Fear of Flying

[Cacophonix]

Flybe pilot who was let go after developing a fear of flying has won an unfair dismissal claim.

First officer Matthew Guest had been flying with the airline for seven years when a change in aircraft and a switch to longer routes prompted him to start having panic attacks.

He should have been offered alternative roles and given the opportunity to discuss his position with Flybe’s COO, Luke Farajallah, an employment judge ruled.

Guest first started experiencing problems in December 2014 when he was moved from flying Q400 aircraft to Embraer jets, which typically fly longer routes.

He started feeling dizzy and nauseous, with a “churning stomach”, during a flight to Florence, Italy, and began experiencing a sense of impending dread in the pit of his stomach at the thought of boarding the plane when driving to the airport.

“He later described this as feeling like severe butterflies or stomach cramp,” Judge Tom Coghlin QC said in a written ruling.

Guest’s medical certificate permitting him to fly was temporarily suspended after his GP wrote to his superiors saying he had “developed an increasing phobia and anxiety about long-distance flights and being trapped on the aeroplane.”

He was signed off with anxiety and only returned to work in April 2016 – but CBT sessions, extra training and reduced hours all failed to cure Guest of his phobia.

On 17 June 2016, things came to a head when Guest, who was scheduled to fly to Kefalonia in Greece, called in sick. He had twice raised concerns about the four-hour flight with his manager, Lee Goreham, who “suggested that during the cruise phase of the journey the claimant might pass the time by reading a book or doing a crossword (as pilots frequently do),” said Judge Tom Coghlin QC.

His work schedule was cleared and Guest was officially let go in March 2017 in a letter from Luke Farajallah.

“We are not prepared to take the risk of returning you as a pilot on the EJet or Dash 8, so we are providing you with formal notice that we intend to terminate your employment on capability grounds,” it read.

Guest was offered an alternative position as a flight safety support officer based in Exeter, but was told that he would not be able to return to flying if he accepted the role.

The judge ruled in his favour, saying that he should have been allowed to meet with the airline’s COO as he was the key decision maker in Guest’s dismissal.

Flybe could have allowed him to return to flying Q400 planes, or offered to let him fly accompanied by an additional pilot for a period, the judge noted.

Guest now feels Flybe should reinstate him to make amends; if the airline declines, a judge will rule on the issue later this month.

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/ne ... 29631.html

Seems like the airline boobed on an employment law technicality here. It is likely to cost them dearly. Obviously this chap should not be flying any aircraft at the moment.



Caco

[Alisoncc]

Obviously this chap should not be flying any aircraft at the moment.

At the moment, Caco? Shouldn't allow snowflakes anywhere near an aeroplane. Ever.

What's the old saying "if you can't stand the heat, shouldn't be in the kitchen" or words to that effect. Flying a heavy in today's crowded skies requires a lot more than an ability to aviate.

Alison

[Slasher]

...began experiencing a sense of impending dread in the pit of his stomach at the thought of boarding the plane when driving to the airport.

He started feeling dizzy and nauseous, with a “churning stomach”

“He later described this as feeling like severe butterflies or stomach cramp,”

I used to experience all that just by going on night flights to bloody Venus.

[Cacophonix]

I wouldn't describe this guy as a "snowflake" Alison. His symptoms were typical of a panic attack due to stress. Such a situation can be corrected by rest and by a change of lifestyle and cognitive therapy. He might very well be able to return to flying under different circumstances.

Everybody has a breaking point, often with those who appear to be the toughest and most inflexible being the first to buckle. The issues are exacerbated in professions where the sufferer feels that admitting to the symptoms will brand them forever, preventing them from doing something they genuinely love and thus they don't seek help as happened in this RAF case with tragic consequences.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/79678 ... ry-support

The change of job parameters is a classic stressor with the square peg into a round hole syndrome often being the cause of major issues, look at Buzz Aldrin and his problems after he moved into a managerial role.

Caco

[Rossian]

.....and it's not a new thing. Way back when UK MPA were changing from a prop driven Shack to the Mk1 Nimrod a few of the older (and highly respected) members of the Shack community decided that it was a step too far for them as individuals. The first to step forward was a flight commander on a squadron who said to his boss "It's not a matter of "if" it's a matter of "when" this a/c will get away from me and I don't want the deaths of a crew on my conscience, I want to stop". This was accepted with understanding. The wall having been breached, the next to go was the "A" Category boss of the standards unit an equally respected member of the community. In my opinion their actions took great courage and I've always tipped my hat to them as individuals.
The not dissimilar case was one of my captains on Shacks - he was a new fire-eating go getter but who had NIL personal skills. The lead Nav and myself had a quiet but forceful word with him on one trip and more or less forced him to land, aborting the sortie. The next day he put on all his finery marched into the Stn Cdr's office and resigned his commission.
Many years later I met the guy again and to say I was apprehensive as he came across the room to me....? However he shook my hand and said "Thankyou for making clear that I was a square peg in a round hole and that things would have ended badly". He had had a very successful career in business subsequently.
Sometimes tough decisions have to be made and there is no shame in recognising ones limits and taking appropriate action.

