Published on Friday, March 25, 2011

India's fake pilot scandal continues to grow

Ever since a female captain - subsequently found to have fake qualifications - landed her packed airliner on the nose instead of the rear wheels as she touched down in Goa - at least five other pilots working for Indian airlines have been arrested for bogus licences.

India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which is responsible for pilot examinations and granting licences, has announced it will look into the credentials of 4000 commercial airline pilots.

More arrests are expected, said an AFP report.

Attention has focused on the Rajasthan State Flying School, which has been running for the last 10 years. Two of its alumni, working for SpiceJet, were arrested on Monday, said AFP.

"A pilot needs to have completed a minimum 200 hours of flying to get a licence. Several of the pilots from there had only completed 50-60 hours," Umesh Mishra, from Rajasthan's anti-corruption bureau, said.

Another 40 flying schools around India are to be probed for irregularities

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