HERO PILOT WAS JAILED FOR DRUGS

MONTREAL -- The Air Transat pilot who glided a crippled jet to a safe
landing off Portugal last week served nearly two years in U.S. prisons for
drug trafficking.

The Montreal La Presse newspaper, citing a corrections spokesman for the
state of Georgia, reported today Robert Piche was found guilty in November
1983 of "trafficking a quantity of marijuana weighing between 101 and 200
pounds."

La Presse reported that Capt. Piche, now 49, was piloting a Piper Aztec
turboprop that landed at the airport in Tattnall County, Ga., 300 km
southeast of Atlanta on June 21, 1983.

The newspaper reported the aircraft attempted to take off again after a
police officer gave chase. The officer managed to flag down the plane and
subsequently discovered Piche alone in the cockpit with 53 bags of
marijuana weighing more than 220 kg, according to La Presse.

Piche was charged with marijuana trafficking, failing to stop when pursued
by a police officer, and obstructing a police officer, La Presse reported.

The paper said Piche, who is to be honoured in the Quebec legislature for
last Friday's landing, was not available for comment.

The newspaper reported that Piche was imprisoned in June and July 1983 and
again from Nov. 17, 1983, to March 20, 1985.

Meanwhile, Air Transat has been ordered to re-vamp safety and maintenance
procedures at the request of Transport Canada.

Transport Canada announced yesterday it has told the charter airline to
immediately implement special training sessions on extended flights and
that procedures for the conduct of these flights be reviewed.