Pilot jailed for forging entries in his licence and logbooks
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: scotland
Posts: 61
Given a basic renewal in an AS355 (ie without any refresher training) is easily the best part of £2,000...that's a lot of money to find when you are a freelance pilot.
Plenty of motivation there for some logbook/licence fiddling
Plenty of motivation there for some logbook/licence fiddling
Originally Posted by ersa
Looks to me he examined his own ratings and passed.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: The 4th dimension.....
Posts: 83
Originally Posted by johni
Wow.
Although I am not surprised people fiddle their logbooks as the whole CAA type rating system is a very very expensive joke. If you are freelance it costs an absolute fortune just to keep the "cheap" ratings current - for the pleasure of sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring about work.
I understand NPAS suspended/fired a pilot in 2019 due to him forging his logbook.
Although I am not surprised people fiddle their logbooks as the whole CAA type rating system is a very very expensive joke. If you are freelance it costs an absolute fortune just to keep the "cheap" ratings current - for the pleasure of sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring about work.
I understand NPAS suspended/fired a pilot in 2019 due to him forging his logbook.
Did the police pilot get a similar sentence? Given the nature of that type of flying I would suggest any contravention there far more of a safety concern than this stupidity/greed.
If not then there are serious questions to be asked of the CAA and judicial system.
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Downeast
Age: 73
Posts: 17,283
Robbiee,
Apparently you do not know much about the Trucking Operation run by Walmart.
They run from Walmart Distribution Centers to Walmart Stores with the occasional stop on the way back to the DC to pick up drop and hook trailers at major suppliers to the DC's.
Rarely do they sleep in the trucks and when they do...they get paid extra for that.
For your standard Over the Road Truckers....you are closer to correct depending upon the Operator....and kind of hauling being done.
UPS over the road truckers work from Hubs and live at home....and have work days just as standard occupations do....and make excellent salaries with the usual Teamster benefits.
Trucking ain't all about Flying J's and Lot Lizards.
Apparently you do not know much about the Trucking Operation run by Walmart.
They run from Walmart Distribution Centers to Walmart Stores with the occasional stop on the way back to the DC to pick up drop and hook trailers at major suppliers to the DC's.
Rarely do they sleep in the trucks and when they do...they get paid extra for that.
For your standard Over the Road Truckers....you are closer to correct depending upon the Operator....and kind of hauling being done.
UPS over the road truckers work from Hubs and live at home....and have work days just as standard occupations do....and make excellent salaries with the usual Teamster benefits.
Trucking ain't all about Flying J's and Lot Lizards.
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: scotland
Posts: 61
I think the NPAS pilot was dealt with internally and not prosecuted by the CAA. But I don't know the details for sure.
Originally Posted by Northernstar
Did the police pilot get a similar sentence? Given the nature of that type of flying I would suggest any contravention there far more of a safety concern than this stupidity/greed.
If not then there are serious questions to be asked of the CAA and judicial system.
If not then there are serious questions to be asked of the CAA and judicial system.
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: California
Posts: 552
Originally Posted by SASless
Robbiee,
Apparently you do not know much about the Trucking Operation run by Walmart.
They run from Walmart Distribution Centers to Walmart Stores with the occasional stop on the way back to the DC to pick up drop and hook trailers at major suppliers to the DC's.
Rarely do they sleep in the trucks and when they do...they get paid extra for that.
For your standard Over the Road Truckers....you are closer to correct depending upon the Operator....and kind of hauling being done.
UPS over the road truckers work from Hubs and live at home....and have work days just as standard occupations do....and make excellent salaries with the usual Teamster benefits.
Trucking ain't all about Flying J's and Lot Lizards.
Apparently you do not know much about the Trucking Operation run by Walmart.
They run from Walmart Distribution Centers to Walmart Stores with the occasional stop on the way back to the DC to pick up drop and hook trailers at major suppliers to the DC's.
Rarely do they sleep in the trucks and when they do...they get paid extra for that.
For your standard Over the Road Truckers....you are closer to correct depending upon the Operator....and kind of hauling being done.
UPS over the road truckers work from Hubs and live at home....and have work days just as standard occupations do....and make excellent salaries with the usual Teamster benefits.
Trucking ain't all about Flying J's and Lot Lizards.
If Walmart truckers aren't sleeping in their trucks much, then where are they sleeping on those six days a week away from home the job ads mention?
