Per ardua ad astra

A PILOT'S amorous conversation with his female passenger as they discussed, and then joined, the 'mile-high club' in a private light aircraft at 5,000ft jammed air traffic frequencies because he accidentally left his transmitter on, air traffic controllers said yesterday.

The recording of the couple's erotic exchange, automatically taped as it was being broadcast, showed they were oblivious to efforts by Edinburgh air traffic control to make contact. As a result, more than a dozen aircraft were forced to switch channel. When contact was finally made, a controller told the pilot: 'We've been listening . . . very interesting. Please come and see me when you land.'