PARIS, Dec 29: Collectors of light aeroplanes, gliders and old military aeroplanes from the two world wars are being told they can no longer fly their aircraft in French skies, and this because authorities fear that terrorists might try to use the largely unregistered aircraft in a terrorist attack.

Overflights of the city of Paris have been banned for several years, notably since 1981 when, disgruntled pilots of the political right began flying over the Elysee Palace, the French presidential palace, with the patent objective of annoying the head of state.

French weekend pilots also at the time began flying through the Arch of Triumph after diving down the Champs-Elysees in a sort of publicity stunt destined to see how far pilots of small aircraft could go before getting caught by national civil aviation authorities, when, if they did, they would usually get slapped with a symbolic fine.

Today, the situation is much graver, and anybody who tries to pull such a stunt again would certainly, according to new rules being drafted, spend some time in prison, get their aircraft seized, and pay a hefty fine.

With the new regulations gradually being set into place, owners of small aircraft are being asked by French defence authorities to provide information on their aeroplanes, and this, “with a view to establishing new rules for second category and war surplus aircraft in 2003.”

But, with the energetic protest made by the representatives of the glider owners and collectors of vintage World War aircraft — notably the Ligue francaise des aeronefs de collection — French authorities have given in a bit, but not as much as the amateur pilots would like.