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Chopper rides of the Saaremaa-based businessmen Andres and Oleg Sonajalg have been a thorn in the side of the island's residents for some time, but now their annoyance has been stoked further by the businessmen landing in the territory of a filling station, the local newspaper Saarte Haal reports.
Last week the helicopter landed at the Roomassaare gas station with dust flying, a resident of the island's main city Kuressaare told the paper. «I don't know the regulations all that well, but common sense tells me that it is rather unsafe to bring a helicopter down in an ordinary gas station, especially considering that it is situated next to an airport,» he said.
Chief inspector at the Estonian Civil Aviation Administration Martin Vali said the aviation regulations prohibit careless or irresponsible operation of an aircraft as a result of which people's lives, health or property may come in danger. «The aviation administration currently takes the position that landing an aircraft in a public gas station meant for land vehicles is not acceptable because safety of people's lives, health and property cannot be guaranteed,» he stated.
A spokeswoman for the Kuressaare city government said there are no special helicopter landing areas designated within city boundaries. In her words, the city government has no reason to question the position of the body that exercises oversight of civil aviation regarding landing in a filling station.