Fake pilot flew passengers into Gatwick

Michael Fay, a US national who settled in Alton, Hampshire, worked for a Libyan airline for eight months before being rumbled by another pilot.

The 59-year-old is now on the run after failing to turn up to court for his sentencing for fraud.

Police believe that he has fled the UK and may be looking for more work as a pilot or flying instructor.

He had been operating Airbus A320 aircraft for eight months on behalf of Afriqiyah Airways from June 2010 until the day of his arrest in February 2011.

Police were alerted to the scam by the former US Air Force pilot when another pilot became suspicious while chatting to him on an internet forum.

‘Clever and resourceful’

Detective Constable Chris Thorne said: “Michael Fay is a clever and resourceful man who clearly shows no concern for public safety if he’s willing to work without the correct licences and medical certification.

“He targeted Libyan aviation at a time when the country’s political and economic standing was vulnerable and volatile.”

Fay was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison Winchester Crown Court on Friday. He is believed to have flown passengers into Gatwick without an official licence or medical documentation on eight separate occasions.

Hampshire Constabulary, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and overseas law enforcement are working together to bring Fay back to the UK to begin his sentence.

The Tripoli-based airline Afriqiyah Airways said it believed Fay had been hired by a third-party broker, but that his behaviour or competence was never questioned.

The airline said that all flight-deck staff are assessed for competence in the UK, Germany and other EU states.

“As a major national carrier, we place great emphasis on the safety and integrity of our crews and aircraft, and we will treat the investigation of this matter with the utmost seriousness it deserves,” said a spokesman.