Dubai: A pilot who was spotted flying over the Dubai Police chief's house in Jumeirah in an ultra-light aircraft has landed in court along with two men facing charges of using a forged flying permit.

A police officer, while on patrol in front of the police chief's house, spotted the 52-year-old British engineer flying the single-engine aircraft 5 to 10 metres above beachgoers and swimmers, endangering lives.

The police captain grew suspicious of the flying permit, issued from Emirates Aviation Association (EAA), which the engineer presented on being asked.

Police investigations revealed that the engineer was flying illegally using what interrogators described as a "forged flying permit".

Prosecutors charged the 52-year-old man of flying the ultra-light plane without obtaining a proper permit from the authorities. A 48-year-old British professor and a 43-year-old Hungarian salesman were also charged with forging an EAA flying permit, which did not have an official signature or stamp, and using it.

When the three suspects appeared before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court, they pleaded not guilty.

An EAA representative, who appeared in courtroom 11 yesterday, told the judge that the association does not process flying permits for such aircraft.

Police records

According to the chargesheet, the salesman and the professor forged the flying permit and gave it to the engineer.

The Emirati police officer testified that after the pilot landed the plane in front of Jumeirah Beach Park he asked him if he was permitted to fly the aircraft.

Police records said the pilot presented an EAA permit which was issued in 2005 but did not carry an expiry date or any signature or stamp from the EAA.

During questioning, the engineer claimed the Hungarian salesman processed the permit after claiming he represented the EAA.

When police summoned the salesman, he claimed that he flew ultra-light aircraft as an amateur but denied processing permits.

He also claimed that the confiscated permit was processed along with other permits as samples and not for official use.

Police records said the Hungarian suspect had an aviation club that handled microlight aircraft.

According to records, the 43-year-old later confessed to police that he trained individuals for Dh3,500 without handing receipts. He also said he issued a number of permits on behalf of EAA.

Police referred the case to the Public Prosecution which investigated the matter further.

The trial continues.