PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - 70 Years Grounded
View Single Post
Old 13th Oct 2010, 00:24
  #19 (permalink)  
john_tullamarine
Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: various places .....
Posts: 7,187
Received 97 Likes on 65 Posts
I've always found doctors and psychologists to be the natural born enemies of pilots. One way or another its their job to ground you

That's a bit of a wide sweeping generalisation.

some obvious surgical scarring I had

I recall a renewal done shortly following a period of hospitalisation which had involved a biopsy on my ankle. The GP DAME, whilst attaching and removing ECG leads to the foot, chose not to see anything of the very obvious red-purple discolouration radiating from the not yet healed incision ... probably had something in his eye on the day, I guess.

Two examples of the other side of the coin -

Ralph Caponi. Originally a pilot (ANA) then GP and, eventually, electrical engineer. As a DAME he was faced on one occasion with getting a well known character back into the seat after the latter's being sidelined for some considerable time post motorbike prangs. In essence, Ralph just harassed DCA until they gave in on a "he (the pilot) can do it" basis. Mind you, the test was in a DC3, mates just about had to carry him up and down the stairs and the assy was a bit of a labour .. but determination was always one of the good chap's attributes.

John Colvin. The main man in the DAME eye game some years ago. Very much a pragmatist and on the side of the pilot. Helped me out with a minor muscular eye problem which embroiled me in a dispute with the MBF. Rode jumpseat on the Boeings a few times (I suspect he always avoided the cabin where he could) and always the thorough gentleman.

A couple of CASA DAME bosses in recent decades (whose names elude me just now), likewise, introduced/championed changes better to facilitate pilot certification.
john_tullamarine is offline