Canadian pilot flew for 17 years without valid ATPL licence

A 59-year-old former Air Canada pilot is facing fraud charges after allegedly flying as a captain for 17 years without obtaining the required ATPL certification.

Canadian pilot flew for 17 years without valid ATPL licence

A 59-year-old former Air Canada pilot is facing fraud charges after allegedly flying as a captain for nearly two decades without ever obtaining the necessary qualifications. Geoffrey Wall is accused of having transported thousands of passengers around the world while lacking the required Airline Transport Pilot Licence.

According to the FAZ, Wall does hold a valid pilot's licence. However, when he was promoted to captain in 2009, he was supposed to provide performance records and acquire an ATPL licence. Police believe he never met these requirements and instead used a forged certificate along with a matching badge.

The alleged fraud began in 2009, after Wall had already spent approximately ten years in the cockpit. Over a period of 17 years, he reportedly commanded aircraft carrying thousands of travellers without being able to prove the mandatory captain's authorisation.

Air Canada assured that passengers were never put at risk. The airline stated that Wall regularly completed the obligatory training sessions every six months. However, Deputy Police Chief Nick Milinovich of the Peel Regional Police offered a much harsher assessment, comparing the case to a physician who is licensed as a general practitioner but performs brain surgery in his practice.

The affair demonstrates how professional advancement can still be achieved through deception when control mechanisms fail. Only last year, another man in Canada was exposed after posing as a pilot and flight attendant for American airlines in order to fly for free.

Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)