A mentally ill man who has worked as a civilian pilot for about a year has been suspended from duty in Russia's southern republic of Adygea, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Tuesday.
The man, who has been under medical observance since 2007, received a civilian pilot certificate from the Russian air transport agency Rosaviatsiya in March 2010. According to Russian laws, one can receive a pilot certificate only if the applicant is sane, but the man submitted a fake mental health certificate as well as a document proving that he has never been under medical supervision.
Over the past decade, the deficit of pilots in Russia has become very acute. The country needs at least 700-800 pilots a year. There are currently about 10,000 commercial pilots in Russia, but an estimated 1,000 are lost every year through retirement or finding work abroad.
There is no information for which company the insane pilot worked. His pilot certificate has been revoked. A criminal case may be opened.
MOSCOW, March 29 (RIA Novosti)
