Scotland pilot suspended for meat run

ORKNEY, Scotland, April 21 (UPI) -- A Scottish butcher says he was surprised the pilot of a Shetland Coastguard helicopter was suspended for landing next to his shop to pick up a to-go order.

The pilot of the chopper, operated by a private company, confirmed this week the pilot had been suspended for making the unauthorized stop in Orkney during a training flight.

Thorfinn Craigie, the owner of ER and T Craigie, told The Daily Telegraph the aviators regularly flew from their base 85 miles away to pick up beef from him, although usually they touch down at an airfield a few miles away.

"I told them that since I own the land behind the butchery shed, they could land there," Craigie said. "One of the crew said that would be great because they have to train to do drops in rough areas."

The newspaper said the routine was undone when cellphone video of the landing wound up on YouTube and came to the attention of CHC Helicopter, which said the crew had been "operating a non-revenue flight at the time of the incident in question."