Posted by Romeo E.T on avcom.co.za
so far all we have is the news report and we now have the registration and an idea of some of the content carrried therein.
that information is enough to fuel the speculation here, as well as the comments of "rot-in-jail"...however there are probably members here that have more information and aren't sharing it...so where is this thread supposed to go.
many new-ish Comm/IF's are here as well, and I am sure they would like to know how to not become a victim of this type of a flight themselves....so its time to learn from this.
If I was a youngster working at a smallish charter outfit, and I get tasked to to do a flight across the border etc etc, all I can do as a pilot is to do the "pilot-sh%@t" thingy...ie flight plan, clearances, route/fuel etc planning....it not my job to go and swot up on SITE's regulations just in case I will be bringing back some of that stuff...I am the pilot...end of story....I am sure he didn't even know before departure what he would be bringing back, it was a routine charter...there-and-back...but once there and seeing what stuff was being loaded...provided it wasn't concealed in crates and boxes, would be a different matter.
if it was concealed inside crates and boxes, then I as the charter pilot would be not concerned at all, after all the owner of the boxes or the person requesting the charter would have to declare it at customs at FALA on arrival...I am just the pilot that made the transport possible....right or wrong.......maybe the charter licence holder should also take blame for not enquiring into the nature of the charter and the nature of the cargo being brought back.
If I as a charter pilot were made aware either by admission or by my asking what the cargo consignment is, and then with full knowledge still accepted the flight and the inherent risks....hmmm different story......I would defenitely not have landed at FALA all innocent and taxied up to the international ramp knowing what my cargo was.
I personally believe the pilot is not all that guilty possibly because of ommisions in the decleration to him/her of the nature of the cargo and the sensitivity thereof.
so folks lets have a healthy discussion esspecially for the newer Comm/IF's that might be landed in a similar situation so that something can be learnt from this.
lets stop the accusations of "kangaroo court" etc .....it happened and it might happen again if we don't get the facts of how this came to be and how to possibly avoid it in the future.
I for one havn't blamed or crucified the pilot and thus don't feel the need to appologize to him, but I would like to see a healthy discussion so that the pilot can be appologized to if necessary by those that feel he deserves to be crucified.