“The all-important question on the lips of every employee of both the national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines and the ‘Low Cost’ carrier Mihin Lanka where Capt. Druvi Perera is the controversially appointed Chief Operations Officer is ‘So Capt. Druvi When Are You Leaving?’”, a senior member of the Pilots’ Guild told Colombo Telegraph.
Capt. Druvi Perera
This question happened to pop up in the minds of the employees when the J.C.Weliamuna led investigation into the national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines revealed also the misdeeds by the COO and his negligent behaviour as a Pilot besides a plethora of other details that will be tabled in parliament soon.
Part of the 136 page report as highlighted by ‘Colombo Telegraph’ yesterday indicates his two infamous incidents when in command of the wide bodied Airbus A340 aircraft.
Firstly the firmly fitted runway lights in Chennai were taken off when under his command the aircraft skidded and ended up many meters away stuck in the sand.
This incident cost the airline much and inconvenienced many passengers was all hushed up.
His second incident was his famous ‘push back’ episode of his famous VVIP flight with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on board. Here the flight he commanded along with Capt. Upul Samarakoon ‘pushed back’ without ATC clearance to the absolute horror of the Air Traffic Controllers on duty.
The entire conversation of shocked ATC officials frantically halting the now moving aircraft was heard by Pilots of other airlines parked on the tarmac.
This safety related incident which should have ideally been documented by Capt. Druvi Perera himself and also by ATC officials on duty by completing ‘Air Ground Safety Report (AGSR)’ or ‘Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR)’ if filed appears to be disappeared into thin air.
The COO’s existence despite these blatant errors which have gone unpunished all this time, is suspected to have been protected by his official ‘Professional Pal’ H.M.C.Nimalasiri the Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority himself.
The sheer ignorance of laid down and straight forward basic CCA Procedures was displayed by the CCO Capt. Druvi Perera which went on to question his credentials of holding such a prestigious post.
In this instance also highlighted by ‘Colombo Telegraph’ earlier, the COO went out of his jurisdiction to serve a letter to the Manager Flight / Ground Safety Capt. Charles Sirimanne informing him that he was been relieved of his duties he was holding.
Little did the COO realize that firstly the Manager Flight / Ground Safety reports to the CEO of the airline as indicated in the organization chart of the airline and also laterally to the Director General CAA.
The Director General Nimalasiri had endorsed Capt. Sirimanne’s title as the Manager Flight / Ground Safety after he had himself interviewed the candidate for the post.
The Director General’s letter addressed directly thereafter to the CEO of Mihin Lanka clearly states the information on the removal process of Capt. Sirimanne if the need arose.
The post of Chief Operations Officer is a position that was uniquely created by the former Chairman Nishantha Wickramasinghe who proudly went onto to reveal that he had carried the COO Capt. Druvi Perera when he was a baby. Airline employees jokingly went on to say “Probably the Chairman carried him when he was employed as a nanny in the ‘Perera Residence’ as it was widely known that Wickramasinghe went on to be the first Chairman of the national carrier who had not even passed his Ordinary Level examination.”
“It is best advised that this post of ‘Chief Operations Officer’ is removed with immediate effect as it is causing unnecessary costs to the tax payer. Furthermore Capt. Druvi Perera should not waste more time and resign following the footsteps of his former CEO Kapila Chandrasena, as it is a matter of time before he is eventually shown the exit.” the Pilots’ Guild member said.
“We hope that it would be the case, if not it would be much more detrimental to him if he is arrested, hand cuffed and sent to remand prison awaiting trial for his misdeeds and association regarding several cases of malpractices tantamounting to fraud, where he would then go on to emulate his brother Kavan Perera of Ceylinco ‘Golden Key’ fame.” he further said.
Jim hardly / April 5, 2015
So when ARE you going out buster ?
Vengance has a nasty way of paying back so here it comes …
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Yakko / April 5, 2015
Oh dear the very hair raising thought that occurs is after reading this article is : Have I flown on Srilankan with these stupid idiots in the cockpit?
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philip / April 5, 2015
What goes around.comes around.
Your glory days are fast coming to an end my friend.
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Jagath Fernando / April 5, 2015
Druvi is a smooth operator. Ask cabin crew for examples.!!!
Kapila received a new 5 year contract just before elections in Jan 2015. Would like to know the packsge given on his resignation.
