Aerospace

California Man Sentenced to Prison for Piloting Private Jets without a Type Rating.

LOS ANGELES, CA – A 37-year-old Irvine man was sentenced Monday to 10 months behind bars for flying private jets without having a valid pilot’s license.
Arnold Gerald Leto III was also ordered to serve a year of supervised release after getting out of custody and to pay a $5,500 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Leto pleaded guilty last October in downtown Los Angeles to two federal counts of piloting a plane without a license.

He acknowledged flying a Falcon 10 turbojet with eight passengers aboard from Van Nuys Airport to Las Vegas in April 2016, and a Cessna Citation turbojet from Santa Monica to Phoenix a year earlier.

An affidavit filed in connection with the case states that Leto — whose pilot license was revoked before the first illegal flight — operated the Falcon without having the required co-pilot, and was not certified to fly that type of aircraft.

Leto’s pilot certificate — which he failed to surrender after it was revoked in January 2016 by the Federal Aviation Administration — did not have a turbojet-type rating that would authorize him to fly a Falcon, even if another pilot had been present, authorities said.

Courtesy : patch

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.