Flying without license

Nothing's stopping you from driving without a license either. Some morons do it. Sooner or later they get busted and taken to the slammer.


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Ok, so I read that entire sentencing document - what did the guy end up getting?
 
dans2992 said:
Ok, so I read that entire sentencing document - what did the guy end up getting?
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It was in the link in the first post that started the thread:

December 16, 2013
Tennessee Man Sentenced for Flying Without a License

Summary

On December 16, 2013, Steven Allan Cate was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Greenville, Tennessee, for piloting an aircraft without an airman's certificate. This sentencing stems from a June 5, 2013, guilty plea in which Cate admitted to flying a plane without a valid airman certificate. Cate was sentenced to serve six months in prison and twelve months of supervised release.
On April 1, 2013, air traffic controllers identified an unregistered aircraft that was being flown from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Morristown, Tennessee. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contacted the Morristown Police Department (PD) and requested officers meet the aircraft. Morristown PD identified Cate as the pilot. The FAA reported that Cate did not possess a valid pilot's certificate. This is the second time Cate has engaged in such conduct, having been convicted of an identical offense in December 2004.
This investigation was conducted with assistance from the FAA.
 
midlifeflyer said:
"No it's not the 'FAR. It's the "C.F.R."
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I know some folks who work with federal procurement, and they are quite insistent that I know NOTHING about the FARs (48 CFR - Federal Acquisition Regulations), a chapter of the CFR that makes Title 14 CFR, looks simple, clear, and very easy to understand!
 
weilke said:
It was in the link in the first post that started the thread:

December 16, 2013
Tennessee Man Sentenced for Flying Without a License

Summary

On December 16, 2013, Steven Allan Cate was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Greenville, Tennessee, for piloting an aircraft without an airman's certificate. This sentencing stems from a June 5, 2013, guilty plea in which Cate admitted to flying a plane without a valid airman certificate. Cate was sentenced to serve six months in prison and twelve months of supervised release.
On April 1, 2013, air traffic controllers identified an unregistered aircraft that was being flown from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Morristown, Tennessee. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) contacted the Morristown Police Department (PD) and requested officers meet the aircraft. Morristown PD identified Cate as the pilot. The FAA reported that Cate did not possess a valid pilot's certificate. This is the second time Cate has engaged in such conduct, having been convicted of an identical offense in December 2004.
This investigation was conducted with assistance from the FAA.
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I'm curious. I wonder if he was a previously current, competent pilot with a lack of currency for some reason, like no BFR or Medical. Or, was he someone who has never been on a checkride?
 
MBDiagMan said:
I'm curious. I wonder if he was a previously current, competent pilot with a lack of currency for some reason, like no BFR or Medical. Or, was he someone who has never been on a checkride?
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Never had anything beyond a student certificate. This is the third time or so he got caught.
 
Thanks Weilke.

Somehow, it seems to me that this is a worse scenario than it would be if it was a pilot whose BFR was overdue, or maybe didn't have three landings in the last ninety days or something. The guy has never even passed the relatively easy PPL checkride. Maybe his problem wasn't flying, but was passing the written, or maybe just not having the self motivation to do either.

Interesting situation.
 
MBDiagMan said:
Somehow, it seems to me that this is a worse scenario than it would be if it was a pilot whose BFR was overdue, or maybe didn't have three landings in the last ninety days or something. The guy has never even passed the relatively easy PPL checkride. Maybe his problem wasn't flying, but was passing the written, or maybe just not having the self motivation to do either.
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You dont go to jail for an expired BFR. This guy thumbed his nose at the FAA for 20 years and they finally caught up with him. If you read through the paperwork, this is the third time they caught him.

I know of three people who got caught without current paperwork.

One just didn't have a current BFR and medical and came to FAA attention after someone couldn't keep his mouth shut. The FAA sent him a stern letter, he made an appointment a week later and showed up with a fresh BFR signoff and medical. He begged forgiveness, said that it had been a busy year and he had forgotten to keep up on his paperwork. No enforcement action was taken beyond a 'stern talking to'.

One was a commercial pilot who wrecked with 3 pax on board because he didn't read the manual. After he got his BFR, a 709 ride and medical in order, the FAA slapped him with a 1 year suspension, a bit of a 'right hand doesn't know what left hand does' scenario between two FSDOs.

The third one bent the landing gear on a C150. He bought another plane but never managed to get his 709 ride, BFR and medical in order. The only actions taken against him was a series of stern letters. The FAA knows that their capacity to enforce regulations against guys with their house on a long hay-field in the woods is limited.




Btw. the guy this thread is about may be the worlds second best pilot for all we know. But yes, you got to go through the appropriate steps to do it legally, if you don't you cant be suprised if it has adverse consequences. This is no different from driving a car. You dont get arrested for expired insurance if it is your first time and you show up with proof of insurance at your court date. You do get arrested if you make a habit out of it.
 
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MBDiagMan said:
Maybe they didn't want to set a precedent that would end up hurting the poor folks in Alaska.:eek:
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Sorry, I deleted my post when I saw that Weilke had already covered it, but you were too fast for me!
 
SoloEqs said:
Or those guys in Texas. :D
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I meant no slam toward anyone in Alaska. I apologize if it came off that way.

I have read that for many in Alaska, due to flying being such a necessary part of life that there is a larger percentage of pilots there that go rogue.

I was only making a joke and meant no offense to anyone.:)
 
Ron Levy said:
I never said otherwise, and I don't think you're missing anything. As I said, the regulations require that you have the certificate documenting your license from the FAA to exercise those privileges.

And I'm no playing any further word games with Nick or EdFred.
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Only the Chief Counsel may participate in word games... By order of the Chief Counsel. ROFL!


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