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Crashed Boeing 737 Pilot May Have Flown Under Fake License

** In this photo provided by Russian Emergency
Situations Ministry, fire fighters and rescuers
work at the crash site of a Russian passenger
airliner near Kazan.**
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Key Takeaways:

  • Russian authorities have recommended revoking Tatarstan Airlines' operating certificate after a 737 crash killed all 50 on board, citing concerns over inadequate pilot training and insufficient crew rest.
  • The investigation suggests a broader issue within Russian aviation, with suspicions that many pilots, including the crashed jet's captain, may be flying with fake commercial licenses from questionable training facilities.
  • Investigators have found no technical faults with the crashed aircraft, which was reportedly under manual control during its second attempt to land.
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As Russian investigators are working hard to piece together the cause behind last month’s tragic crash of a commercial 737 jet, which killed all 50 people on board, fingers are being pointed at the operations of the airline itself. Multiple reports by Russian news media including The Moscow Times claim that Rosaviatsia, Russia’s Federal Air Transportation Agency, has recommended revoking the operating certificate of Tatarstan Airlines, which operated the crashed 737.

The reasoning behind the harsh recommendation is that the airline’s pilots may not have been properly trained and the crew schedules don’t allow for sufficient rest times.

Pia Bergqvist

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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