100 ft (about 1 250m) and in the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg park it's 2 500 ft (729m) above the highest point in the park.
"The gravity with which this matter was handled in court, is encouraging. The number of complaints about low-flying planes has increased over the past few years, and law enforcement has improved," said Zaloumis.
In the 220km-long iSimangaliso Park, there are 243 rare and endangered species. Aircraft can, for instance, ruin the whole breeding season of the pink-backed pelican which only breeds in a colony in this park in South Africa.
Other birds such as didapper, storks and the yellow-billed stork are equally vulnerable, while planes could also disturb elephants as well as crocodiles when they're breeding.
In the Drakensberg the endangered cape vulture and bearded vulture are especially vulnerable.
Conservation officials are trained to identify the different altitudes at which planes may fly. They're also equipped with handheld radios to warn pilots who fly too low.
"At the moment we're warning pilots, and most of them leave the park's airspace immediately, but we will soon start to prosecute those who break the law," said Rushworth.
Durban - In the first case of its kind in South Africa's oldest world heritage site, a pilot was fined because he disregarded the minimum flying altitude above the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Aircraft and helicopters which fly too low over world heritage sites like iSimangaliso (formerly known as the St Lucia Wetland Park) and the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg Park are a growing concern for conservation authorities.
The KwaZulu-Natal conservation services (Ezemvelo), which was quite recently appointed the managing body of the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg park world heritage area, is also gearing up to prosecute pilots for such transgressions.
According to Andrew Zaloumis, chief executive of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park authority, parks are like "honey pots", and there are pilots who profit from flying tourists low over such attractions.
The negative impact which aircraft and helicopters have on endangered bird and other animal species, has been well documented worldwide, said Ian Rushworth, ecological and advice co-ordinator of Ezemvelo.
"These days people are increasingly exposed to stress and have to travel far to establish a spiritual bond with nature. We get more and more complaints from people about the noise from aircraft and low flying helicopters," said Rushworth.
Francois Burger, 41, a flying instructor from Mbazwane near Sodwana, was found guilty last Thursday in the district court in Mtubatuba for disregarding the minimum altitude above the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park in February last year.
Gravity 'encouraging'
According to Zaloumis, on that day Burger took a client, who wanted to decide whether he wants to qualify as a microlight pilot or not, for a flight. During the flight, the wheels of Burger's aircraft touched the beach 6km south of Sodwana Bay before he gained altitude again.
Magistrate M de Klerk found Burger guilty of transgressing the Conservation Areas Act and sentenced him to a fine of R12 000 or 12 months in prison. Of that, R10 000 or 10 months was suspended for five years.
Burger paid the fine.
The minimum altitude for pilots above the iSimangaliso park is 4 100 ft (about 1 250m) and in the uKhahlamba/Drakensberg park it's 2 500 ft (729m) above the highest point in the park.
"The gravity with which this matter was handled in court, is encouraging. The number of complaints about low-flying planes has increased over the past few years, and law enforcement has improved," said Zaloumis.
In the 220km-long iSimangaliso Park, there are 243 rare and endangered species. Aircraft can, for instance, ruin the whole breeding season of the pink-backed pelican which only breeds in a colony in this park in South Africa.
Other birds such as didapper, storks and the yellow-billed stork are equally vulnerable, while planes could also disturb elephants as well as crocodiles when they're breeding.
In the Drakensberg the endangered cape vulture and bearded vulture are especially vulnerable.
Conservation officials are trained to identify the different altitudes at which planes may fly. They're also equipped with handheld radios to warn pilots who fly too low.
"At the moment we're warning pilots, and most of them leave the park's airspace immediately, but we will soon start to prosecute those who break the law," said Rushworth.
And VIVA the magistrate that fined him 
