Asthma

[davidatter708]

I'm not sure if this is in the right place but i had mild asthma when I was young. Some RAF personnel say 4yrs of inhalers im clear for flying othrs say no flying at all just querying which is right and also is there anyway i can fly in the RAF

[VigilantPilot]

I think there have been posts about this before on the board. Try doing a search. Off hand, if you did have asthma, I think it might prevent you flying in the RAF. If it was mild and a one off occurence - I don't know. Worth investigating.

[airborne_artist]

Do a search on this forum on asthma - you might not be too happy with the result, as it seems that the RAF have been fairly categoric in the past. The RN may have been easier to get in with a history of childhood asthma. The general opinion seems to be that you go first to a private specialist who reviews your notes/history and says either that you were mis-diagnosed in the first place (possible, in fact) or that the bouts you had were so long ago and so few as to be insignificant. You then present this opinion with your application.

I'd expect that a four year period with no symptoms would not be enough. That would imply that a 20 y/o would have had his last attack at 15 ish. More like ten to twelve. Asthma did become "trendy" amongst doctors about 25-30 years ago - possibly to cover their backsides, and there is a suggestion that modern pollutants can cause asthma or asthma-like symptoms in children, but that they improve/recover in their teens.

[Ginseng]

When I joined (a long time ago!), any history of asthma was the kiss of death for prospective aircrew. However, times may have moved on. Research your subject carefully and as discreetly as you can. In the end, you will have to be honest, so best to be confident of your ground before approaching the Service directly.

Regards

Ginseng

[maccer82]

The Crabs:mad: will tell you where to go quickly enough, i know of a lad who was accepted from a UAS, about to start IOT before they read his medical report and chopped him for having 'a slight wheeze' a age 11, or something equally as stupid. They have an almost zero tolerance policy on asthma, so unless you have a good case to contest it i would not even waste your time, however, if you do contest it, they will send you to some medical centre for special tests involving a running machine and a lot of excercise. RN and AAC are more than happy for aircrew as long as you have been clear for 4 or so years.

Good luck.
Mac

[Talk Wrench]

Hi ,

Even in ground trades, personnel who have developed late onset asthma whilst "in service" are subject to medical downgradement dependent upon the severity of the condition. This has the potential to result in loss of promotion prospects and career development and ultimately, discharge from the force.

However, whatever your aspirations are (pardon the pun), it will boil down to the recruiting centre's medical examiner who make reccomendations as to your suitability for sevice.

If they say yes to you, you are sent for tests and if you have been clear for a few years, then it may or may not go against your career choice.

The only way to find out is to go for it and apply. The RAF can always say no as a flyer, but yes to a different career path.

Which ever way it goes, good luck.

Talk Wrench

[brit bus driver]

This is an instant no for aircrew. The policy has been reviewed recently and, while we have no recruiting shortage (:hmm: ) the decision is to maintain the status quo. That said, cases of asthma are becoming ever-more prevalent (sp?) in the yoof of today, so who knows in the future?

[tug3]

In days gone bye if the dreaded 'A' word was even whispered at Biggin Hill you were out the door so fast your feet didn't touch. These days still a no-no for any trade involved in parting company with terra firma.

Some ground trades are available but you MUST show proof of a lack of recurrence in I believe the 5 years preceding your application. The proof being that no prescribed drugs have been used, no visits to GPs and for deffo no trips to A&E for anything to do with the dreaded 'A' word.

So, if you've had a prescription for Salbutamol/Ventolin, Becotide etc. in the last X years, forget it. The RAF Band won't even have you to hit a bum note on a base drum!

I recall the reason for this almost blanket ban was due to guys who had grown out of their childhood asthma being Medevac'd out of the Falklands after not having had an attack for decades in some cases. A combination of stress and climatic conditions was to blame but the seeds were sewn which have resulted in the continuing policy.

Speak to the powers that be for a definate time-scale, but I'm sure its in the 5-10 years bracket.

Rgds
T3

[Shaft109]

RAF Aircrew - Any history of Asthma ZERO chance. Full Stop. Period. I was binned from even flying the Vigilant, the Air cadet glider when they found out. Sorry to give you bad news but don't waste your time.

HOWEVER, the CAA don't see this as such a big problem, and I have a full class 1 medical for flying so a civvy career in flying is very much possible.

Shaft

[Oldernotbolder]

Well, I am slightly asthmatic (have been most of my life) and was cleared to fly the Vigi, so maybe it's not as cut and dried as you say. Have a CAA Class 2 aswell (couldn't get a Class 1, but that is for other reasons :ugh: )

And no, I made no attempt to cover it up, even when questioned by the (RAF) quack.

