Fake pilot

[Blues&twos]

Not sure if this has been already posted here...couldn't see it anywhere...

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070607/tod-china-aviation-offbeat-575248e.html

[OldChinaHand]

Perhaps this is the Asian answer to "No Crew".

[BackPacker]

Shu was detained for 10 days and fined 500 yuan (65 dollars), the Beijing News said.

Makes you wonder what a flight from Beijing to Guizhou normally costs, how long it takes and whether prison food is better than airline food. But on the whole, does not sound like a terribly bad deal. Plus you'll get far more news coverage than as an average passenger.

[Grasscarp]

Where was the real first officer supposed to be on this flight?

[corsair]

I think you'll find the fake pilot was jumpseating at the time. Even Frank Abagnale at his most devious couldn't have got himself onto the PanAm roster.

The guy should have read up on PPRuNe in preparation for his flight. A quick trawl through any Ryanair thread could have produced enough info to allay the most suspicious Captain.

Next time he'll take the bus I wager.

[harry the cod]

Nah, he'll take the boeing. The bus is far too complicated! :E

[Micky]

...colleague's knowledge of aviation matters was somewhat at odds with reality, prompting him to put him under supervision after take-off...

To me thats sounds just like a normal lck:uhoh::}

[andrijander]

Amazing the cultural level of some journos though...DiCaprio? He just makes movies, the real deal, as corsair mentions was clalled Frank Abagnale. Not the first time this happens and my guess it'll not be the last time neither...not my style though...too far fetched for a free ride.

A.

[Hirsutesme]

As a matter of curiosity, do many pilots position/jumpseat with airlines other than their own on aregular basis, and what checks are made?

[Dream Land]

As a matter of curiosity, do many pilots position/jumpseat with airlines other than their own on aregular basis, and what checks are made? Only in the movies, not allowed in real life. :cool:

[Lost in Saigon]

As a matter of curiosity, do many pilots position/jumpseat with airlines other than their own on aregular basis, and what checks are made?

Only in the movies, not allowed in real life.

Wrong..... It is allowed in real life. Many airlines still allow pilots from other airlines to "jumpseat". Captain does a quick check of their security pass and ID, and they sit in the passenger cabin on a space available basis.

Many commuting pilots depend on this to get to work.

[MartinS]

My wife who works for CO has seen AC pilots positioning on CO to pick up an aircraft that had some maintenance done on it in the US. They were not jumpseating though, travelled in the main cabin, and this was a one-off event. The AC flight to that destination was overbooked.

Quote:
As a matter of curiosity, do many pilots position/jumpseat with airlines other than their own on aregular basis, and what checks are made?
Only in the movies, not allowed in real life.

[Speedbird1T]

Sterling (DK) regularly use SAS to position its crews around Scandinavia.

BAW1T

[Lost in Saigon]

Speedbird1T and MartinS,

We are not talking about airlines that "position" their crews on other airlines. In those cases the airlines purchase tickets and the crews fly as passengers whether in uniform or not.

"Jump seating" is when a pilot from another airline shows up at the gate (often without prior notification) and asks for FREE SEAT.

This is still in practice with many airlines.

In the old days this seat was understood to be in the flight deck and they could sit in the passenger cabin if the airline allowed it. But now the flight deck is supposed to be secure and even pilots must ride in the back.

[LEVC]

I agree with you "Lost in Saigon",many pilots do jumpseat, depends on the country, in the USA is a common practice (perhaps since 9/11 jumpseating is more difficult), in Italy they do sometimes, in Spain they do it all the time, even cabin crew are allowed to jumpseat in most spanish airlines (except Iberia).
in UK and France based companies it is not possible to jumpseat unless you are an employee, and even then is difficult. Some companies do allow jumpseat but you can't show at the gate at the last minute, you are asked to go to their ops office and ask for a jumpseating ticket.

Some crews will let in any pilot in, even showing up at the very last moment (a pilot just arrived in another plane and has not enough time to get through boarding and gets a lift through platform from ground personnel, i did it a couple of times get in like this)

It would be a good idea doing a list of companies that do allow jumpseating and conditions to do so.

[Always Moving]

You have to understand that was done in China!
And he only got busted after questioning by the suspicious Captain!
I think it is a security risk, and I hate security! but this is a big one

[old-timer]

Just like the movie of the same name, maybe that's where got the idea ?
(movie based on a true story)

[Grasscarp]

I expect the Captain said to him, "Do you ever go on Plune?" When he said what is that? the game was up.

[Ransman]

As I commute home as a passenger, I am in uniform (Pilot) The security folk at LGW south terminal INSIST that I REMOVE my id and place it in my bag! Bear in mind I'm not using it to gain access airside, I have my boarding card for that, so as it stands, we could have loads of people, dressed in pilot uniforms wandering around the airside passenger terminals who may be imposters! What a completley stupid situation! :D

[homesick rae]

Many years ago in the UAE I was almost conned by a "fake pilot" named Anthony Abrahams. I met him in the Hyatt Regency Galleria. He was in uniform and checking out the facilities. Said he "flew Lear Jets."

To cut a long story short, he was setting up a new company based out of FUJ and asked me to run the Cabin Crew side (F-27s) which I left EK to do.

His lengthy lunches, urge for alcohol, lack of aviation knowledge soon came round and bit him.

He "sacked" me several times but couldn't remember doing it then asked where I was! He made advances on the female members of staff. Would stick cognac in his coffee at 07.00 prior to meetings with DGCA in AUH. Then I saw him in the old Jules bar in his uniform drinking! That was it for me and several others. Had several meetings for funding but was mostly laughed at.

When I resigned he tried, and failed, to cancel my visa which was through the FUJ Aviation Authority. He then tried to set up a cargo operation out of DXB which also failed.

A google search will find him and a story of his bankrupcy.

He had claimed to me and several others to be ex BCAL.

FYI

Cheers

HR

[Always Moving]

This guy really must of chap your hind!

I found a bunch of guys like that in my short career in aviation, some legit, some that, THAT is their business, look like they are in business, secure investors, buy a job pilots, etc, and then run.

The aviation business is full of scamers, from flight schools up.

I am sure we will see another wave of this sort of scum with the new VLJ booming.

[Danny]

Let us not forget the really fake AND dangerous pilot we exposed here on PPRuNe several years ago:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93800

Neil Robertson aka The Guvnor (and about 30 other ID's) is now serving life in prison after we exposed not only his claim to be an experienced heavy jet pilot but also a dangerous pedophile.

A couple of links for those not familiar with the history:

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93774
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=70049
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=55554

[PPRuNe Pop]

Good grief! I hadn't forgot it of course, but just to re-read about this evil man has just made me ring my grandchilren to say goodnight.........

[FakePilot]

Does this mean I'm in trouble? :uhoh: