KEY POINTS:
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is investigating two separate incidents of foreign paragliders possibly flying illegally in New Zealand skies.
German tourist Gerry Mayr, 42, flew a powered paraglider over Aoraki Mt Cook last Wednesday.
Two French tourists stunned passengers when they flew past the Kingston Flyer train in motorised paragliders on January 9.
CAA spokeswoman Emma Peel said the CAA was undertaking an enforcement investigation into the French paragliders and a less formal investigation into the German's flight.
An enforcement investigation can result in criminal charges being laid.
She said there was a "range" of potential charges that could be laid against the French paragliders.
Ms Peel said the CAA had talked to all three paragliders as they were still in the New Zealand.
"It does raise problems for us that they are tourists, but if a prosecution is laid it will sit on file and if they ever return it will be waiting for them."
The CAA initiated investigations after seeing media reports.
Ms Peel said the CAA was seeing "more and more" cases of dangerous paragliding.
"Hundreds of people are flying everyday and safely. As the population grows, people who are not part of the aviation community are able to access crafts without the background information."
She said paragliders flying in New Zealand were required to be members of the Handgliders and Paragliders Association of New Zealand, hold a pilot certificate and follow airspace rules.
- NZPA
