Donations have been flooding in for the pilot who was slapped with a fine for breaking aviation rules to save the life of an injured hunter.

Dave Armstrong was handed a $5800 fine in the Christchurch District Court yesterday. He had applied to be discharged without conviction at his sentencing.

But a Givealitte page set up by Scott Lee, the man Armstrong rescued, has raised nearly $20,000 and the donations continue to pour in.

The page was set up on October 15 to help Mr Armstrong with his legal battle with the Civil Aviation Authority.

In October Armstrong pleaded guilty to flying without a licence, stripped nearly two years earlier due to a medical condition, to save Mr Lee who fell down a bluff and broke his leg in 2014.