As for UPS? Like with Fedex (where my experience is) yes City and Road Drivers are home every night (or day as Road Driver is an overnight shift), but that's not really "over the road" sleeper cab, that's local day cab driving. Plus, those UPS jobs advertise 12 hour shifts. That's not what I'd call standard to other occupations.
As an entry level City Driver I made $21 bucks an hour with full benefits. Sure its better than every entry level job I've interviewed for flying a helicopter, but that pay doesn't cut it in the SF Bay Area,...unless you like living with your parents?
Getting to a liveable wage (let alone a middle-class one) in trucking can be just as daunting as in helicopters. However, given my experience with both industries, I'd say they both suck. To be frank, if I could make a living at it, I'd rather just drive the monorail at Disney World.
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: USA
Age: 53
Posts: 352
Originally Posted by Robbiee
Plus, those UPS jobs advertise 12 hour shifts. That's not what I'd call standard to other occupations.
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: California
Posts: 552
Originally Posted by Sir Korsky
Generally I don't like to persist with these threads, but you aspire to be a helicopter pilot in the USA. Unless you are one of the few that find and retain that golden job for a whole career, you will be flying HAA to keep the lights on at some point. The standard schedule is a 12 hour day. The vendors, Medtrans, Metro etc, will try and pay you nothing with minimal benefits, probably $70k to start. The non-profits will start you out in 6 figures with experience with generous PTO time, the same that their nurses and medics get. Flying a helicopter can be fun, but believe me I'm ready to jump ship...literally sometimes.
Anyway, I'm not an aspiring pilot. I'm a pilot who has nowhere to rent anymore and thus must find a job flying if I ever want to go up again without a baby sitter. I hate this industry,...but trucking ain't much better.
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Downeast
Age: 73
Posts: 17,283
Robbiee,
I did two Seasonal Stints with UPS driving Triple Trailers between southern Oregon and Portland....lived two miles from the Hub....was home every "night", had Weekends off, and considered staying for permanent but did not care for the Union Mindset that prevailed there.
My friends who made a career there and retired have all done well financially, have excellent health benefits, and upon getting into the single digit Seniority numbers had their choice of runs....all worked daytime only and were home right along with their neighbors.
They all had at least Six Weeks of Vacation, paid Holidays (if UPS was running), and never missed Elk Hunting Season.
The real bonus is they never moved from their hometown in their career.
The Delivery side of UPS is well paid and since the Reformation (No more Ride-A-Long Monitors with Stop Watches) it is hard work but far less stressful.
In life you have to pick your poison....helicopter flying and truck driving are not for everyone.
I did two Seasonal Stints with UPS driving Triple Trailers between southern Oregon and Portland....lived two miles from the Hub....was home every "night", had Weekends off, and considered staying for permanent but did not care for the Union Mindset that prevailed there.
My friends who made a career there and retired have all done well financially, have excellent health benefits, and upon getting into the single digit Seniority numbers had their choice of runs....all worked daytime only and were home right along with their neighbors.
They all had at least Six Weeks of Vacation, paid Holidays (if UPS was running), and never missed Elk Hunting Season.
The real bonus is they never moved from their hometown in their career.
The Delivery side of UPS is well paid and since the Reformation (No more Ride-A-Long Monitors with Stop Watches) it is hard work but far less stressful.
In life you have to pick your poison....helicopter flying and truck driving are not for everyone.
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: California
Posts: 552
Originally Posted by SASless
Robbiee,
I did two Seasonal Stints with UPS driving Triple Trailers between southern Oregon and Portland....lived two miles from the Hub....was home every "night", had Weekends off, and considered staying for permanent but did not care for the Union Mindset that prevailed there.
My friends who made a career there and retired have all done well financially, have excellent health benefits, and upon getting into the single digit Seniority numbers had their choice of runs....all worked daytime only and were home right along with their neighbors.
They all had at least Six Weeks of Vacation, paid Holidays (if UPS was running), and never missed Elk Hunting Season.
The real bonus is they never moved from their hometown in their career.
The Delivery side of UPS is well paid and since the Reformation (No more Ride-A-Long Monitors with Stop Watches) it is hard work but far less stressful.
In life you have to pick your poison....helicopter flying and truck driving are not for everyone.
