India og luftfart nok en gang - Curt Lewis

6 senior ex-Jet pilots caught cheating during test, grounded (India)

MUMBAI: Six former Jet Airways senior pilots appearing for written exams
that would permit these Boeing 737 pilots to fly A320 aircraft for IndiGo
were caught cheating on camera by a Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA) invigilator. On Wednesday, the regulator debarred these pilots for
a period of six months, after which they will need to reappear for these
exams.

The exams were conducted in-house by IndiGo on July 22 in the
presence of a DGCA invigilator. "Six pilots were Jet Airways examiners on
Boeing 737 aircraft. They openly consulted each other for answers to the
multi-choice questions. They were very casual about the written exams,"
said a source. Though the six pilots are highly experienced on Boeing 737,
the questions pertained to the A320, the aircraft they would eventually fly for IndiGo.

The minimum marks needed to clear this  exam are 70%. "Even as the pilots enquired around hunting for answers, the invigilator recorded the happenings," said a source.

DGCA chief Arun Kumar confirmed the six pilots have been debarred from appearing for exams for six months.

After Jet Airways suspended its flight operations in April, the six pilots had joined IndiGo. However, since IndiGo does not operate Boeing 737 aircraft, the pilots had to undergo what's called "type-rating." It's a certification given by the regulator to pilots to fly a certain aircraft type -- the A320 in this case -- after the pilots have completed additional training and cleared the exams.

Type-rating training starts with ground training classes where pilots learn about systems on the particular aircraft, its performance, limitations etc. At the end of ground exams training, the pilots have to clear a written exam. Due to manpower shortage, since the past 8-9 years, the DGCA has allowed airlines to carry out type rating exams. A flight operations inspector from DGCA goes to invigilate the exams.

"When the footage of pilots consulting each other reached the DGCA, action had to be taken. For six months, the pilots will be on ground as they won't be able to fly for IndiGo. Their type-training program has stopped for now," said a source. A response
from IndiGo was awaited at the time of going to the press.