Will you make the call?

[Homesick-Angel]

Just watching Australian Story tonight on BH, and I am aware there is a thread dedicated to the inquest, but it started more of a side issue and a question of whether many of us would be willing to admit / face up to it when we are no longer able to fly.

When you think about how much of a privilege it is to hold a class one or two medical, and how much outlay we all spend both financially and of our time to get where we are in aviation whether its a GFPT, PPL or an ATPL, it really begs the question - what would you do should some of these priviliges be taken from you.

Id like to think that Id be able to gracefully walk away, but Im not sure there would be anything graceful about it-not privately anyway.

It quite literally ends up, or begins as an obsession. Like any obsession, it can be hard to give it up. I know of several pilots who are, in my opinion not fit to fly on mental health/illness grounds (My educated opinion having come from an industry dealing with these issues) but its not as easy as just dobbing them in because many people with these issues can present quite well when they need to.

It sounds to me as If BH was a pretty accomplished and gifted pilot, but without getting into the politics and here say, lets say he couldn't make the call for himself due to his absolute love for it and his investment in it, and that love pretty much caused the end result by blocking out all common sense? It certainly sounds like the writing was on the wall.

How many of these sorts of cases are out there? Privacy is a big issue, particularly in a small industry, but the good point was made that we and the general public need to be protected better with more transparency.. But how, particularly when in some cases the medical may only be suspended for a period of time, and we all need to be protected as well?

[Wunwing]

I'm now at the other end of the "cycle". In retirement where aviation is just one of my many interests.During my lifetime in aviation I've found that there are 2 types,those who live to fly and those who fly to live (earn an income).
That doesn't mean that the latter don't enjoy their flying, just that it is part of their lives, not the whole part of their life.

The latter develop all kinds of life interests and when flying ceases to be a viable life option, they seamlessly transition into their other interests.These people also seem to live longer and healthier lives and also seem to be likely to have long and good marriages.

The former hang on flying to the "death" and with failing health often "fall off the perch" soon after they cease aviating.I guess that goes with HA's concept of beginning and ending with an obsession

I am aware this is a gross generalisation but overall it seems to me to be fairly representative of the situation as I've seen it over my lifetime in the industry.

Wunwing

[Wally Mk2]

"Wun" I tend to agree with yr analysis of two types (of pilots) in some ways but the two can start out as one as in being keen as hell in the first place about flying when young but the 'transition' for want of a better word to it's just a job to earn $$$ can & often does become the leading reason as to why some fly. Lets face it why do any of us work in the first place? (well the responsible ones that is)To obtain money in which to exist on this planet it just so happens that some people out there enjoy their career & flying is one such career until that transition period where the $$$ is the only reason why they are still at it.

I've always tried to leave my job at the door as I walk out so to speak at the end of the day/shift that's the secret to having a life after flying:ok:
Flying is enjoyable, it's not that much fun anymore (for me) but still pleasurable & there is more to life than just Aeroplanes & as one gets older then the challenge is to know when to say enuf is enuf:ok:

'BH' may very well have been struggling with the above concept & I can see why, who knows his demons have gone to his grave along with him, we all go there some day.

Wmk2


Wmk2

[Wizofoz]

H-A,

I agree with you, while admitting to being a "Type-one"!

My motivation in flying full time for a living is to get to the point that I can fly full time for fun!!

I certainly don't claim this makes me a "Better" pilot- in some ways it's a curse as much as a gift, and you may well be right that it will make it all the more difficult once it IS time to give it up completely (though there's always RC Models!!)

I don't agree about the marriage bit, though- some of the more enduring relationships I've known (mine included) have been with "Lifers".

In Barry's case, I think it was more about admitting he was no longer up to being a Professional Pilot- a need to hang on to the identity rather than a need to keep flying for flying sake.

He could have gone and flown Gliders or Ultralights, and he and his passenger would probably both still be with us- but that would mean admitting he was no longer a Pro.

[Kodachrome]

I read in the paper (online probably more correctly) that the Doctors were being sued by the partner of the passenger BH had with him. I can't say anything for the neurologist but AS is a top bloke and would not hesitate to recommend his services to anyone.

[kabukiman]

I think I would be able to happily walk away when I'm old and I see I'm not able to carry out any task the same as I used to. But that's just me. Same as driving a car. When I'm too old or slow I'll gladly hang up the keys

[Homesick-Angel]

I think the point that hit me,is its easy to sit here now with my health and say "yeah Il give it up when its my time", but from what i know of my elder mates:Eit is not something that usually just happens.It occurs over time, and sometimes we are the last to see or admit it..

[Mach E Avelli]

The best example I ever saw of someone realising that he was past his use-by date was in the UK.
I had not long had a DC3 TRE and was renewing an old guy's proficiency check. No simulator, of course. The weather was absolutely fogged-in everywhere, but off we went, because that's how it was done back then. Engine failures he nailed. Altitude and airspeed he nailed. But as soon as we got on to NDB work he became completely disorientated and eventually so lost I had to talk him back to the home airfield. Wherupon, becoming visual, he pulled off a perfect landing.

At the debrief, in deference to his undoubted experience and standing in the airline, I formally advised him that while I was not going to blot his records with a formal 'fail' notice, he was grounded until he did the check again. He did not even give me the chance to follow up with the offer of a different Check Captain; simply got up without a word, walked out, mounted his bicycle and rode off into the mist. Never to be seen again. Rather sad for someone to end a career that way, but he knew....

Now I am about the age he was at the time. I only hope that I can make the call before I get to the stage of self-doubt that he had reached. Scary thought.

[flywatcher]

I have made the call. I agree with both wunwing and wally 2, I initially lived to fly, then flew to live, and flew a lot, and as the time approached I wondered how I would handle it. Luckily I had a life outside of aviation but when my class one medical became unrenewable it was a case of stopping then or pushing on for another couple of years on a class 2. I decided on the latter

It was OK flying privately, I had kept my aircraft and could fly when I liked, but I found myself staying fairly close to home and about all I was doing was practising approaches. Perhaps subconsciously something was telling me that I wasn't as good as I used to be, but I was, my performance hadn't gone downhill, but I probably had to work a bit harder to keep the needles exactly crossed.

I found I wasn't using my aircraft enough so I sold it to person who really wanted it and who appreciated it. It was very hard when I realised that for over 50 years of my life I had owned an aircraft, and now didn't, and flying had been my life for 55 years. (I started young!)

After a week or two I didn't miss my aircraft as much, when you put 5,000 hours on your favorite aircraft you do become attached to it but the feeling passed and there are plenty of other aircraft to fly.

I am now on the final leg, I doubt if my class 2 will be renewed next year. I am not ready for the RAA, I can't qualify for a drivers licence medical, so even though my skills are still high and I aced my last command instrument rating, there are no avenues open to me.

The funny thing is that it doesn't worry me as much as I thought it would, the sun still rises in the morning, there are other things to fill in the day and my other half is very supportive. So to finish off probably my longest ever post in pprune, the best advice I can offer to persons in, or approaching my situation, is that you can adapt to the changed circumstances faster and easier than you think and there is another life out there waiting for you.

Go for it.