US embassy cable - 05ACCRA2205

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