Doug Hughes, the postal worker who landed his tiny helicopter on the US Capitol grounds in a self-described "crazy" act of civil aviation disobedience has been charged with violating national defence airspace.
Hughes, 61, whose sortie through Washington's highly restricted airspace apparently went unnoticed by military and aviation authorities, was also charged with violating registration requirements involving an aircraft.
Judge Deborah Robinson released Hughes pending a preliminary hearing May 8, and confined him to his Florida home. She also grounded him and instructed that he stay away from the Capitol and the White House.
Hughes had hoped to deliver 535 letters, one for each voting member of the House and Senate, against a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that struck down limits on campaign donations by corporations and unions. Hughes declared "a voter's rebellion" over the "corruption" of the electoral process by interest groups.
