Israeli Border Police on Thursday confiscated a second helicopter from an Itamar resident who was caught flying a helicopter without a permit or a license in violation of Israeli law. Towards the beginning of the week the resident was arrested and investigated for operating helicopters without a license or permit and without giving any sort of notification to Israeli Airspace Command.

The first helicopter was located as part of an operation that was termed “Biyur Chametz”, wherein Israeli police found a helicopter parked at the Atarot airport which is located north of Jerusalem near the Kalandia checkpoint. The owner and pilot was apprehended in the vicinity of the helicopter. He was detained and taken to be interviewed by the Jerusalem police.

The pilot, a former air force pilot, had no license to fly, nor any permit for the helicopter itself. The helicopter was therefore confiscated. The pilot was remanded and during his hearing was released with severely limiting conditions.

On Thursday, border police officers arrived at this house and found an additional illegal helicopter and ultra-light jet. There also appeared to be a small runway from which the aircraft took off. As the pilot was want to fly without notifying Israels Civilian Aviation Authority, police have claimed that his flights endangered both civilian and military planes that fly in Israel’s airspace.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)