Also Druvi will not go without a big pay out.
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Douglas / April 5, 2015
If I remember correct, in the 1980s there was a similar incident of an Air Lanka flight that skidded off the run-a-away in Bangcock airport. The pilot who was at command was a relative of the then President; but a very experienced in wide body aircraft at command level. After an inquiry, he was found guilty of negligence for not being conscious of weather conditions at the time; but was demoted and fined a heavy penalty in US Dollars. He too had a second incident, in that he strayed into a “war territory” in Iraq. His defense at that inquiry was, he followed a “Flight Plan” given to him in ground at the starting statio. Yet a question that was put to him was: why he as the command pilot did not go through the “updated Notice to Airmen” made available at the cockpit and compared the flight plan made available to him by the ground staff, before the start off. That “NOTAM” clearly indicated that flying over the war torn area, in that instance, was Iraq, completely prohibited. Interestingly, on board was a world known Sri Lankan scientist Late Mr. Cyril Ponnamperuma. As the inquiry was proceeding on these lines, the accused pilot knew the outcome – definite dismissal. He being very well connected, worked fast to get the inquiry halted abruptly through a Presidential order and also got the First Presidential Investigation into Air Lanka affairs. After that Presidential Investigation conducted by a panel of three, the then Board of Directors of Air Lanka including the Chairman Capt. Rakhitha Wickramanayake were asked to resign. But the pilot continued his flying career,I believe, until his official retirement. So this short note will show how “Political Influence” plays in the administration of these State ventures. In this instance too, it is nothing but a repetition of history.
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Rosy the Poosy / April 5, 2015
Wow! This Druvi fella is a real heartbreaker. Wont mind getting lost in the air with him.
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Fazly / April 5, 2015
Mmmm. Me too!
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Tharun De Silva / April 5, 2015
It appears that Colombo Telegraph is on a witch hunt with Druvi Perera. This is the second article I have read in a week which vilifies him. Added to that there is no by line to the story either! In the scheme of things this man at least has professional qualifications unlike many others in the company who are square pegs in round holes. I wonder if the write of this story is a Golden Key depositor?
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Captain KoolAid / April 6, 2015
“….this man at least has professional qualifications unlike many others in the company who are square pegs in round holes.”
Who are these square pegs in round holes? Look Massina, Round pegs in round holes also don’t always fit. Thats when the pegs get too big for the holes.
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PJ Roy / April 5, 2015
This Druvi, he is good pilot. Somehow, he has gotten elevation when still a little wet behind the ear. Sadly, he seems to have passed his PNR and may have no option but to rest his wings or probably seek a foreign bird to make a new home.
I have in the past been critical of most of fellow UL jokers, but this guy is special and maybe best suited to the fly the line and keep management away from his domain.
Come what may, he can fly a plane and there is doubt of his ability. But now having got involved with all that has unfolded, he maybe best advised to seek a new call sign and change course.
Druvi, good luck and bon voyage!! The express non stop to the Chairman’s post maybe out of the reckoning now.
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Yain / April 5, 2015
Corruption plus, plus, plus is surfacing from every nook and corner and people still worship the corrupted.
Now here is a drawing board scenario of Ranil, MR and My3:
What I hear is that passing the 19th amendment of the constitution will reduce the power of the President and increase the power of the PM and Ranil is working hard on this as he is confident of being the unelected PM again. If he were to contest, his chances of winning a seat is slim and if he were to contest head to head with MR, Ranil will certainly lose.
MR and his gang are publicly very popular according to the news reports and videos I have seen and if he, ie; MR wins, he will become the PM with the same powers when he was the Prez. and all corruption cases will be swept under the carpet, the Chinese will be back in business and those now under investigation will resume their activities where they left and the investigations dumped in the waste basket.
Ranil will again be the loser and will take refuge in the toilet to ask himself where he went wrong.
The voters in Sri Lanka dislike honesty. They love to get screwed by the known politicians time and again and would even pay for it.
Sadly this is Sri Lanka after 67 years since independence we have created a nation politically corrupt, a corrupt police diservice, Racial monks resorting to thuggery supported by successive governments, open bribery, discrimination
of LIP (less important people) extreme crime and no punishment, the list goes on…I love Sri Lanka and shall not exchange my nationality with any country.
