Fake Flying Licence Leads to SAA Pilot’s Firing

A senior South African Airlines (SAA) monitoring pilot has been forced to resign, after it was discovered that he had been flying commercial aircrafts for over 20 years without a legitimate pilot’s licence.

SAA discovered that William Chandler – who has been employed by the airline since 1994 – possessed a fraudulent airline transport pilot licence (ATPL) during an investigation into an incident involving a flight he piloted last year.

While details surrounding the incident – which saw Chandler at the controls of an aircraft travelling from Johannesburg, South Africa to Frankfurt, Germany last November – are scarce, it was during the subsequent investigation that saw Chandler’s forged ATPL coming to light.

This explains why Chandler refused to to be promoted to the rank of captain from monitoring pilot – or co-pilot – in 2005, as it would have required him to resubmit his certification.

As a result of Chandler’s actions, SAA are reportedly looking to recover the remuneration that he had earned during his career.

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