"Fake Swedish air pilot flies passenger jets for THIRTEEN YEARS"

[mariomike]

This is three weeks old. I didn't see it here. I think it may be of interest.

"He was arrested at Amsterdam's Schipol airport in March - while seated in the cockpit of a Corendon Boeing 737 carrying 101 passengers just minutes from take-off."

"Salme said he secretly trained himself at night on a full-scale flight simulator - and created his own licence with a photocopier."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1279083/Fake-Swedish-pilot-Thomas-Salme-flies-Air-One-jets-13-years.html

 

[SeanNewman]

If he flew successfully for 13 years, you would think they would give him something akin to an honourary degree and call it a day.

 

[the 48th regulator]

If he flew successfully for 13 years, you would think they would give him something akin to an honourary degree and call it a day.

The point of the article, and his arrest, was not his ability.  It was to emphasize how easy it was to obtain a false license;

'It was surprisingly easy. The documents look different everywhere in Europe. An Italian airline doesn't know what a Swedish license looks like. And you can forge all the IDs you need.'

A unified currency, and passport, yet they can not tighten security with basic principles.  Imagine some belligerent group did this, and flew planes into major European, or any Countrys' major building of commerce.  I would predict many wars, that would last well over a decade.

But then again, I am only speculating.

dileas

tess

 

[2010newbie]

Up until last year, Canadian Pilot Licenses were just a slip of paper. The only "security" features might have been a watermark.
After 9/11, they started asking for photo ID along with your license prior to heading onto the ramp. There is much more security with the new "Aviation Document Booklet" they started issuing last year.

http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-personnel-changes-3419.htm

 

[2010newbie]

Here's what the old one looked like. I don't know this person or why they would want to have their license so readily available online, but it is what came up when I Googled for images of Canadian Pilot Licenses.....

http://www.ahaveningilead.com/TheBartonsinCanada/transportcanadacommercialpilotnoca421380.html

 

[Rogo]

As frightening as it is to imagine this, at least he had previously had a legit commercial license.

My father is a pilot, this is not confidence inspiring lol

 

[57Chevy]

After 9/11

With the worldwide headlines of 9/11, you would think they would have caught up to this guy a little bit ealier. :

 

[JackieGirl]

Talk about a lack of security!

Part of me is impressed. 13 years is a long time to get away with something like that. Kinda reminds me of Frank Abagnale, only this guy actually flew the planes!

As competent as he must have been however, the fact that he was able to do this is really worrying.