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Ratnasiri Rajakaruna / April 5, 2015
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is protecting all the Rogues working in both Sri Lankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka as long as they are products of Royal College, Colombo.
It is ao well known fact that Druvi Perera and Pujitha Jayakody (Both former Royalist) went out of their way to facilitate the numerous frauds that was committed by Nishantha Wickremesinghe and Kapila Chandrasena. Both these two individuals must be removed from there respective positions immediately and investigated, culminating in criminal charges brought against them.
J.C. Weliamuna should be given a mandate to carry out a similar investigation as with SLA, But now into Mihin Lanka, god knows the number of skeletons that will be unearthed including the large scale fraud and siphoning of millions of rupees in U.S. dollars under the guise of Marketing and outsourced Services, all that was committed by the full participation of Mihin Head of Finance, Mr. Suwaris.
Come on Prime Minister Ranil W, are you protecting rogues or Royalists??? Shame on you!!!!
Kavan Perera is the biggest Bloody white collar Rogue of modern times, His dear sibling brother Capt. Druvi Perera is his equal in committing large scale fraud.
If Druvi Perera is left to continue unchecked in this destructive position, he will end by dest
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Ratnasiri Rajakaruna / April 5, 2015
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is protecting all the Rogues working in both Sri Lankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka as long as they are products of Royal College, Colombo.
It is ao well known fact that Druvi Perera and Pujitha Jayakody (Both former Royalist) went out of their way to facilitate the fraud that was committed by Nishantha Wickremesinghe and Kapila Chandrasena. Both these two individuals must be removed from there respective positions and investigated culminating in criminal charges brought against them.
J.C. Weliamuna should be given a mandate to carry out a similar investigation into Mihin Lanka, god knows the number of skeletons that will be unearthed including the fraud that was committed by the Mihin Head of Finance Mr. Suwaris.
Come on Prime Minister Ranil are you protecting rogues or Royalists??? Shame on you!!!!
Kavan Perera is the biggest Bloody white collar Rogue of modern times, His dear sibling brother Capt. Druvi Perera is his equal in committing large scale fraud.
If Druvi Perera is left to continue unchecked in this destructive position, he will end by destroying both Sri Lankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka…
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Dr.Goebells / April 7, 2015
Ratnasiri Rajakaruna
Your scurrilous attack on Capt Druvi Perera is in very poor taste . If he has done wrong , he should face the consequences after a fair hearing . Bringing his family into the discussion is quite unnecessary . Have you heard of ‘ I am not my brother’s keeper ‘ – probably not !
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Jagath Fernando / April 6, 2015
Good way to join mile high club!!!
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Harry Hatton / April 6, 2015
Not all royalist get the come hither from Ranil. What about Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, Mahindananda aluthgamage ( what a name for a Royalist !)and even Sajiith Premadasa. These are not so good Royalists.
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Leelaratne / April 6, 2015
Is the word “tantamounting” correct?
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Nishantha / April 6, 2015
Hey RR stop spreading false info on DP. You need to worry about your eye
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victor / April 7, 2015
Hey guys, let’s face facts. We all know that Capt. Druvi Perera is a very competent, smart and good looking guy. So let’s not bitch about his acievements and work hard to get somewhere near rather than trying to sling mud at him.
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suren / April 7, 2015
Interesting essay! However, is this written by a journalist reporting fact, an author writing a short story, a hater spewing gibberish or a jealous colleague of this Capt. Perera on his soap box?
Whilst the essay itself is very entertaining and has all the make up for a good read with just the right amount of conspiracy, politics, nepotism, reckless endangerment of the general public, nicely presented in adrenaline pumping description. There is hardly any factual evidence reported anywhere in the piece….
a) There is no mention of an author of this essay: After all, which self respecting journalist would write such a scoop and graciously shun any credit. Although this isn’t really Pulitzer winning material…. Who is this humble chap?
b) Who are these mysterious members of the pilot’s guild who have, in an apparently clandestine manner, given the author secret information on Capt. Perera? Smacks of gossip and corporate politics really! Maybe even the green eyed monster lurks!
c) I wonder if the story teller here has actually read the 136 page report he talks about? But before that examined the bona fides of the people conducting said investigation? Were they qualified? Was the report objective? Why isn’t there a real background to this piece of journalistic wonder? Best let us know what you discover.
d) Did Capt. Perera resign from this post previously? And, was he then convinced, by the powers who were at the time, to take up the position again as he was deemed as the most qualified and suitable for it? Does the story teller have background to this and could he inform us in detail? I ask because the answer may actually provide some context.
e) How accurate is the story teller when he quotes “The all-important question on the lips of every employee of both the national carrier Sri Lankan Airlines and the ‘Low Cost’ carrier Mihin Lanka where Capt. Druvi Perera is the controversially appointed Chief Operations Officer is ‘So Capt. Druvi When Are You Leaving?’”
