fraud among foreign pilots...a US case

[Dumb Pilot]

the air india crash got me thinking..and this question? could I put my wife and kids on this plane with a fraud captain and a low time FO who just got back from basic flight training...

I agree that these individuals that do this sort of thing (and there are more than a handful out there) put the profession at risk and in the process put's all of us that are working abroad and dedicated to our profession in a bad light, but this is a delicate situation that could be perceived in a wrong way culturally realmanofgenius, you have the best of intentions but if it is misinterpreted it could very well end up hurting you. Before you do anything you should try to get the advice of one of the local pilots that you have befriended and get their perspective as to how to approach this. After all, if there is anything that we have learned out here (insert your country of choice here) is that their logic sometimes doesn't make any sense to us so before you waltz into the chief pilot's office with your "whistle at hand" because we view it as the right thing to do make sure that is the same way they view it.

 

[tyuwerty]

Did you see his application? Do you know what he claims to have. Maybe he is connected and they know he doesn't have time on type.

Have your sources followed this guy through his entire career?

Is he TRULY unsafe?

Can you prove it or are you just going to pass rumours onto your company without any actual proof?

Has your training department passed this guy through their whole training program.

If you go in, you run a better than 50% chance it is going to backfire on you. If you are wrong, you made an enemy of the guy you ratted out. You have also marked yourself with your company and your fellow aviators.

If you are correct then you are basically insulting your training department whether they deserve to be insulted or not. After all, they are the ones responsible for the integrity of their respective airline.

Did the local aviation authority pass this guy? If they did, then see above comment.

If you are dead set on bringing this up and not letting their system work it out. If he is TRULY unsafe, you would be better off putting the bug in a local pilots ear and let them run with it.

Every country has their own culture. Where I have worked, if you didn't bring it up right away. If you waited till after their training. It would blow up in your face more than the guilty party's.

I have seen this numerous times with my own eyes. These types of people usually get knocked out of training on their own.

If you are going to attack a guys lively hood and create a huge problem for your company, you better be D@MN sure you have got the proof to back up your accusations.

 

[tyuwerty]

One last thought: Remember you are most likely dealing with a developing country, not a country with western ideals. What do you do if they decide to ignore you and your information? You have just made yourself a liability in their eyes.

Again, if you decide to move with this, you had better have all your info in order. Pretty hard to prove that he DID NOT work for a defunct carrier.

 

[realmanofgenius]

here's the deal...the guy was running his mouth from day one....one would think he'd be more discreet.....have verified with several ex pilots, he wasn't there, never heard of him...i have a copy of a senority list..in my view, the allegation has been corroborated with two witnesses and a document .i think this problem is more serious than i imagined since there is no vetting procedure....some of these can fly and pass a checkride, but to be so bold and do this to keep getting ahead is beyond me....we all live by certain standards....I personally couldn't do it....

 

[tyuwerty]

Be a man and do the right thing.

If the airline were using counterfeit parts, or if the mechanics had no training, wouldn't you report it? Your passengers are real people, with real families, and deserve action on your part.

LMFAO! I think this guy is talking about China. Who are you going to tell about counterfeit parts in China?? The whole country is built on counterfeiting. Tell the FAA? I am sure they care what some podunk airline in the middle of China is doing. Tell the Chinese authorities, they probably run the factory.

Real man,

Neither could I, these guys give us a bad name and they make it harder for those of us that have worked for our time.

If you think you will get a civilised response for your interaction, you are dreaming. You aren't in the civilised world anymore. Americans by and large believe that everyone operates on the same level, this is not the case. Factor in culture, national status, religion and history, that makes for an interesting cocktail.

Unless you are working for a big name international carrier, I am betting you will end up with the short end of the stick.

You aren't in Kansas anymore. Don't transpose your values on other cultures. Fly your people safe, do your job safe, get home safe. That is your responsibility. Unless they hired you into management or training, they want you to fly their airplanes, not to inspect and revamp their whole system.

 

[longhaul]

LMFAO! I think this guy is talking about China. Who are you going to tell about counterfeit parts in China?? The whole country is built on counterfeiting. Tell the FAA? I am sure they care what some podunk airline in the middle of China is doing. Tell the Chinese authorities, they probably run the factory.

Counterfeit parts was just a hypothetical example, but in that case I would probably start by filing form F145-5, Un-airworthy condition report, with the CAAC. www.caac.gov.cn If I was afraid of reprisals, I would do it anonymously. If that didn't work I would contact the airframe or engine manufacturer. But the point is that I would do SOMETHING.
It's like this guy said:

"I flew thousands of flights in the last forty-two years, but my entire career is now being judged by how I performed on one of them. This has been a reminder to me: We need to do the right thing every time, to perform at our best, because we never know which moment in our lives we'll be judged on." Sullenberger, Chesley B. Highest Duty, HarperCollins, 2009, p.313