BELLVIEW PILOTS ALLEGE COVERUP OF EXCESSIVE FLIGHT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ACCRA 002205

SIPDIS

EB/TRA/OTP FOR BMATTINGLEY
STATE PASS DOT,FAA, AND TSA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2010
TAGS: EAIR GH NI
SUBJECT: BELLVIEW PILOTS ALLEGE COVERUP OF EXCESSIVE FLIGHT
HOURS

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jerry Lanier for Reasons 1.5 (B and D)
.


1. (C) On October 27, Ghana International Airlines' (GIA)
Amcit Vice President of Operations Albert Vitale (STRICTLY
PROTECT) told Econoff in confidence that he had recently
interviewed four Ghanaian pilots currently employed by
Nigeria-based Bellview Airlines for pilot positions at GIA.
Vitale said he offered a position to one of the pilots,
Flying Officer Ernest Eshun. Eshun was due to leave Bellview
for GIA in the next month, but was killed while copiloting
Bellview Flight B3210, which crashed in Nigeria on October

22.


2. (C) Vitale said Eshun had stated during his interview that
he wanted to leave Bellview because of the poor working
conditions. According to Vitale, Eshun also said Bellview
management routinely worked pilots 180 to 190 hours per
month, and forced the pilots to alter flight logs to conceal
the long hours. Vitale stated that two of the other three
Bellview pilots he interviewed corroborated Mr. Eshun's
assertion.


3. (C) Comment: GIA is a potential competitor of Bellview,
and Embassy can neither confirm nor refute these assertions.
However, Econoffs have known Albert Vitale for almost two
years and he has been a highly reliable and accurate source
on aviation issues in Ghana. End Comment

LANIER