This thread brings back memories of a character named Neil Robertson. Does that name bring back fond memories to anyone?:p

Who was Neil Roberston ?

You crazy new guys :\

Ello Guv

This is old news (late last year, actually).

Yep, he was unlicenced.

He was actually an aircraft engineer, however. Just not a licenced one (difference between a "LAME" and an "AME" in the Oz system) and therefore unable to "sign" for work. From what I've heard, he was actually reasonably competent, though I guess this is beside the point.

I believe that, with the engineers under pressure to get aeroplanes back on the line, he just started signing up work even though he wasn't supposed to. He got deeper and deeper into the whole thing and it got totally out of control. No-one bothered to check or ask about his licence quals or the fact that he'd never sat his exams!

Melax, Neil Robertson impostor: http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93800

airmuster, his name was Frank Abagnale played by Leonardo Di Caprio in the movie Catch Me if You Can. He didn't actually fly an aircraft and knew sfa about them, but was an accomplished con man.

He is now a respectable member of the community, whatever that is, and runs a security company in the USA. A friend is the CEO of an Australian security printing company that does printing work for him.

If you can believe the film, and that's probably unlikely when you consider other parts of the film, the FBI recruited him after doing some time, as their specialist fraud investigator.

Just like the fake BA038 passenger :}

Brian & KaptinZZ

Thanks for replies. It was an enjoyable film........ bust have had been a headache for Pam am and the authorities as I presume the con did go on for a fair while.

I find that if you say you are a pilot people never seem to question you re licences, more re types you fly.

My wife and I were in the States doing the Oshkosh thing some time ago and went on for her to get a twin endorsement at some university airport around Kansas I think. Anyway, during the theory classes, I sat down the back just relaxing reading some book, and every now and then the instructor would ask if I agreed with whatever he was going on about. I use to just wave my hand or nod or mutter.............. it wasn't till after the lecture that my wife informed me that he had assumed that I was some airline captain...... I am a bit older than the other half. Bloody glad he didn't ask me to help solve some problem. We all had a good laugh when I informed him that I get dizzy over 500ft.

One thing I do remember though is that he barrell-rolled a Duchess with me in it..... something CASA would love seeing...... I was in the back seat, then next day found the prop blades rather loose on the hub.

Glad I'm still around to tell the tale.

Questions that should be asked of both CASA and Qantas are:

1] Why are the CASA issued licences no longer watermarked,as you are required to photo copy your licence when showing your manager/representative? It was good enough in the past,why not now?

2] Why did CASA not ask Qantas for an explanation,when the results of the type course exams that the imposter LAE passed were sent to CASA,and placed in his CASA file? All exams results,pass or fail are placed in the applicants CASA file. So why wasnt this picked up by CASA?

3] Why didnt the imposters' manager(or designate) take 5 minutes to review his eQ/HRI status in regards to making sure he had the required Airframe/Engine basics to be eligible to sit the course?

4] And how did none of the guys on his crew not know about his status of lack of Basic exam passes? Was this guy such a liar or a social outcast that no body was aware of what exams he had done and what he had left? I know that where ever I have worked,it has always been a topic of conversation as to what you had done,and what was left,so that you could borrow notes,etc.

Surely the LAEs on his crew should shoulder some of the moral blame for the damage to our professional reputation for letting this one slip through.

For as long as I can remember,it was a requirement that you had to have passed ALL Basic exams for the category that the applicant was applying for.

e.g. All airframe exams plus AA when sitting and applying for an airframe licence on type.

Just to be picky...please note, there is no "U" in Qantas.:ugh:

At my current company pilots are required to produce a license+medical at each sim check followed by them taking care of papers to the authorities.
Means there is no way you can go unnoticed with false papers.
False hour logging can of course be a problem, but that is to the hiring people to apply some common sense and experience.

Melax, Neil Robertson impostor: http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=93800

Hey Hotdog thanks for the info, Wow That's incredible what people do !!

It was the talk of the town back in the late 60s at the former Eastern Airlines [USA] where one B727 pilot apparently had "fallen through the cracks" with only a private pilot's certificate.

As to new pilots coming into the right seat of a big jet; the experience level becomes immediately apparent, no matter how many hours one claims to have actually flown . . . or logged on paper. Pilots' experience levels can usually be measured during initial sim sessions.

