Swedish Pilot Flew Passenger Jets for 13 Years Using a Forged Licence
A Swedish pilot who flew commercial passenger aircraft for more than a decade using a forged licence was arrested at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport while preparing to operate a Boeing 737 flight carrying 101 passengers. The case raised significant questions about aviation oversight and pilot credential verification within the European airline industry.
Despite operating passenger aircraft without a valid licence for 13 years, investigators found no evidence linking the pilot to any accidents or safety incidents. The case remains one of the most unusual examples of aviation fraud involving a commercial airline pilot.
Published: 2 October 2026
Written by: Shreya Majumder
A Swedish man flew passenger jets for 13 years without a legitimate licence before his arrest at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. In March 2010, Thomas Salme, 41, was arrested while sitting in the cockpit of a Corendon Boeing 737 with 101 passengers aboard, while the aircraft was preparing for departure.
A Dutch court fined Salme £1,700 and barred him from flying for a year after finding that there had not been any accident during his 13 years of flying.
Salme's Means of Getting Pilot Jobs
Investigators said that Salme had once held a commercial pilot licence, but it had expired and no longer allowed him to fly passenger services. Investigators said that he had forged a Swedish pilot licence with a photocopier and used it to obtain employment with several airlines. He said he had flown for British, Belgian and Italian carriers, but it was not known which ones.
Salme told the German magazine Focus that he had made the document himself after deciding to get a co-pilot job at an airline. He said that the document had been made of white paper and was not laminated.
Practice on a Flight Simulator
At the time, Salme had a job as a maintenance engineer with SAS. He said that a friend working for the airline allowed him to use its flight simulator at night. Reports suggest that Salme practised for two to three hours at a time, 15 to 20 times in all, over the course of about 18 months.
He said that forging documents was relatively easy since pilot licences and identity cards varied from one European country to another.
Detention at Schiphol Airport
Salme was arrested after Swedish authorities gave a tip to Dutch police. At the time of his arrest, he was preparing to operate a Boeing 737 flight from Amsterdam carrying 101 passengers. Despite having flown passenger aircraft for years without a valid licence, the Dutch court pointed out that he had never been implicated in an accident throughout the 13-year span.
The case attracted international attention because of the length of time Salme was able to operate commercial aircraft without detection. It also highlighted the importance of licence verification and regulatory oversight within the airline industry.
Key Facts
Thomas Salme was arrested at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport in March 2010.
He was preparing to operate a Corendon Boeing 737 carrying 101 passengers.
Investigators found he had been flying using a forged licence for approximately 13 years.
Salme reportedly created the forged licence using a photocopier.
He previously held a legitimate commercial pilot licence, but it had expired.
He stated that he practised regularly on a flight simulator while working as a maintenance engineer for SAS.
Dutch authorities were alerted following information provided by Swedish authorities.
A Dutch court fined Salme approximately £1,700 and banned him from flying for one year.
Investigators found no evidence linking him to any accidents during his flying career.
The case remains one of the most unusual examples of aviation credential fraud involving a commercial airline pilot.
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Author: Shreya Majumder Aviation staffing and consultancy insights LinkedIn
