The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) is investigating a Vietnam Airlines’ pilot that allegely falsified his number of flight hours, an official said.
Lai Xuan Thanh (left) interviewed by DTiNews’ reporter
CAAV Deputy Director Lai Xuan Thanh told DTiNews that Vietnamese authorities doubted the South Korean pilot’s number of flying hours but not his licence.
Have you concluded the inspection of the pilot’s flying hours? Has the Indonesian training agency replied to questions related to his license?
CAAV has sent an official document to the Indonesian agency asking them to carry out an inspection and confirm the number of hours that the pilot has actually controlled airplanes in their country. The inspection results should be sent to Vietnam for confirmation in accordance with the Convention on International Civil Aviation, also known as the Chicago Convention. However, to date, we have yet to receive any reply from them. We do not doubt the pilot’s license but are questioning the number of flying hours.
Based on the information provided by the South Korean press, we are considering two possibilities; that the Indonesian airlines’ confirmation is false or the information about the pilot’s 680 flying hours is incorrect.
In the aviation industry, it’s vital for a pilot to not only have a license but also to have experience in controlling a particular type of aircraft, which could affect an airline’s operations and prestige. In a case where a pilot lies about his flying hours, it could harm the prestige of the airline he works for.
It’s also important to confirm the pilot’s flying hour and check his experience in order to calculate his payment. It could endanger a flight if a pilot is not honest in declaring his experience, especially flying hours. The number of flying hours is an evidence to prove that the pilot is competent enough to deal with emergency situations.
Why does CAAV doubt that the pilot has never controlled aircraft A320?
We think of that it is a possibility based on the information provided by the South Korean press. In order to ensure safe flights, CAAV decided on November 6 to carry out an overall investigation of Vietnam Airlines’ standards and conditions for hiring foreign pilots as well as all dossiers that the airline has sent to the CAAV.
Have you had confirmation that the pilot has fled?
We have yet to have any information related to this claim.
At a press conference on November 8, Lai Xuan Thanh said a South Korean agency had sent an official dispatch to the agency, saying that South Korean pilot Kim Tae Hun, who was alternate captain on Vietnam Airlines’ flight VN970 to South Korea’s Posan, had never controlled a A320 jet. However, an Indonesia airline confirmed the pilot had a total of 680 flying hours while working in the country.
According to Vietnam Airlines, flight VN970 to Pusan failed to successfully land under the control of alternate Captain Kim Tae Hun. Captain Vuong Van My successfully completed the landing.
Vietnam Airlines explained that Gimhae International Airport at Pusan City was a particularly difficult landing and the airline had warned crew prior to their flight.
After being informed about the flight VN970’s landing problem, Vietnam Airlines requested the crew to submit documentation to prove their flying experience and hours. Alternate Captain Kim Tae Hun was agreed to return to Indonesia to ask for confirmation of his flying hours from an Indonesia airline. He has yet to return to Vietnam.
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