TM
 

BUg a lugs;

Firstly, i worked with MR "no licence" for a few years while he was at QF. I had many conversations with him, one which he told me he was expelled from school for breaking into the computer mainframe. Believe it or not he actually got into the system at work, a few strange things happened on pc's. From what i gather he put false results into the system. Secondly, he came from kendell (Wagga) when ansett closed as a 4th year apprentice and did not talk to too many people. So, no one knew how many basics he had done. he told me he was doing elec basics and that was after the course. crap.
Thirdly, an instuctor at QF recently told me he failed 2 subjects and it was the training centre that picked up the fraud, as his basic results sheets did not have the picture in the back ground.
Regardless, there was alot of holes he slipped through and the manager should be sacked. QF is however a blameless business and you won't see any manager take any responsibility for anything that goes wrong. None of the guys on his crew are to blame, they are LAMES, not HR and not the manager!
It is not a requirement to have AA until after the course. he only had 3 basics anyhow.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/images/...er_offline.gif http://www.pprune.org/forums/images/buttons/report.gif

Haha

There is no "U" in Qantas,

oh well, just thought i'd post now so that can i get to 50posts

Hooray, 50posts!:D:D:D

Qantas engineer fake licence
 

I seem to remember it stands for "Queensland and Northern Territories Airline Systems".Anyway my point after reading this thread is,does anyone know of JAR 166 approved engineers.??Whilst flying in a "European" outfit,which had a lot a excellent Brit LAE Engineers,the Organisation replaced the line maintenance engineers,that we knew well,with a Car Mechanic Types who seemed to know very little about the aircraft.These were NOT LAE qualified,but had produced work sheets for 5 years on Similar or otherwise Commercial Aircraft,and by Grandfather rights were let loose on our Aircraft,as Approved.They got rid of a lot of the Brit LAEs,and placed one proper LAE looking after up to 4 Aircraft on the Line,with these Jar166 guys doing the work.It caused several problems,especially of an Hydraulic nature,since they were unaware of sequencing valves in the systems,and we had Aircraft U/S with airlocks,taking several hours delay to fix.The Licenced guys ended up doing paperwork in the office,and did not have the time to sort out each and every little problem,that was thrown up by LMC.Does anyone else know of similar,or even if JAR 166 Approvals are now the norm in the rest of Europe???????They may not be fake,BUT it leaves a lot to be desired????????????????????

Was told a couple of times over the last three years about a guy who came out of the RAF with lots of jet time logged. Got himself a job with one of the minors (Mytravel or similar). Did good as well, but didn't know when to shut up. Always telling anyone who would listen about his exploits of daring-do (and he wasn't even a Harrier mate).

When boarding during a crew handover, his Captain mentioned he must know the offgoing Captain as he used to be on the same squadron. Offgoing captain did not know this guy.

Questions led to the truth behind it all. Turns out this walt was ex RAF Air Traffic Control with a PPL. Because he knew when each jet took off and landed, he entered the times in his logbook. Hey, presto, 'I've got XXXX hours fast-jet. Give me a job'.

Told to me independently by a couple of guys who used to work for the same company, both stories identical.


I know a guy now flying in a senior position in the UK with one of the minors. Over ten years ago, he sharp-penned a zero behind his 50 hrs multi to get his entry with the company.

First guy for the glamour and image. Second guy for the money. It happens for different reasons.

camlobe

Wanabe Pilot (fake)
 

First Post guys... So I hope you like this (true) story
Never thought I would be able to give some input to this forum (just SLF:D)

About 15 years ago I was working for a Toyota Dealership in the South (UK)
We had this guy come in a couple of times, talking sports cars etc and wearing a Captains uniform, we got quite friendly with him and starting talking "Shop"
My colleague was a lapsed PPL and I was a keen wanabe so we knew a bit!!
One day the evening discussion got very technical and I saw this guys eyes glaze over, it hit me like a bolt that this "Captain" knew SFA.
He knew that I knew and made his exit.
My colleague and I looked at each other, burst into laughter and made the comment "There is no f:mad: way on earth that guy can fly"

A couple of weeks went by and I had to visit a local large blue chip company and demo a car for the MD.
Guess who was in "uniform" manning the reception??????????????
I just did not know what to say... Weird mixed up people wearing Pilots uniform and making out they were a senior Captain was way out of my league (and understanding)

Phony licenses are pretty rare in the U.S. these days after the increased vetting that occurs due to TSA and FAA requirements.

I have an acquaintance in the expat world who pencil whipped a P1 type rating and a phony letter from a middle east airline to get hired as an A-300 captain at Korean a decade ago. He was a KE 744 captain last time I checked.

I had a friend call me about an Ozmate with a questionable FAA license, I put him in touch with the folks in Oklahoma City, the license was indeed fraudulent. This guy was looking for contract work in Africa.

Any word on just how long Mr. McCormack had been pulling this particular stunt????