Last week, a helicopter pilot hoping to satisfy his craving for ice cream cake by landing directly outside the dairy queen was in the Royal Canadian Cavalry Policemen (RCMP) accused him of landing illegally.
According to information released by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the unnamed pilot obtained permission to operate the helicopter legally, but could not land it outside the ice cream shop in Teesdale, Saskatchewan. He did it on August 4th. He was charged with a crime of dangerously operating an aircraft. At around 5 pm on July 31, the plane landed in “a parking lot with heavy traffic.” The RCMP said, “Helicopters blew up dust and debris in the area, including schools, water sports centers, etc.”
After the helicopter landed, a passenger immediately got off the car and quickly went to the dairy queen to buy ice cream cake. Although no details about the identity of the passenger were released, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police stated that the pilot was a 34-year-old man living in Le Roy, Saskatchewan, about 105 kilometers (65 miles) from the Dairy Queen. Leroy does not have its own Dairy Queen store.
Tisdale Mayor Al Jellicoe told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that he happened to be driving near the ice cream shop at the time of the incident. When he spotted the red helicopter parked outside, he initially thought an air ambulance had landed. He said that he was shocked to see a woman leaving the helicopter, crossing the street in front of him, and entering the dairy queen.
“Well, I think someone must be hungry,” Jericho said. “Initially, I thought this might not be the right approach… the parking lot was empty when they landed. I don’t think this is correct.”
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Kiara Broeckel, an employee of Tisdale Dairy Queen, told Canadian Press that it was not until the Royal Canadian Mounted Police issued a press release about the man’s arrest that the clerk was aware of the helicopter accident. She said that some locals came to the store, hoping to witness another landing, or wondering if the ice cream cake is enough to justify the helicopter airlift.
“Obviously they are [good enough],” Brockel said. “I don’t think you’ll take a helicopter to buy ice cream, but I think some people will.
Regardless of the quality of the cake, an investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police determined that the helicopter landing was “not an emergency.” The pilot is expected to appear in court in Melford, Saskatchewan on September 7. Presumably, he will not arrive by helicopter.
Weekly newspaper Contacted Tisdale Dairy Queen for comments.
