CASTRIES – The chairman of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association (LIALPA) Captain Michael Blackburn is being investigated by local aviation authorities for a recent safety violation at the George F. Charles Airport. Blackburn, whose aircraft was second in line to land, allegedly ignored instructions from air traffic controllers at the airport, forcing the aircraft that was number one to land to take emergency measures, a source close to the investigation told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) on condition of anonymity, because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The source revealed that Blackburn’s employer, regional airline LIAT, and the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) are also investigating the matter. When contacted today, LIAT’s spokesman Desmond Brown said that he could not comment on an ongoing safety investigation. Efforts to reach Blackburn for a comment were proven futile. (CMC)
