Ex-Air Canada pilot from Barrie arrested for flying without correct licence

Investigators with Peel police’s fraud unit arrested and charged a former Air Canada captain following a four-month fraud and forgery investigation.

In January, ‘Project Icarus’ was launched after Transport Canada initiated a review into the licensing credentials and conduct of a commercial airline captain from Barrie, Ont.

Geoffrey Wall, 59, allegedly used fraudulent pilot licences during his career and service as a captain to deceive his employer and the federal civil aviation regulator.

Evidence to charge Wall was discovered in a home search. Charges laid include fraud over $5,000, public mischief, two counts of uttering forged documents and three counts of possession of counterfeit mark.

Canada’s largest airline said in a press release on Monday that Wall held a valid commercial pilot licence, but was promoted to captain without the required airline transport pilot licence.

He was removed from active duty once the discovery emerged and voluntarily reported to Transport Canada. Wall is no longer employed by Air Canada.

The airline said that safety was not compromised and pilot audits found no other instances of non-compliance. It was unable to provide further comment due to the investigation and privacy laws.

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Peel police spoke about the investigation during a news conference  Tuesday and said that Wall had a 27-year career with Air Canada and “misrepresented himself and his credentials” since 2009.

Between 2009 and 2025, the pilot allegedly did not hold an Airline Transport Pilot Licence, the highest level of civil aviation pilot certificate required to captain the planes that he was flying, including the Boeing 777.

Wall reportedly captained over 900 domestic and international flights during this period.