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AN AUSTRALIAN who flew into Singapore last month on a Cessna 208 without an approved flight plan was charged in a district court on Thursday with flying without a certificate of airworthiness.
Rhys Henry Thomas, 59, is alleged to have piloted the 1998 Australian-registered Caravan amphibious seaplane at about 7.20pm on Jan 22 without the valid certificate issued by the Australian authority.
He is believed to have flown in from Koh Samui, Thailand, with a passenger.
Clad in a short-sleeve blue shirt and tie and khaki trousers, Thomas was calm when the charge under the Air Navigation Order was read to him.
If convicted, he faces a fine of up to $5,000 or a year's jail, or both.
His lawyer, Mr Salem Ibrahim, applied for the case to be adjourned to make representations to the Attorney-General's Chambers.
The prosecution sought bail of $15,000 but counsel asked for the bail to be reduced to a third.
Mr Ibrahim said his client had been here for the past five weeks and had his passport with him. He assured the court that there was no flight risk.
But Inspector Leow Teck Wee disagreed. As a foreigner, he said Thomas had no links or ties in Singapore and his attendance must be compelled with an appropriate amount of bail.
District Judge John Ng set bail at $10,000 and impounded his passport.
The case has been fixed for a pre-trial conference on March 13.
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