BA CityFlyer driver jailed for dodgy logbook
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BA CityFlyer driver jailed for dodgy logbook
Evening Standard
A pilot has been jailed for lying about his flying experience to get a job with British Airways, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.
Craig Butfoy, of Matfield, Kent, made false claims to get and retain work with British Airways subsidiary BA CityFlyer – based at London City Airport – and former Irish regional airline Stobart Air, between April 2016 and March 2018.
He entered false details and altered entries in his flight logbook so it appeared he was more experienced than he was.
Butfoy was handed a 12-month prison sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court, east London, on Monday after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud at an earlier hearing, according to the CAA.
Jonathan Spence, general counsel at the CAA, said: “The Civil Aviation Authority’s prosecution and the sentence imposed show that offences of this kind are taken very seriously by the Civil Aviation Authority and the courts.
Craig Butfoy, of Matfield, Kent, made false claims to get and retain work with British Airways subsidiary BA CityFlyer – based at London City Airport – and former Irish regional airline Stobart Air, between April 2016 and March 2018.
He entered false details and altered entries in his flight logbook so it appeared he was more experienced than he was.
Butfoy was handed a 12-month prison sentence at Snaresbrook Crown Court, east London, on Monday after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud at an earlier hearing, according to the CAA.
Jonathan Spence, general counsel at the CAA, said: “The Civil Aviation Authority’s prosecution and the sentence imposed show that offences of this kind are taken very seriously by the Civil Aviation Authority and the courts.
Last edited by Senior Pilot; 24th Aug 2022 at 19:33. Reason: Add quote: it helps PPRuNers to know what you’re talking about
More on Sky https://news.sky.com/story/british-a...t-job-12578731
I woud be interested to know how he was rumbled. I assume he met the standard? MAybe not
I woud be interested to know how he was rumbled. I assume he met the standard? MAybe not
Parker Pens are more prolific than one might imagine. I knew one 737 skipper whose alleged experience was pure fabrication as I knew folk in one of his previous companies (Harbour Air, BC) who told me a completely different story. He's now still floating around SE Asia picking up contracts here and there and telling tall tales.
"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
Yes the old P51 hours. In the RAF our logbook had to have a summary filled in at the end of the month, and countersigned. Once a year that went as far as the Stn Cdr. I continued with monthly summaries as a civilian, but more for my own interest than any requirement.
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Years ago we had a guy who had logged loads of mil flying, got in, was capable. I believe he got busted when he got a command and someone who should have known him from their previous life didn't. Turned out he was an ATCo and had logged the hours from the tower. CAA prosecuted and I believe he went to jail. History repeats itself when people forget.
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Hi there is an article in The Times (UK) today on this. Basically it says Ii've removed his name) A pilot who lied about his flying experience to get a job with British Airways was found out after pressing a button that “no qualified pilot would do”, sources have told The Times.
The pilot who has been jailed for fraud, worked for BA CityFlyer, a British Airways subsidiary, and Stobart Air, a former Aer Lingus subsidiary, between April 2016 and March 2018. He worked for each airline for about a year. He obtained work as a pilot after entering false details and altering entries in his flight logbook so it appeared that he was more experienced than he was, Snaresbrook crown court in east London was told.
He was jailed for 12 months on Monday after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud and two breaches of the Air Navigation Order 2016. Sources said that BA CityFlyer bosses became concerned about him after an incident in Switzerland in which he “pressed a button on the ground that no qualified pilot would” and they launched an internal investigation.
My question is, what was the button that the pilot pushed, that no pilot would touch??
The pilot who has been jailed for fraud, worked for BA CityFlyer, a British Airways subsidiary, and Stobart Air, a former Aer Lingus subsidiary, between April 2016 and March 2018. He worked for each airline for about a year. He obtained work as a pilot after entering false details and altering entries in his flight logbook so it appeared that he was more experienced than he was, Snaresbrook crown court in east London was told.
He was jailed for 12 months on Monday after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud and two breaches of the Air Navigation Order 2016. Sources said that BA CityFlyer bosses became concerned about him after an incident in Switzerland in which he “pressed a button on the ground that no qualified pilot would” and they launched an internal investigation.
My question is, what was the button that the pilot pushed, that no pilot would touch??
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If he’s been flying for Cityflyer and Stobart then he clearly knew how to fly and was type rated so the whole pressing the wrong button thing doesn’t make any real sense??
