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Paperwork problems w/RCMP air service

The Bread Guy

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This out from the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner (OPSIC):
.... One out of the five allegations that were investigated resulted in a finding of wrongdoing. The investigation found that:

the Ottawa Air Service (OAS) committed wrongdoing pursuant to paragraph 8(a) of the Act by:
Making false entries in Aircraft Journey Log books (AJLs) and flying overweight, thus contravening paragraph 602.07(a) of the Canadian Aviation Regulations.

(....)

Several AJLs from 2012 were provided to the Investigators. Their review revealed that:

On one AJL, the total weight for five passengers, including both pilots, was 880 lb. According to witnesses, both pilots were “heavy men” and could have a combined weight of nearly 550 lb, thus leaving 330 lb to make up the weight of the remaining three passengers, which was described as “unrealistic”. According to this AJL, the take-off weight was entered as 10,410 lb and 10,440 lb on two separate legs of the journey, which is only a few pounds below the Pilatus’ maximum weight capacity of 10,450 lb. Moreover, the fuel weight was not entered on the AJL.
Three other AJLs revealed questionable baggage weight, given the number of passengers and/or the length of the respective trips. For instance, one AJL dated August 31, 2012, which pertained to an overnight trip to Washington, revealed that the total baggage weight for all five passengers returning to Ottawa was only 55 lb; as for another AJL, dated September 5, 2012, the total baggage weight was entered as 50 lb for every leg of the journey, regardless of whether the total number of persons on board was two, four or six. In all three cases, the weight at take-off for certain legs of the respective journeys was entered on the AJLs as slightly lower than the maximum weight capacity of 10,450 lb (e.g. 10,400 lb and 10,410 lb), which according to a subject-matter expert is unrealistic given the number of people travelling.
With respect to another AJL, a subject-matter expert indicated that the fuel weight that was entered (1,900 lb) was very low for the length of the flight (3.4 hours). A review of the other AJLs provided to my Office revealed that all flights over 1.2 hours contained between 2,000 and 2,600 lb of fuel at take-off. Moreover, the total aircraft weight at take-off was entered as 10,410 lb on this AJL (40 lb below the maximum 10,450 lb), which, according to the subject-matter expert, is suspicious and suggests that the numbers do not reflect the reality.
In three other AJLs, the total take-off weight is incorrect if the other numbers entered are accurate (i.e. in two examples, the total weight is entered as 10,265 lb, which is under the legal limit; when you add the weight of the fuel to that of the passengers and luggage however, the total weight adds up to 10,410 lb, which is only 40 lb below the maximum limit). According to a subject-matter expert, it appears as though the total take-off weight was purposely lowered on the AJLs, so as not to attract attention that in fact the other numbers (weight of persons, fuel and baggage) add up to the slightly below the maximum weight capacity. Moreover, the fuel weight was entered as 2,050 lb for a 3.0 hours flight on August 16, 2012, which as noted in the bullet point above, is low compared to the information provided in the other AJLs.
In two other AJLs, the total take-off weight entered either falls slightly below or is exactly the maximum weight capacity; when adding all numbers however, the total is actually above the legal limit. For instance, an AJL dated August 15, 2012 indicated that the total take-off weight was 10,450 lb (which is the maximum weight for the Pilatus), but when adding all numbers as presented on paper, the total weight is actually 10,495 lb. As for the second example, dated August 19, 2012, the total weight is entered as 10,410 lb, but after adding all numbers as presented on paper, the total weight comes to 10,510 lb.
In an AJL dated June 11, 2012, the take-off weight for the Piaggio was entered as 12,237 lb, 137 lb above the maximum weight capacity. This AJL also revealed that seven people were travelling with a total of 50 lb of baggage; the total baggage weight remaining at 50 lb for the return portion of flight, despite having two people on board.
In another AJL dated October 16, 2012, the total take-off weight for the Piaggio was entered as 12,100 lb, exactly the maximum weight for the aircraft; the correct addition of the numbers however, comes to 12,131 lb, which is slightly above the legal limit. Moreover, the total weight of baggage for seven people was entered as 50 lb, which, according to subject-matter experts, is questionable.

(....)

Comments Provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

(...)

The RCMP welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Report. The RCMP accepts that some pilots of the Ottawa Air Section (OAS) have, on a limited number of occasions, entered incorrect data when completing the Aircraft Journey Logbooks (AJLs) for two Ottawa-based aircraft, thereby failing to maintain records in accordance with the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). The RCMP also welcomes Commissioner Dion’s confirmation that there was no finding that “pilots deliberately falsified aircraft journey logs”, and that at no point in time did the RCMP endanger the life, health and safety of persons.

(....)

the RCMP would like to emphasize that it is concerned with language of ‘making false entries” in the OPSIC finding of wrongdoing, as this suggest a deliberate deception or malfeasance on the part of the RCMP personnel. The OPSIC has not considered that AJLs alone do not prove that an aircraft was flown overweight, and did not study the required variables for calculating fuel requirements, such as taxi times prior to takeoff and weather, as well as the path and altitude at which the aircraft was flown. While there were data irregularities and incorrect AJL entries on the part of the RCMP pilots the RCMP does not believe that pilots made these entries through deceptive intent ....
 
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