Thursday, April 01, 2010

Fake Pilot Licence

A Swedish pilot flew airliners for thirteen years even though the only pilot certification was no longer valid and for smaller airplanes. It wouldn't have been too hard to forged advanced qualifications on my old licence. I have to produce my licence and medical at every flight test and written test, but they are mostly just looking for the name and address.

Most employers just see a copy of the licence, because they either ask for faxed documents before an interview, or want photocopies for their files after hiring.

Mine is real.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's interesting that you have to show your license at every flight. I do not fly professionally but aside from check rides, perhaps some dual instruction (for my biannual flight review), or for crossing an international border I've never been asked to produce it.

Aviatrix said...

Ah not every flight, every flight test. I didn't realize the ambiguity of that sentence structure.

A Squared said...

To play Devil's advocate here:

Given that to acquire, and thereafter at regular intervals to hold that pilot position, the person must demonstrate his piloting abilities on a check ride that is almost identical to the checkride given to issue that pilot certificate, what is the real concern?

Aviatrix said...

I suppose it is that the fake licence is probably accompanied by fake experience, and while people with almost no experience can pass artificial tests, they don't have the depth of background to cope with true tests of piloting ability. When the fraud is not discovered over time, the experience argument decays, as real experience is gained, but maybe there are things learned initially but not tested regularly that still are required.

There is a similar story of a pilot without credentials in Fate is the Hunter and he turned out to be unable to fly to standard without the autopilot, and unable to make a position fix.

I know of someone who flew floats commercially for years without a float rating. He never knew he needed one; you don't need a separate ski rating. Eventually a Transport check pilot noticed the relevant words missing from his licence, but did realize that there was no fraud or harm involved. The solution was to send him and a qualified employee down to the quiet end of the bay for an afternoon to do the (then) required five hours of "training," and then to expedite the proper licensing paperwork.

A Squared said...

Well, that sort of breaks down when you consider that actually possessing the required credentials only ensures (at least in the US) that an airline co-pilot will have 250 hours and a Captain will have 1500, all of which could be in small training aircraft, which is to say not much experience at all.

A Squared said...

Mind you, I'm not advocating or excusing such a fraud.

Aviatrix said...

You'd better be ready to show me yur licence next time you're in town, A Squared. :-)

A Squared said...

Which town? seems you're a bit of a moving target.

A Squared said...

BTW,

I was thinking of your observations on Texas and walking recently during a stay there without transportation.

Aviatrix said...

Which town? seems you're a bit of a moving target.

Touché! This week it's Estevan, Moose Jaw, and Salmon Arm. Subject to change at a moment's notice.

A Squared said...

Nope sorry, not on this weeks itinerary, my certification will have to remain uninspected. Besides, I'm pretty sure you can figure out how to verify my authenticity remotely.

Aviatrix said...

Yeah, unless you imprisoned the original A Squared in an Alaskan fish processing slave camp and have taken over his identity.

A Squared said...

"imprisoned....... slave camp"

Hmmm, Aviatrix has BDSM fantasies.

Who knew?

Careful, or I'll tell your readers where to find photos of you in wet lingerie.

Cirrocumulus said...

The Northern Canada Geophysics Pilot Charity Calendar 2010. Trix is the one gracefully posed on an ice-coated wing in the rosy dawn light, pretending she's worked up a sweat chipping ice so she needs to strip off her down-filled survival suit - beneath which she's wearing nothing but matching lace-bordered frillies.
Yeah, right.

Aviatrix said...

Nope, Cirrocumulous, that one's not me. Mine is the one posed on the float of a DH-2, sunning herself after a swim in a tranquil northern lake, while a Castor canadensis (I swear it's not shopped in!) swims through the foreground. You can't see my face, because I have my head down and am wearing an old fashioned top hat, but the wisps of green hair should give it away.

It's tasteful, not a beaver shot or anything.

A Squared said...

It's tasteful, not a beaver shot or anything.

Ba-dum ching!

She'll be here all week folks, Try the roast beef and don't forget to tip your waitress.

Aviatrix said...

I knew you'd get it.

For those less familiar with Canadiana, there are three perfectly respectable beavers in the described shot.