Anything more than the "gliding" medical, I probably would have run into trouble though, I suspect

[background]

Shaft109- Im very surprised you were chopped for having asthma on a gliding medical, i know a few Vigi drivers who have had mild Asthma or some childhood form of it.

In fact they never even check up on your medical records so if you don't say anything they would never know.

[Shaft109]

background-
"In fact they never even check up on your medical records so if you don't say anything they would never know."
Well erm yes, but in a silly fit of naiviety I put it down. Well to be honest I discussed this with lots of people on the school before I had the medical because I knew that it could be a problem, and the general concensus was it wouldn't be a factor. OOps. The one person I should have spoke to was the CO who "had some experience in these matters" but didn't for some reason.
I can still remember the exact moment I told him as he was climbing in to do some SCT, his exact words were "you may have prematurely curtailed your flying career". Yup.
Oldernotbolder-
Maybe the severity was different, or the doctor/MO thought differently and this was 8 years ago so maybe things have changed; but for me it was the end of the road for military flying. I mean now with a class 1 I easily qualify but i've moved on to other things so i'll never know.
It was a coincidence that I got binned from both at the same time (Gliding Med and OASC) as I had them at different times but the results came back on practically the same day.
As for the thread starter- DavidDatter708- I was in your exact position back in '97. If I could go back and give myself advice it would be
"At the gliding/VGS medical say nothing"- So (Assuming your in the Air Cadets) yes you could fly and gain invaluable experience.
"As for the RAF/Military Aircrew"- Don't waste your time. Get on to the CAA in Gatwick with details of your condition and see about getting a Class 1, and if it works out find sponsorship for CPL/fATPL or whatever.

Sorry to be blunt but it's a non starter.

[davidatter708]

cheers for all your help
its a sod asthma
thanks again david

[Time Flies]

The word "Asthma" is not quite the show-stopper everyone is making out here.

The outcome of an appeal will depend on the severity, frequency and nature of the "attacks" you had x years ago as well as any treatment administered.

As someone has already said the Docs of yesteryear were very happy to write Asthma, when today the same episode could be classed as a chest infection.

I had a problem with an "Asthma attack" on my medical reports aged 9 which was treated with a nebulizer (successfully). I had no further episodes or treatment. I had to locate the actual Doc from back then and ask her to change her diganosis to chest infection. This only worked as the evidence and lack of re-occurrence supported this.

Anyway, it worked and I'm now flying fast-jets.

If you want anymore info please PM me.

[southside]

I Have to concur with "time flies" here. Asthma is not a show stopper. I suffered as a young man and discussed it with the MO during my initial medical....and like "time flies" I got in and have passed every medical since.

[davidatter708]

so am i allowed to fly as i never had an attack i was just on medication probably cause my house was very dusty and im allegic to dust mites

[airborne_artist]

No-one on this board can answer - you need to get to a private specialist, have your notes reviewed, check with the original doctor(s) and hopefully present a case to the RAF/RN medical examiners along the lines of: no asthma attack ever experienced, symptoms only briefly present for xx weeks yy years ago, and on examination your peak flow etc. all within limits. Then you might get the nod.

[samson.]

David - there's a simple solution... don't tell them. I know plenty of people in the RAF with asthma, migraine, hayfever (they call them 'summer colds') etc. Obviously, if it limits you significantly now, it probably wouldn't be a great idea to do this, but it sounds like it doesn't.

If you are wondering whether any testing they do will reveal a past history of asthma, you can rest assured that it won't. Their testing will only reveal currently ****e lungs, not past ****e lungs. (it's a bit, but not much, more technical than that)

The other thing to think about - what's the worst that can happen? They never find out, you get accepted, live happily ever after. They do find out - you don't get accepted. They find out that you didn't tell them you had asthma - you don't get accepted. So you don't really have anything to lose.

Also, asthma is probably over-diagnosed in children. It is easy to give a wheezy/coughing kid an inhaler and call it asthma, when in fact it isn't (could be chest infection, allergy). Would be a bit of a shame for said kid to be barred from the RAF for life.

I'm sure I will probably get flamed for saying this...

[davidatter708]

samson thanks as it happens in 16 just sorting out my future early:)
also as it happens im a musician with huge heathly lungs:O
thanks to all of you
david

[caligula]

Samson
Spot on - totally endorse the common sense approach.
David
Integrity is clearly an issue for RAF Officers. However, if the symptoms you describe are accurate, you are shooting yourself in the foot by even mentioning it. As a child, I got moderate hayfever and my Dad suffered pretty badly from asthma. I probably had v mild susceptibility to asthma which continued into adult life (NB however never had to use an inhaler until induced by dust living in v dusty house as an adult one time). Never told any RAF doctor, flew 6 years on the front-line and 3 years on the Reds - no snags!