A former Air Canada pilot has been accused of flying thousands of passengers on commercial flights without a proper license for 17 years. Geoffrey Wall, 59, from Ontario, is facing several fraud-related charges after he was discovered to have been flying with forged credentials since he was promoted to the position of pilot-in-command or captain in 2009, having begun his aviation career in 1998.
Wall was arrested on June 1, following a complex fraud investigation dubbed ‘Project Icarus’. Anomalies were detected in the documentation he presented to Transport Canada during a routine operational evaluation last year at Pearson airport, which led to the expose.
Up until now, he has been charged with fraud over $5,000, public mischief, two counts of uttering forged documents and three counts of possession of counterfeit mark, according to the Peel Regional Police.
“This is very similar to a doctor that is licensed to practice family medicine, but is doing brain surgery in their office,” Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich was quoted as saying by CBC.
As per Air Canada, the pilot was immediately removed from duty once the false documents were discovered last year. “The company voluntarily reported the matter to Transport Canada,” the airline said.
For the designation of a captain, pilots are required to have an airline transport pilot licence (ATPL), which is obtained partly by passing a series of written exams. However, in the last 17 years, Wall managed to fly several types of Boeing aircraft and a total of 900 domestic and international flights, whilst earning millions in salary, all without having a valid license.
Also Read | ‘Faulty Vehicle, Promised Refund, Rs 8,400 Unpaid’: Tourist Scammed By Goa Car Rental Company
AIrline Statement
In the aftermath of the incident, Air Canada claimed that the safety of its passengers was never compromised, as all pilots go through routine training where their flying competency is evaluated.
“Safety was not compromised by this incident because all pilots at Air Canada undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency, including a flight check with a certified Transport Canada check-pilot every 12 months,” the airline said in a statement.
“However, appropriate licensing is an essential layer of the airline industry’s multi-layered approach to safety, so Air Canada takes this matter with utmost seriousness.”
During his nearly three-decade career, Wall held several positions with the Air Canada Pilots Association, including chair of the master executive council, the association’s governing body.
