Who's flying you? - Case of Garima Passi

TIMES NOW has uncovered a fresh scam in the pilot scam. 24 year old Garima Passi is allowed to fly SpiceJet despite an objection from a training school. The American training school recommended cancelling Passi's training. Sabeena Airline training Centre observed Passi had 'fear of aircrafts'.

TIMES NOW accessed the training school's report. Eliza Wade, ACI, Sabeena Training Centre, said Passi made a hard landing and caused damage and that the pilot lacks confidence as she has fear of aircrafts. Eliza said the pilot lacks basic aircraft control and she does not complete the gap between knowing and applying.

Even as two people have been arrested for holding fake pilot licences, sources within the Crime Branch investigating the case have told TIMES NOW that a scam of this scale could not have been possible without the connivance of DGCA officials.

TIMES NOW asks:

1. Is SpiceJet aware of her training records as per Sabeena Training Academy's letters?

2. How can someone who's training was suspended be cleared by the Uttrakhand training school?

3. Is it a coincidence that her father is Director of Air Safety Northern Command?

4. How is no one in the ministry aware of the Garima Passi case?

2 arrested pilots paid Rs 10 lakh for forged marksheet: Police

Two pilots arrested in the Capital for obtaining flying licence by allegedly forging marksheets are believed to have paid touts Rs 10-12 lakh each, Police said, adding investigations were underway to know the identity of these middlemen.

Police arrested Parminder Kaur Gulati (38) of Indigo and Jitender Kishen Verma (46) of Air India in the last one week and are hot on the trail of two more pilots who are absconding in the wake of the fake pilot scare.

The investigating agency is now on the look out for other pilots who allegedly forged marksheets to secure a pilots license.

FAKE Pilots Case

New Delhi: Pilots with fake and forged licences could be flying commercial aircraft in India. A CNN-IBN investigation has found that at least 10 pilots have bribed their way through rigorous aviation tests to become commanders in some of the top airlines in India.

The case of Indigo pilot Parminder Kaur Gulati, who was arrested on Wednesday by Delhi Police for obtaining a pilot's license on alleged forged documents, is just the tip of an iceberg. The DGCA is now investigating over 1700 pilots who may have paid their way to pass the test to command a flight

The Airlines Transport Pilot Licence (ALTP) is every pilot’s dream. The ALTP makes the person the pilot-in-command and also doubles the salary.

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New Delhi: Pilots with fake and forged licences could be flying commercial aircraft in India. A CNN-IBN investigation has found that at least 10 pilots have bribed their way through rigorous aviation tests to become commanders in some of the top airlines in India.The case of Indigo pilot Parminder Kaur Gulati, who was arrested on Wednesday by Delhi Police for obtaining a pilot's license on alleged forged documents, is just the tip of an iceberg. The DGCA is now investigating over 1700 pilots who may have paid their way to pass the test to command a flightThe Airlines Transport Pilot Licence (ALTP) is every pilot’s dream. The ALTP makes the person the pilot-in-command and also doubles the salary.

But getting the licence is not easy. The pilot has to log over 1500 flying hours and pass three tests in Air Navigation, Radio Aids and Instruments and Aviation Meteorology. They also face an interview.

Such is the rush that many pilots are willing to pay for it. The arrest of Parminder has now opened a can of worms. CNN-IBN has spoken to many pilots to reveal the shocking story of some of the pilots who could be flying you around have fake licences

Four senior pilots of Air India, Kingfisher, Jet Airways and Indigo admitted that the rates were upwards of Rs 7 lakh to pass the commander test and could go upto Rs 25 lakh. The deals are brokered by touts.

In January 2011 a pilot with one of India's leading airlines failed in his first solo test, delaying the aircraft by over two hours. Later he admitted to his senior that he had paid through his test.

Another instructor had a mid-air scare when the pilot he was evaluating admitted that he had never logged the flying hours he had filed.

Top sources in the Director General of Civil Aviation admit to the rot in the system and are working to identify corrupt officials. Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi assured of strict action if any pilot was found to have fake licence.

"If any corruption complain comes to me, I know what to do with that. Nothing has come to me so far. But that does not mean that every thing is alright," said Ravi.

Following Parminder's case the DGCA has put all 1700 new licences under scrutiny. Sources say they have zeroed in on over 10 suspicious cases from various airlines.

"(There is) some lacuna somewhere. Today I had a discussion with the Director General of DGCA, Bharat Bhusan. I told him to please find out the loopholes and plug it. Don't allow its repetition and play with human lives," said Ravi.

There is now fear of a similar scam involving Commercial Pilot Licence holders. DGCA sources say they have received a number of complaints. This is disturbing news for a sector that has been growing in leaps and bounds over the last 10 years.