Man Faces Jail Time For Carrying Passengers and Disturbing Wildlife

A 54-year-old who thought he could fly wherever and whoever he wanted—with only a student pilot license, mind you—may now be grounded for good. He faces up to three years in federal prison for operating without the required airman certificate.

Ernesto Cordero of Bradenton, Florida, recently pled guilty to operating as an airman without the required certificate. The charges against him were tied to several well-known pilot no-nos, including flying a helicopter without the necessary license, giving unauthorized scenic tours, and, most notably, landing smack in the middle of a protected nesting site. Cordero now faces up to three years in federal prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Cordero did have a student pilot’s license… meaning his operating privileges were slim to none. He is allowed to fly solo to specific destinations with an instructor endorsement. None of the conditions permit flights with passengers, a rule that Cordero allegedly ignored repeatedly.

In June 2024, the FAA received a complaint about a helicopter descending onto Egmont Key State Park’s restricted shorebird nesting area. Witnesses captured video of the aircraft disturbing black skimmers and sandwich terns, which are both protected species. The footage also showed a passenger stepping out for a quick photo op before taking off again.

When confronted, Cordero claimed he had smelled fuel and suspected a leak, which would justify an emergency landing wherever necessary. The problem, however, is that he never reported the situation to air traffic control. The excuse didn’t fly with authorities, and Cordero was cited for multiple violations, including endangering federally protected wildlife.

Apparently, Cordero didn’t learn from his mistakes and was back in the hot seat only a month later. The FAA received a tip that the student pilot was running an unauthorized helicopter operation, shuttling passengers from a dock in Marathon to Tampa Executive Airport. When officials caught up with him, it didn’t take much for Cordero to admit that he had been flying people around despite not having the required license.

A sentencing date has not been set, but unless the judge is feeling particularly generous, Cordero will likely be grounded for the foreseeable future.

FMI: www.justice.gov