A former air force pilot, claiming victimisation by his bosses, was yesterday told that his multimillion-rand claim was ludicrous.

Appearing in the Pretoria High Court, Andrea Serra - who is suing the ministry of defence for R3482124 - was told that his complaint was vague and embarrassing.

"This reasoning is so ludicrous bearing in mind that your reason for resignation is constructive dismissal," said SA National Defence Force lawyer advocate Tobias Kruger.

He said Serra was barred from flying until he resolved the problems in his marriage.

He was sent for psychological tests because his seniors believed he suffered from depression.

But Serra, who alleges unfair treatment since 1999 that worsened when he ejected from a Cheetah before it crashed in 2003, denied that he suffered from depression.

"Had they allowed me to fly without supervision, I could have progressed to a co-pilot and then captain.

"It was only after the crash that they claimed I was depressed and began sending me for numerous tests, though the tests proved that there' s nothing wrong with me ."

He said he was barred from flying and reduced to making tea for senior officers.

Kruger said Serra's supervision could have been lifted and that there was a reasonable probability that he could have flown solo again.

He told Serra that his problem was that he had become upset when he had been told of his flying mistakes in front of juniors.

Kruger said: "In the SA National Defence Force, if you make mistakes you would be told and shown those mistakes.

"You were upset that your senior told you he could fly better than you.

"You had always wanted to be a test pilot, the cream of the crop."

Kruger said Serra destroyed a plane worth millions of rands and had admitted during an inquiry that he had flown badly.

Kruger told Serra if the situation had become so intolerable, he should not have renewed his contract in 2004.

"It is very scary that you still wanted to stay."

But Serra said he continued because he is a very tolerant person. "No matter how hard the situation became, I just could not run away and cry."

Kruger said Serra did not follow correct procedures in addressing his grievances and had no right to approach the chief of the air force.