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Allegations of nepotism
View(s):SriLankan Airlines pilots, who are embroiled in a dispute with the company’s senior management, became the subject of allegations themselves. Written representations to the Sunday Times claimed that the eight cadet pilots selected at the last batch (before the pass mark was lowered and two more trainees taken) were “well connected to the so called selection panel and their own staff members, friends and relatives sons”.
Claiming “lots of irregularities” in the selection of the 2013 cadet pilots, one letter alleges that, “the culprits are the so called training and standards selection panel”. It also states that simulator candidates were not properly briefed about the guidelines; and that the same paper was handed out on all three days on which the test was conducted. This meant the candidates who sat on the second and third days were at an advantage, it said.
When questioned by the Sunday Times, senior training sources insisted that all pre-test briefings had been the same throughout. They said the practical paper in the simulator test is an Approach Chart that “all pilots should be able to read and interpret if they are competent”.
The same chart was used to maintain equality to all candidates, they explained. On allegations of nepotism, these sources said there was one staff member amongst the eight selected candidates, “but that was after three previous attempts”. They added that three candidates passed the simulator test on the first day, three on the second and only two on the last.
Another allegation is that nobody in the airline is allowed to question the choice of the selection panel. One training sources said, “I do not think anyone has ever questioned the selection panel, but they are certainly answerable to the senior management.”
Other written representations state that the Pilots Guild are traitors for opposing the lowering of the pass mark since this was done to absorb more local candidates. “The Pilots Guild membership consists of all Sri Lankan national pilots except for four former and one current management pilot and first officers who have just got checked out, thus we need not further elaborate on this,” said Guild President Ruwan Vithanage.
It is learnt that, since management became involved in the selection process, the Ministry of Aviation has received complaints from candidates who had been unsuccessful in their quest to secure jobs at SriLankan. One letter sent to Sunday Times insisted that the reduction of the pass mark by five percentage points did not mean the company’s training standards were lowered. “It is well known worldwide the percentages are not given at simulator checks, instead it’s plain ‘pass’ or ‘fail’,” it asserts. “So from where did a percentage creep in?”
“On the other hand,” it continues, “we are discussing here about recruiting two more local candidates. While arguing that they wish to ‘uphold’ standards they are depriving more Sri Lankans from joining the national carrier.”Captain Vithanage replied, “It is assumed that the author of this question has no aviation background considering the question posed. At the aptitude test 70 percent is the pass and anything below is a fail. The 70 percent is an aggregate obtained by the marking from 3 instructors assessing in 10 areas of evaluation with each area having a maximum of 10 points.”
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