Does in fact EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE want to know this? Again probably not fact, surely!
f) “It is best advised that this post of ‘Chief Operations Officer’ is removed with immediate effect as it is causing unnecessary costs to the tax payer. Furthermore Capt. Druvi Perera should not waste more time and resign following the footsteps of his former CEO Kapila Chandrasena, as it is a matter of time before he is eventually shown the exit.”
The story teller purportedly quotes a senior pilots guild member. I wonder based on what qualification has this enlightened pilot pontificated this marvellous little management tip? Has he or she run an airline previously? Or is this really the authors view attributed to a figment of his imagination?
g) The author ends with a rather sinister warning to Capt. Perera eluding to the Captain’s involvement in malpractice and fraud. Non of which he has mentioned in his story. Very crafty piece of mischief that. Perhaps the story teller ought to ask a friend, either imaginary or real, what the law says about liability for defamation.
h) And then there is the hilarious if not pathetic attempt to discredit Capt. Perera by writing about his brother. Another lame attempt at distracting us from the absence of any real facts to his story telling by using a transference technique. Very sneaky!!
If this essay is anything to go by, the 4th estate in Sri Lanka has really burrowed to a new low! Either that or the Colombo Telegraph has dramatically moved away from it’s premise of Journalistic truth, to now being a silly tabloid used by silly story tellers to grind their silly blunt axes.
That being as it may, it is nevertheless insulting to the reader when stories like this takes us for a fool
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PJ Roy / April 7, 2015
Should all the better, more illustrious, distinguished and better at the pilot craft stayed with our own airline and not de-camped for what ever the reason maybe (money or money, in some cases) this wouldnt have been the case as it has been played out now. The Tech mates who left for Emirate, Etihad Singapore A, to mention a few, have been most vociferous.
Capt DP and co. have had the dice roll and turn up 6!! Now they will have to face the music. Fact or no fact, fiction or non fiction…. there is smoke, fire not so far!!
Time to get some of the retired big bus drives, who now have the desire to remedy the winds that have a few larger gusts. Chira, Gaf, Nihal have a few more hours in the tank to bring this big bird to S&L. Tempo no doubt but will be a good period of stability that now is needed.
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The_Insider / April 7, 2015
Interesting article. The writer does seem to be on a witch hunt for capt druvi. However, The incidents surrounding him are spot on. He needs to be dealt with Severely. All the pilots in who are in management are guilty of plenty of offenses. Upul samarakoon who is mentioned here is also responsible for his fair share of mischief. Another name given to these “management pilots” was the “Sri Lankan airlines boys club”. They hire who they want and Fire who they dislike. If your dad is a captain, you’ll get in as a cadet. Easy peasy. It’s a sad scenario. Sri Lankan needs a complete overhaul. Starting at the top. If it were managed properly, it’ll bring in millions by the hour. There’s plenty more that I can spill on here with names and incidents. But I’ll hold off a little longer.
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PJ Roy / April 7, 2015
Spilling the Beans!!
Insider, What is bet you have beans or shall i say spill in you. This insider person is a danger to society as him being politically correct is similar to dog in the manger. If you are up to it – do it! If not shut up keep your pen/finger up your nose!!!
These type of people are more trouble anything else.
Dont make statements if you leave them untold
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The_insider / April 8, 2015
P J Roy
If I do spill everything that I know, people will figure out who I am. And I am an employee of the airline and I don’t want to lose my job. But here’s a little more for you.
recently, a captains daughter, who was left alone on the flight deck cos she was the first officer, left her seat mid flight and went looking for the captain who had apparently gone to the toilet. All because she didn’t know what to do about some weather she saw on the radar. The flight deck was left unguarded with no one in there. If that door had gotten locked, the aircraft would’ve flown till it ran out of fuel and crashed. And there was nothing done to her. At the same time another JUnior first officer was fired for standing up to captain upul samarakoon. Basically if u have connections, you’re safe. Otherwise be prepared to bend over and kiss their bums.
