BBC reporting that David Ibbotson studied for a CPL at Cranfield but never completed the course.
Mr Ibbotson studied for a commercial pilot's licence (CPL) qualification from December 2012 until July 2014 through Cranfield Aviation Training School in Luton, but dropped out of the course without qualifying after failing to complete his theoretical training.
Dr Stuart E Smith, head of training for the school, said: "It is common for middle-aged private pilots to undertake the CPL theoretical knowledge course so that they may then complete CPL flight training and be able to earn money as a pilot or flight instructor."
He said Mr Ibbotson returned in 2016 with the intention of resuming his training, but never followed it further.
He added that he had sent a report to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) soon after
AOPA have issued a statement highlighting the dangers of using ‘grey charters’ clearly pointing to the role David Henderson played in organising the flight.
Martin Robinson, chief executive of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said it was concerned about the use of so-called grey charters, which are unlicensed flights and the use of foreign-registered planes for air taxi work, since the incident.
"UK air charter companies pay a lot of money to the government for air operator certificates, without which they can't run commercial air taxi operations," said Mr Robinson.
"They know they're being undercut by competitors who in some cases are not fully compliant with the law.
"It's the responsibility of the person who organised the flight to have a suitably qualified pilot at the controls and to ensure the pilot had sufficient flying experience for this kind of flight and for the weather conditions that may be encountered.
"Mr Sala would have had no knowledge of David Ibbotson's licence but the person organising it should have known about that.
"They've let this man down."
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-47417434