The Ancient Mariner

[G-CPTN]

My son, who is widely travelled by air through his work and family holidays showed serious anxiety when I surprised him with a flight in a Dragon Rapide when we were at Duxford.
I wasn't able to discover the reason for his anxiety, and I decided not to pursue it - what could possibly go wrong?

I now see:- Vintage aircraft crash caused by 'deflated tyre'.

I will have to avoid the subject with my son who was seriously traumatised being involved in the events of 7th July 2005 at Russell Square. He was in the next compartment to the bomb and was covered in debris and trapped underground . . . physically uninjured but mentally scarred. He avoided public transport for more than a year afterwards and walked to and from Highbury to Russell Square together with his fiancee - now his wife - until he moved to St Albans and worked from home.

[llondel]

I've had a trip on the Rapide at Duxford. A few years ago now, though.

[Ex-Ascot]

I've had a trip on the Rapide at Duxford. A few years ago now, though.

This one? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cam ... e-63242001

Pretty sure that they used to have one on The King's Flight.

[G-CPTN]

There was a reason for my sudden, impulsive decision to take the DH89 flight from Duxford.
As a very young child on holiday at Blackpool, my father and my older siblings went for a flight in a Dragon Rapide, however, my mother refused to go and insisted in keeping her youngest (me) safe by her side.

Years later, photographs emerged of the occasion, and it became the first flight that I never had.
This rankled with me, and the opportunity to rectify my omission presented itself that day at Duxford.

[llondel]

I've had a trip on the Rapide at Duxford. A few years ago now, though.

This one? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cam ... e-63242001

Pretty sure that they used to have one on The King's Flight.

I'm assuming they only have one of them at Duxford and didn't swap it out for another, so yes. I saw the coverage of the incident at the time. I guess that now makes it two aircraft on which I've flown that have had a landing prang (the other was G-VSKY back in 1997, although that was the flight immediately after mine). It didn't put me off flying, I just developed a keen interest in reading the AAIB/NTSB reports on incidents.

[Wodrick]

I don't have the slightest fear of flying, now a fear of the airport experience nowadays, that's different.

[Ex-Ascot]

I don't have the slightest fear of flying, now a fear of the airport experience nowadays, that's different.

+1 Hate it. So stressful.

[Undried Plum]

I've only ever experienced a fear of flying once. It was totally unexpected.

We were working out the practicalities of putting together a bid for a contract to supply Bell 47s to Saudi for a seismic contract in the high mountains in summer. We needed to check the actual performance of the aircraft at very high density altitude, so two us us set off for a climb to 15,000' to measure perf and make a qualitative assessment of the handling qualities.

I'd never flown a 47 much above about 2,000' agl, so when we passed 10,000' I felt terribly exposed. Having the ground so far beneath us in that bubble was a completely new experience and really quite unnerving. I don't know what I was afraid of, but it really was a feeling of fear.

[reddo]

I used to get a mild feeling of unease when I flew above 5,000' when I was doing Coastwatch flying. I used to spend hours at or below 500' looking for anything. When we had to transit back to base I'd climb to 8,000' or so and a brief feeling of unease/exposure passed over me. I got over it after I had a good talking to myself.

[TheGreenAnger]

I have never felt fearful in the sense of vertigo or unease about height, or even aircraft attitude, even when intentionally spinning, when flying, but walking out to make a bungee jump from the narrow platform underneath the bridge over the Bloukrans River took every bit of courage I had, and I simply couldn't look down for fear of the height. It was far easier to make the jump itself, even spinning upside down some 250 feet above the river while waiting for the rope to be lowered to retrieve me, than it was walking out over that narrow causeway.

[Ex-Ascot]

First jet solo night flight was a bit of a worry. Get airborne all on your own and can see nothing. Bloody happy to see the runway lights when turning onto finals.

[Boac]

Bloody happy to see the runway lights when turning onto finals.

Even if it was the wrong airfield............

[Ex-Ascot]

Bloody happy to see the runway lights when turning onto finals.

Even if it was the wrong airfield............

My dear chap. any bloody airfield. They could recover it, and me, in the morning.

[llondel]

I never had a problem in an aircraft, but sitting with my feet over the edge, getting ready to jump with a parachute definitely bumped up the adrenaline level.

[Rwy in Sight]

llondel it was more excited I guess to climb out on the wheel of a C-172 and wait to get the signal to let go...