The Pacific Blue pilot charged with operating a Boeing 737 carelessly says he would not have left the ground if he knew he would be in court two years later.
The 54-year-old Auckland man appearing at the Queenstown District Court has been in the witness box since yesterday afternoon in a hearing that started in March.
The pilot was in charge of a flight which left Queenstown carrying 71 passengers bound for Sydney after the Pacific Blue evening civil twilight (ECT) cut-off time of 5.14pm.
His departure of 5.25pm, however, was before the official ECT of 5.36pm.
When cross-examined by prosecution lawyer Fletcher Pilditch, he said he did not recall having any regrets initially after the July 22 2010 incident.
"I acknowledge absolutely the company and authority have a different view. If I was aware of *[their concerns] at the time I would not have departed."
His 33 years as a commercial pilot included 6000 hours in Boeing 737s and 30 years flying in and out of Queenstown. He had flown a total of 16,402 hours.
The pilot has so far defended his actions of allegedly leaving in clouded, wet and dark conditions.
"I have great difficulty with some of the comments being made.
"A lot of criticism was on the basis there was a front, but the actual front had moved through."
The pilot, who has name suppression, said the "nasty little front" had left, cloud had lifted and there had been a rapid improvement in the weather before they left from the runway.
He and his first officer could see the Remarkables, Kelvin Heights Peninsula and the top of the Crown Range, which stood 12km away.
"There were still a lot of misty patches clinging to the terrain, but that's to be expected."
He acknowledged the control tower, which was reporting to him in th cabin, held a different view of the conditions.
"We have to satisfy ourselves before take-off that the wind was within the aircraft's limits, which I am satisfied we did.
"None of this I regarded as exceptionally difficult. . . to me this was just another day at the office... I actually think we did a good job."