There’s another captain who is suspected of having cancer. But he’s evading medicals. If something happens to him on board. Good luck to the passengers.
Cadets whose fathers and close family friends are captains have a free ride into the airline. Why? Cos at the interviews they talk about things like old family trips and things totally irrelevant to an interview. Yes those cadets have been caught bragging.
The foreign company that handles the interview process only gives Sri Lankan a list of reccommended candidates. Who they actually take is up to the airline.
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PJ Roy / April 10, 2015
In_sider!!
Good job old fellow! If we want to move forward as a country, we have to put ourselves up to the plate.
I personally know of a young man who obtained entry to UL as a cadet, but because he had no additional qualifications (Politically or with the admin of UL) he was replaced by another powerful name!! This is the 3rd world.
We may not be able to make our island perfect, but at least lets give it all we have to improve it while gentleman like you are around.
Keep the spirit of the intentions alive.
Druvi P, may have to go but damn good pilot. Sadly he had the chairman’s position in the horizon…. alast, it seems the weather has clouded in!!
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Point of View / April 10, 2015
Thank god I stopped travelling by this damn airline !
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Roshan / April 7, 2015
Fully agree with Suren
Kind request to administrators of CT Please do use your usual high standards of editorial discretion to kill stories like this, they do not serve in the public interest. Very evident that these stories without bylines are just planted to malign and slander individuals. Objective, factual articles are ok but vindictive character bashing articles like these will only reduce the CT website to the level of many other online sites which have lost their credibility by just serving those with personal vendettas.
If this type of mud slinging and intimidation continues, its time that we name and shame the perpetrators of such vicious articles, after all some one decent in the airline knows who they are
P.s. I posted this comment under the wrong article yesterday, should have been under this article that attacks Capt Perera
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Dayan Jayaratne / April 7, 2015
Okay the full report is now out. Let’s see those who praise Druvi – goes from back door. Sinner!
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Dan / April 8, 2015
I think the Waliamuna report is all one sided. . Governments ploy to distract people from Arjuna Mahendrans affair.
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PJ Roy / April 10, 2015
Dan,
Please get a life..
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Shanaka / April 8, 2015
This is just a mud slinging campaign by disgruntled Pilots who are failures. Sad pilots who have been wanting to get into management. What are they talking about lowering the pass mark, it happened in the UNP regime during Premadasa’s time. A student who failed got in and he is a instructor now. Relative of the then President.
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PJ Roy / April 10, 2015
This guy who is an instructor is the cadet who took the place of the guy without political connections….. Shit happens
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Jim Hardly / April 8, 2015
Doc, if you happen to be one, should know the connection of DNA.
So please trying (weakly) to protect rogues.
Aren’t you for Yahapalanaya asking for crooks yo be jailed ?
Yes, for a fair hearing but No to those Surens and Roshans who are barking up the wrong tree.
All pilots are trained to fly and most of them do but it’s not this guys flying CT is talking about children
Idiots, you are shooting the messenger !
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Welle suda / April 8, 2015
Hey Shanaka, two wrongs don’t make a right does it ? That’s why you guys voted for a change as Jim says here so why bitch when such action are exposed here ? Nice job CT, have continuos articles on these crooks
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Capt S Jayasinghe / April 16, 2015
Extract from email sent to DG – Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka:
I would like to bring to your notice the fact that unsuitable and incompetent pilots are regularly rostered on the flights of his Excellency.
The pilots in question roster themselves on the VVIP flights because of the management positions they hold within the airline. They do not fly regularly and spend most of the time in office. As instructors, the few flights they do are training flights, where the aircraft is handled by the trainee.
Of the incidents that have taken place on VVIP flights flown by these individuals, the most recent was on the 22nd of August 2014. UL225 which was taking his Excellency to Dubai pushed back from the parking stand without air traffic clearance. This could have potentially resulted in an accident in case the area behind the aircraft was not clear of other aircraft, equipment or personnel.
Captains Druvi Perera and Upul Samarakoon were the pilots on this flight who were negligent and placed the life of his Excellency at great risk. I would urge you to conduct an inquiry into this incident to assess the risk and take measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
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