Pilot, air traffic controller breached regulations in chopper landing - report

The probe into the landing of an Air Services Limited helicopter in a residential area of the city during the Christmas Season, found that the pilot and officer at the air traffic control centre were in breach of aviation regulations, Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said yesterday.

According to the Minister who has responsibility for the aviation sector, the probe has recommended that the pilot and air traffic control officer face sanctions.

Included in the sanctions recommended is for the pilot and air traffic officer, who facilitated the landing, to undergo educational sessions on aviation regulations.

Edghill noted that while Guyana is poised to have a higher volume of rotating and fixed-wing aircraft operations expanding locally, there must be emphasis on safety regulations being observed at all times.

“… not because [someone] don’t want to be in traffic means you will have a helicopter landing at your front door to pick up or drop off someone in a residential area… it does not work that way,” the minister emphasised.

A source familiar with the investigation told this newspaper that it was not an emergency landing and at the time of the stop, the helicopter was transporting seasoned pilot Captain Mazahar Ally. The two-seater helicopter, was piloted by 19-year-old, Captain Azam Ally.

The chopper reportedly landed at New Haven, Georgetown.

Director General of the GCAA, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret’d) Egbert Field had told this newspaper that an investigation was launched following reports of a video circulating on social media.

From the video, the registration number is not clear. First posted on social media site Tik Tok, the video showed the helicopter on a street in a residential area. It is illegal for a chopper to land in a residential area, Field said.

The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) is investigating the cause of a fire which destroyed a Prashad Nagar, Georgetown house early yesterday morning.

Reports are that the fire started around 3.08am at Lot 91 Premniranjan Street, Prashad Nagar, Georgetown.

The two-storey wooden and concrete structure was unoccupied at the time. The house was reportedly recently sold.

The GFS in a statement issued yesterday said that four fire tenders responded to the report and extinguished the fire.

Two neighbouring buildings located at Lot 90 and 92 Premniranjan also suffered damage to their gutters, roof and AC units due to heat, the statement said.

The GFS is encouraging citizens to equip their homes with preventive devices such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers which they said can be useful in the event of a fire.