Man 'posing as a pilot' arrested in plane cockpit

A 61-year-old Frenchman has been arrested at Philadelphia International Airport and charged with impersonating a pilot after airline officials found him in the cockpit of a plane scheduled for take-off.

Police say Philippe Jernnard of La Rochelle, France, was wearing a white shirt with an Air France logo and had a black jacket with epaulettes on the shoulders.

Officer Christine O’Brien says the crew of an outbound US Airways flight found Jernnard in the jump seat behind the pilot at about 6:20pm on Wednesday.

She says he became argumentative and was escorted from the plane.

Police found Jernnard with a counterfeit Air France crew member identification card.

He was held on state charges. Police say they expect federal charges to be filed today.