If I'm not mistaken Stobart (alias Aer Arann) and Cityflyer never had a common type in this time, the Stobart E190 didn't come until afterwards, so must have purported to have two type ratings on the Embraer jet and the ATR turboprop. All Stobart's fleet, and their AOC, were, I believe, registered in Ireland, not the UK, so wonder what the IAA had to say about this.
May well have flown me once or twice.
May well have flown me once or twice.
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If I'm not mistaken Stobart (alias Aer Arann) and Cityflyer never had a common type in this time, the Stobart E190 didn't come until afterwards, so must have purported to have two type ratings on the Embraer jet and the ATR turboprop. All Stobart's fleet, and their AOC, were, I believe, registered in Ireland, not the UK, so wonder what the IAA had to say about this.
May well have flown me once or twice.
May well have flown me once or twice.
I see Cityflyer say he was "fully qualified", so presumably it is the hours that are key rather than not qualified at all.
Hi there is an article in The Times (UK) today on this. Basically it says Ii've removed his name) A pilot who lied about his flying experience to get a job with British Airways was found out after pressing a button that “no qualified pilot would do”, sources have told The Times.
The pilot who has been jailed for fraud, worked for BA CityFlyer, a British Airways subsidiary, and Stobart Air, a former Aer Lingus subsidiary, between April 2016 and March 2018. He worked for each airline for about a year. He obtained work as a pilot after entering false details and altering entries in his flight logbook so it appeared that he was more experienced than he was, Snaresbrook crown court in east London was told.
He was jailed for 12 months on Monday after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud and two breaches of the Air Navigation Order 2016. Sources said that BA CityFlyer bosses became concerned about him after an incident in Switzerland in which he “pressed a button on the ground that no qualified pilot would” and they launched an internal investigation.
My question is, what was the button that the pilot pushed, that no pilot would touch??
The pilot who has been jailed for fraud, worked for BA CityFlyer, a British Airways subsidiary, and Stobart Air, a former Aer Lingus subsidiary, between April 2016 and March 2018. He worked for each airline for about a year. He obtained work as a pilot after entering false details and altering entries in his flight logbook so it appeared that he was more experienced than he was, Snaresbrook crown court in east London was told.
He was jailed for 12 months on Monday after pleading guilty to four charges of fraud and two breaches of the Air Navigation Order 2016. Sources said that BA CityFlyer bosses became concerned about him after an incident in Switzerland in which he “pressed a button on the ground that no qualified pilot would” and they launched an internal investigation.
My question is, what was the button that the pilot pushed, that no pilot would touch??
Definitely the ‘only fake pilots push this’ button
Another one been caught flying G-BIRO.
Had an example of this in my old company. He even had the brass neck to be lecturing others how it should be done in the Flight Deck. I had my suspicions about a couple of others but could never prove it.
Had an example of this in my old company. He even had the brass neck to be lecturing others how it should be done in the Flight Deck. I had my suspicions about a couple of others but could never prove it.
It's been going on for at least 50 years !
I suspected one in the dim and distant when I was a young captain. All his BS just didn't ring true and, although he was quick, knew the manuals inside out and could programme the A/P like a genius, his basic manual flying skills were, well, basic. I've had PPL aeros students who were far more aware of what the aeroplane was doing.
He's presently doing a prison term for something unrelated !
I suspected one in the dim and distant when I was a young captain. All his BS just didn't ring true and, although he was quick, knew the manuals inside out and could programme the A/P like a genius, his basic manual flying skills were, well, basic. I've had PPL aeros students who were far more aware of what the aeroplane was doing.
He's presently doing a prison term for something unrelated !
He got caught because he pushed his luck claiming to have worked for a company who didn't even have the type back in 2016
Last edited by First.officer; 1st Apr 2022 at 10:15. Reason: Typo
From what I've read, it's not that clear whether he ever had a licence that could be revoked...
If you have the licences and type ratings, I am wondering what actual law is broken that leads to a significant custodial event. Sure, you have breached your employers' policy on experience, told an untruth to them about your hours, and are correctly dismissed for that. Cityflyer said he had the correct qualifications. Pulling the "wrong knob" on the ground doesn't normally lead to this.
If you have the licences and type ratings, I am wondering what actual law is broken that leads to a significant custodial event. Sure, you have breached your employers' policy on experience, told an untruth to them about your hours, and are correctly dismissed for that. Cityflyer said he had the correct qualifications. Pulling the "wrong knob" on the ground doesn't normally lead to this.