I did two Seasonal Stints with UPS driving Triple Trailers between southern Oregon and Portland....lived two miles from the Hub....was home every "night", had Weekends off, and considered staying for permanent but did not care for the Union Mindset that prevailed there.
My friends who made a career there and retired have all done well financially, have excellent health benefits, and upon getting into the single digit Seniority numbers had their choice of runs....all worked daytime only and were home right along with their neighbors.
They all had at least Six Weeks of Vacation, paid Holidays (if UPS was running), and never missed Elk Hunting Season.
The real bonus is they never moved from their hometown in their career.
The Delivery side of UPS is well paid and since the Reformation (No more Ride-A-Long Monitors with Stop Watches) it is hard work but far less stressful.
In life you have to pick your poison....helicopter flying and truck driving are not for everyone.
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: uk
Posts: 44
Johni,
Would it not be prudent for NPAS to have reported this case to the CAA? If this Pilot was falsifying his Logbook in NPAS, then there is a high probability that he also did this in his previous employment/s as well?
Also by dealing with this in house, other employers will have no idea what this pilot has done! For flight safety sake,
and other pilots who have grafted for years building hours the right way, 
can we not name this culprit?
B.
Would it not be prudent for NPAS to have reported this case to the CAA? If this Pilot was falsifying his Logbook in NPAS, then there is a high probability that he also did this in his previous employment/s as well?
Also by dealing with this in house, other employers will have no idea what this pilot has done! For flight safety sake,
and other pilots who have grafted for years building hours the right way, can we not name this culprit? B.
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Den Haag
Age: 55
Posts: 5,239
Originally Posted by Brutal
Johni,
Would it not be prudent for NPAS to have reported this case to the CAA? If this Pilot was falsifying his Logbook in NPAS, then there is a high probability that he also did this in his previous employment/s as well?
Also by dealing with this in house, other employers will have no idea what this pilot has done! For flight safety sake,and other pilots who have grafted for years building hours the right way, can we not name this culprit?
B.
Would it not be prudent for NPAS to have reported this case to the CAA? If this Pilot was falsifying his Logbook in NPAS, then there is a high probability that he also did this in his previous employment/s as well?
Also by dealing with this in house, other employers will have no idea what this pilot has done! For flight safety sake,
and other pilots who have grafted for years building hours the right way, can we not name this culprit?B.
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 13,728
Originally Posted by Robbiee
To be frank, if I could make a living at it, I'd rather just drive the monorail at Disney World.
Having recently completed a 43 career in aviation, very little of this career path matches up to the over glamourised image often portrayed.
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 2,883
Originally Posted by johni
Given a basic renewal in an AS355 (ie without any refresher training) is easily the best part of £2,000...that's a lot of money to find when you are a freelance pilot.
Plenty of motivation there for some logbook/licence fiddling
Plenty of motivation there for some logbook/licence fiddling
When you say ‘renewal’, do you mean an OPC/PC?
In the UK, this cost is covered by the helicopter operator. I can’t recall a freelance pilot being asked to cover that particular cost. Well, certainly not by any reputable operator.
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: england
Posts: 56
In the UK, this cost is covered by the helicopter operator. I can’t recall a freelance pilot being asked to cover that particular cost. Well, certainly not by any reputable operator.
...that's how it used to work anyway!
h14
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: The 4th dimension.....
Posts: 83
A U.K. HEMS operator who rely on freelance cover are known to demand roughly 3 days in return for an OPC, plus any line training days are unpaid. Part of the race to the bottom. Another who are supposedly multi crew and extend hours during summer expect freelancers to pay up to £2700 per hour in the charities own MD902 for a limited VFR p2 only type rating for an IFR operation. Seems though the caa are ok with that.
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: scotland
Posts: 61
3 days work for an OPC? That's about £1,350 you are paying the company.
The operator recently recruited for temporary summer pilots and had a lot of highly qualified/experienced applicants, so obviously pilots are happy to put up with this and there is no shortage of pilots.
The operator recently recruited for temporary summer pilots and had a lot of highly qualified/experienced applicants, so obviously pilots are happy to put up with this and there is no shortage of pilots.
Another who are supposedly multi crew and extend hours during summer expect freelancers to pay up to £2,700 per hour in the charities own MD902 for a limited VFR P2 only type rating, for an IFR operation. Seems though the CAA are ok with that.
Last edited by johni; 13th Apr 2022 at 08:28.
