Flying without a license

You can buy almost any plane without showing a pilot license.

You could buy a brand new SR22, and most probably a business jet. If you know the “protocol” (e.g. you have been a passenger for a while, and have FSX at home) nobody will question you. The first time I have ever had to show my pilot license to anybody was at Poitiers last weekend, to get back to the aircraft.

I have heard that there are security measures in cases where big jets are being dry-leased (or presumably purchased outright) but you would expect that, post-9/11.

I have to show my licence many times on bigger airports to get to the airplane

I would always show the FAA plastic credit card sized one – no need to carry the much bigger UK one until April 2016

There are many jokes going around about some of the airport officials saying that the photo on it doesn’t look like the person presenting it Personally, I think both of them are better looking than me

I have to show my licence many times on bigger airports to get to the airplane

Yes but these are security guards. You could present them almost any paper printed on your laser printer and they wouldn’t question it if it looks “official enough”.

I would always show the FAA plastic credit card sized one

I mostly show that one too, even though it wouldn’t allow me to legally fly my plane – yet nobody so far questioned it. The only question I ever got (in france) whether the date on it is the begin or the end of the validity

You could buy a brand new SR22, and most probably a business jet.

I would estimate that the vast majority of business jet owners do not hold a license at all. I can’t even remember that my employer (who owns the jet but does not fly himself) ever asked to see my license…

Back to the original post: It seems the “pilot” is well known to the police in that part of France and he and his pax were up to some kind of illegal activity before they got snagged by the power line …

Isnt there the “old” story that was doing the rounds about the farmer in Corwall.

The CAA inspectors wander over while he is refueling his tail dragger at Plymouth – simply because it is such a pretty well maintained aircraft.

They getting chatting to the farmer and eventually ask him where he learnt to fly.

Well it be at my farm, he says, from the back field, just as me Dad.

Yes, but where did you take your GFT they say.

GFT, he says, me Dad taught me, just like he taught me to drive the tractor and the Land Rover.

and so who does the annual they say.

Well I does, like I does on the tractor and the Land Rover. In fact its only because I am waiting for a part for the Land Rover that I am here to pick up fuel, I usually does that with the Land Rover as well.

Is there a problem? Its been that way for the last thirty years.

I thought the only requirement to purchase an airplane is sufficient money. Since when is being a pilot relevant.