What The Straits Times Has To Say.....
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/sub/singapore/story/0,5562,297971,00.html?
Jan 28, 2005
3 SIA pilots in probe for helping ex-colleague
'Undesirable immigrant' lost PR status here after pilots' union dispute
By Karamjit Kaur
Transport Correspondent
THREE Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilots are being probed by the carrier over their part in a controversy involving a former colleague who used the company's flight simulator to renew his licence here, after he asked if he could practise on it.
The Straits Times understands one of them is the president of the Air Line Pilots Association-Singapore (Alpa-S), Captain Mok Hin Choon. Another is one of its vice-presidents, Captain C.C. Chew.
The trio have submitted their statements on the matter to an SIA inquiry panel.
They said it was not their intention to mislead the company.
Rather, it was an oversight on the part of the union that caused the controversy. And the union had apologised for it.
Still, if the three are found to have breached company rules, they may face disciplinary action, which could range from a warning to being sacked.
The ex-colleague who sparked off the investigation is one-time SIA captain Ryan Goh.
In October last year, he used the flight simulator at SIA's training centre twice.
He passed two flying tests and got his licence renewed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which allows him to fly with Singapore-based carriers but is not valid overseas.
An Alpa-S letter to members, a copy of which was obtained by The Straits Times, gives the trio's side of the story.
In it, Capt Chew said proper security clearance was obtained for Mr Goh to use the Boeing 744 flight simulator on two days in October. He had asked the union for help in booking two slots for practise.
Alpa-S got the green light from SIA's flight crew training management.
When he arrived in Singapore, Mr Goh asked if one of the sessions could be a 'base check' - involving routine take-off, flight and landing procedures - so he could renew his Singapore flying licence which was due to expire.
Capt Chew said because Mr Goh 'was not a Singapore citizen, and not employed by a Singapore-based airline', the association was not sure if the CAAS would renew his licence even if the base check was done.
But on Oct 22, the CAAS confirmed it would renew the licence.
Mr Goh was declared an 'undesirable immigrant' by Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng in March last year, over his role in a pilots' union dispute.
It was feared the Malaysian could affect Singapore's interests adversely and his permanent resident status here was revoked.
He left for Perth on May 1, where he now lives, and needs permission to visit.
Capt Chew said it was not Alpa-S's intention to mislead the company.
'The sole intention was to help a fellow affiliate member, an ex-colleague of some 26 years, who was in need of our help.
'The association acknowledges that on hindsight, clearance should have been sought to change the second simulator session to a base check.
This was not done because Capt Mok, who had been dealing with the flight crew training centre on behalf of his former colleague, was busy or away.
Capt Chew said: 'Given we were keeping to the two sessions, it did not occur to him this would be an issue with management.'
Neither Capt Mok nor SIA management would comment on the matter.
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What The New Paper Has To Say....
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/top/story/0,4136,81860,00.html?
The New Paper - 28 Jan 2005
SACKED SIA CAPTAIN RYAN GOH, WHO HAD HIS PR STATUS REVOKED, RENEWS FLYING LICENCE
Three SIA pilots face probe
By Karen Wong
[email protected]
DID they help an ex-colleague, branded an \'undesirable immigrant\', to renew his pilot\'s licence here?
The saga of Captain Ryan Goh (right) will take another twist when three Singapore Airlines pilots go before a high-powered SIA inquiry panel.
They are suspected of helping Capt Goh, 43, to use SIA\'s flight simulator to pass two flying tests - one of the requirements by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) to renew a pilot\'s flying licence.
If the sacked pilot\'s access to SIA\'s simulator for the tests was a breach of company rules, the three SIA pilots who helped him face disciplinary action.
This could range from a warning to suspension to \'summary termination\', which means an immediate sack.
If they are instructor pilots, they could lose their instructor status.
No specific charges have been levelled at the three pilots, sources told The New Paper. But it probably relates to the use of SIA\'s flight simulator by Capt Goh, a Malaysian who had his Singapore Permanent Resident status revoked over his role in a pilots union dispute.
The president of the Air-Line Pilots Association-Singapore (Alpa-S), Captain Mok Hin Choon, declined to comment when contacted by The New Paper.
He would only say: \'I\'ve been asked to give statements for the investigation.\'
When contacted by The New Paper, an SIA spokesman said: \'This is an internal matter which is being examined by the company and we have nothing more to add.\'
It is understood that three senior management members will sit on the inquiry panel in line with company procedure.
TWO OCCASIONS
Sources said Capt Goh was allowed to use the simulator as it was believed he only wanted to put in some practice time.
It is understood the use of the SIA simulator is not exclusive to SIA pilots and time slots are leased out to pilots of other airlines.
Capt Goh went through a \'recurrency practice\' and a \'base check\' on two occasions, Oct 21 and Oct 27, while he was on a visit here. This helped him to get his licence re-certified by CAAS after he was told to leave Singapore.
Pilots usually use the flight simulation centre to train and sit for two tests, which they have to pass in order to renew their Singapore flying licences.
Asked about its requirements for pilot licence-renewal, a CAAS spokesman replied: \'An Airline Transport Pilot Licence is required to be renewed once every six months.
\'The renewal process is made up of two parts. The pilot needs to pass a medical test, and he also needs to pass a skills test and an instrument rating test.
She added: \'Captain Ryan Goh\'s Airline Transport Pilot Licence has been renewed because he fulfilled the requirements.\'
Since he left SIA, Capt Goh has been having trouble finding work despite applying to several international airlines, sources said.
He had not been flying for a while, and his licence was expiring.
The New Paper understands that one cannot fly for a foreign-based airline with a Singapore-issued pilot\'s licence, unless one sits for new tests in the country which the airline is based and get a pilot\'s licence issued from there.
A Singapore-issued licence will allow Capt Goh to fly on any Singapore-registered airline, like Valuair, Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia.
But, it remains to be seen if he can find work here. As a foreigner, he will need to apply for an employment pass if he is to be based here.
UNION ROLE
Capt Goh was found to be an \'undesirable immigrant\' following his involvement in a pilots union dispute.
Capt Goh, who was living here from 1981, was singled out by then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew for instigating the ouster of Alpa-S leaders in November 2003, amid unhappiness over wage negotiations.
He was accused of threatening industrial peace in SIA - which could also affect the overall interests of Singapore.
Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng then declared that he was an \'undesirable immigrant\', and his permanent resident status was revoked.
It is understood that, as an \'undesirable immigrant\', he would have to leave Singapore for good and must be given special permission to visit.
He would also not be allowed to look for a job here.
On May 1 last year, Capt Goh left Singapore for Perth, Australia, where his wife and two sons live.
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BASE CHECKS KEEP LICENCES UP TO DATE
PILOTS told The New Paper that if a pilot has not been flying for a while, he needs to go through two checks before his flying licence can be renewed.
He has to go into the flight simulator for \'re-currency\', in which another pilot runs through the emergency procedures with him.
As part of the check, he would also have to go through a routine take-off, flight and landing procedures in the flight simulator.
Pilots have to through these tests every six months, to keep their licences up to date.
Once a base check is carried out, an instructor pilot will sign the form and that form is sent to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore - the issuing authority for a flying licence here.
A Singapore-issued flying licence is needed to get a job with any of the Singapore-registered carriers - SIA, SilkAir, Valuair, Tiger Airways and Jetstar Asia.
Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.