Arrested After Seen Flying Erratically At VA Festival

A helicopter pilot is in hot water with local authorities and the FAA, after allegedly flying drunk at a Suffolk, VA festival last weekend.

Ronald John Davis was seen flying erratically Sunday afternoon at the Suffolk Peanut Fest, where he was giving rides. A family who just finished a flight with Davis told police they smelled alcohol onboard the helicopter, WAVY-10 reported.

Rick Jackson, chairman of the Suffolk Airport Commission, told the Virginian-Pilot newspaper Davis' helicopter flew approximately 20-30 feet over parked cars... performing maneuvers Jackson called dangerously acrobatic.

Davis, the operator of Good Time Helicopters in Naples, FL, was arrested by police for flying under the influence. The pilot allegedly failed a field sobriety test, and later blew a 0.116 BAC -- nearly three times the legal limit for pilots.

The FAA will send Davis "a letter of investigation" regarding the incident, according to agency spokesman Jim Peters.

For now, Davis is being held at a local jail... with no bond. At a Tuesday hearing, General District Judge James A. Moore told Davis he wants proof the man can't fly legally, before releasing him from jail.

That's somewhat problematic, Peters replies... as the FAA won't suspend Davis' certificate until its own investigation is complete.

"We can't just arbitrarily go up to him and say, 'Give us your certificate,'" Peters said, adding Davis could surrender his license voluntarily -- something Davis told the judge several times he plans to do.

Davis, who told the judge he has some 13,000 flying hours, has no prior history of alcohol abuse... and no record of past FAA enforcement actions.

FMI: www.faa.gov