Robredo pilot had expired licenses?

MANILA, Philippines - The pilot of the light aircraft that crashed off Masbate last Aug. 18, killing Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, reportedly did not renew his licenses to fly a commercial plane and train student pilots, a source at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said yesterday.

The management of Aviatour Air, however, denied this, saying they have records to prove that the pilot, Jessup Bahinting, had renewed his licenses.

“As per our records in the data base, both the commercial and flight instructor pilot licenses of Jessup Bahinting were not renewed when they expired last April 8,” the source told The STAR.

The source said that unlike a driver’s license which expires on the holder’s date of birth, licenses for pilots and flight instructors expire one year from the date the holder applies for the license.

The source said that according to the CAAP data base, the commercial license number of Bahinting was 75-C-25, meaning he was the 25th commercial pilot licensed in 1975, while his flight instructor license number was 76-15 issued in 1976.

The requirements for renewal of commercial pilot and flight instructor licenses are medical certificate, clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation, and a record of at least 10 flying hours three months before the expiration of the license.

The source said that if a pilot decides to hold off the renewal of his license, he must surrender it and get it back as soon as he or she decides to renew it.

In the case of Bahinting, who was already 60 years old, he was required to undergo medical check-up every three months.

The source, however, clarified that Bahinting might have renewed his license but the hard copy was not scanned into the CAPP computer database.

He said that as of yesterday the records of Bahinting were not yet updated.

With an expired license, Bahinting was not supposed to fly the Piper Seneca plane, the source said.

The source also said that Nepales flight student Kshitiz Chand – supposed to be Bahinting’s co-pilot – had no rating to fly a Piper Seneca plane and that his rating was only for Cessna 157 and 172 light planes.

Earlier, a CAAP special investigator said that based on initial findings, Bahinting’s body was found strapped in the right seat of the cockpit, indicating that he was not the pilot in command during the flight.

Sources at the CAAP said Bahinting might have allowed the Nepalese student to fly the plane so the latter could have 10 more flying hours – enough to entitle him to a rating for Piper Seneca planes.

Denial

The management of the Cebu-based Aviatour Air, however, belied reports that Bahinting was carrying an expired license at the time of the crash.

“He is our CEO and chairman and he was very strict about this. It is very unlikely that he flew without a license,” Aviatour Air human resource manager Michelle Ferol said.

She said they have records to prove that Bahinting’s license had been renewed.

“Where are they getting this information? There have been a lot of allegations and assumptions already. Why can’t they just wait for the result of the investigation? Our documents are ready for submission and we firmly believe that we have not violated any CAAP rule,” she said in Cebuano.

She said the fact that the aircraft had been cleared for take-off by the Mactan air traffic control (ATC) indicated the validity of information regarding Bahinting, including the validity of his license.

An Aviatour pilot who declined to be named said the flight plan sent to the ATC contained the pilot’s information such as his name, license number and the license’s expiry date.

Other information in the flight plan included the departure and arrival points, the number of passengers onboard and information about the aircraft, among others.

Ferol said the pilot’s information, especially the validity of the license, is checked before clearance for take-off is issued.

“We are confident that they followed the procedure,” she said.

Ferol said the actual investigation will start after Bahinting and Chand are laid to rest on Monday.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday handed to the widow of Bahinting a posthumous lifesaver citation for the late pilot.

“Imagine if he did not intervene. We don’t know what will happen to Ronron (Ronald Aventurado),” said Rama in a brief speech before handing the citation to Margarita, the pilot’s widow and their two daughters. – With Liv Campo, Jessica Ann Pareja/The Freeman