Helicopter pilot Brendan Thow appeals for funds seeking to overturn Civil Aviation Authority convictions
Helicopter pilot Brendan Thow is seeking public donations to fund legal appeals against his convictions for operating illegal passenger flights. Thow was previously convicted in absentia after fleeing New Zealand before his trial.
Why it matters
The case highlights regulatory enforcement in the aviation industry and the legal complexities of trials conducted in the absence of the defendant.
Brendan "Buzz" Thow at an airshow in Masterton in 2005. Photo / Wairarapa Times-Age
A “cavalier” helicopter pilot who left New Zealand days before going on trial for selling passenger flights illegally is trying to raise funds to continue his legal battles.
Brendan Shane “Buzz” Thow has been locked in what he calls a “series of escalating legal and regulatory issues”, leading to bankruptcy, liquidation of his aviation companies and prosecution by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
He says he is running out of money due to battles with authorities on both sides of the Tasman and several months of medical treatment in the south of France.
Thow launched a GoFundMe page asking for $75,000 on September 14. The page did not attract any donations in its first 10 days.
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