Asthma and BA.

[Ransman]

Anyone out there have experience with BA. How do they feel about asthma, Mine is very well controlled with unrestricted class one etc. They say their medical is more strict than the CAA's. Any comments?

[expedite_climb]

Their medical is now very very basic. It consists of a form with just over half a dozen questions, such as, are you ill ? Have you been ill in the last year How many days off sick ? Are you taking any drugs ? Have you had your medical suspended ever ?

If there are any queries they MAY call you for an assessment at their centre.

[Ransman]

Thanks for the input, the interview is daunting enough, without the added medical stresses. I'll give it 110% and see what happens. As it is, 6 years with present airline, zero days sick!

[Pilot16]

Can I just add something here please...

How about BA eyesight standards. CAA allows 6/9 monocular corrected. What about BA?

[expedite_climb]

There were no questions on eyesight... therefore CAA limit is BA limit i guess.

[Pilot16]

ah right,

excellent thanks :O

[Chainy]

Well on the subject,
im a young pilot wanabe, ive just imigrated into Vancouver and i hope to get into UCFC. When i was younger i had mild asthma, but since the age of 13 or 14 i've pretty much grown out of it.
I've just got back from travelling for a year and this morning went out for a jog, (need to get fit!) if i do really intensive exercise i get a slight weez in my chest but never enough to require an inhaler....
is this going to be a problem for a medical exam? im worried the examiner will request documents from my previous doctor in england - hence i dont know whether to say when i was a kid i used to have mild asthma or just completely deny the condition.
I havnt used an inhaler for about 6 maybe even 7 years now.
What should i do?? (im worried it'll compromise my dream career)
help!!!:confused:

[ISLAND TIGER]

If you have only got very slight asthma, just keep quite about it and no-one will ever know or even be interested. If you declare it you may be required to undergo regular tests by a cardiologist along with the expense and hassle. I have known of such an occourance.

[Pilot16]

Dont worry, with that sort of asthma, you should pass the JAA Class 1 test with ease.

You are allowed to carry an inhaler with you if that keeps it under control I believe, but in your case, it seems that you dont even need one.
And you can telll them of the situation if you want but make sure that you do stress on the point that it is indeed very mild.

All the best :ok:

[P-T-Gamekeeper]

I can't believe you are advocating that people LIE in their medicals! This profession mas a medical test for good reason.

Chainy - I would advise you to tell the doc about the mild asthma, for your own sake as well as your future passengers.

The efect of flying at 8000' cabin alt can exacerbate asthmatic symptoms, so let an aeromedically qualified doctor make the call. If it is a problem, do you really want to spend your career in a workplace that makes your asthma worse?

It is possible to hold a class 1 med with mild asthma, so you still have a chance of the job you are after.

I hope none of the guys suggesting this are airline captains, because it does not say much for your integrity. What else are you not telling the CAA?

[wobblyprop]

I have mild asthma, too. I was told I only got my class 1 because i had the becotide inhaler as well as the salbutamol. Around the same time I started going to the gym 6 days a week. This improved my asthma no end. I was also directed to this buteyko method (http://www.buteyko.com/), also produced good results.

I did struggle for a while as to whether to own up to having asthma. The adivce I got was "tell them". You'll be found out one way or another.

[Chainy]

Thankyou all for your honest and interesting answers. It has helped clear up this issue ive been worried about (no really! it has)...
Having travelled the globe, skydived, scubadived, hiked at 5km up..and flown a countless number of flights all without a thought of weezyness it does seem rash to risk compromising my career with a few words of a condition that i once had.
However, i do take in the suggestion of letting a professional make that decision for me, and then the responsibily is in many ways (not all) out of my hands.
Thanks again to those who took the time to reply, i really appriciate it.:ok:

[ultimatepro63]

dont worry about it try not tooo use your inhaler im only 12 and just started doing this i want to become an airline pilot as well so i started eat5ing fruits and so on and soon you will forget your asthma if you know what i mean :hmm:

[Sky Wave]

I also have asthma which is controlled by inhalers. Before even considering trying to become an airline pilot I wrote to the CAA to enquire about the situation. They stated that they would require a letter from your doctor, a satisfactory lung function test, a satisfactory lung capacity test and a clear chest xray.

My doctor wrote a letter stating that I have never been admitted to hospital and that my asthma is very mild. I passed the tests at Gatwick with ease although I was very concerned that my lung capacity or peak flow would fail. The last thing you do at the Gatwick medical is visit the doctor and he reviews all of your tests. He said that my asthma is not a problem but I had to appreciate that it could get worse in future years.

In summary be open about it and be realistic. If you've been in and out of hospital and often suffer from chronic attacks then look at another industry, if it’s mild, controlled or long departed then you've got nothing to hide. Falsifying a JAA medical questionnaire and subsequently getting found out will probably stop your career dead.

Hope this helps.

RANSMAN

Please let us know what BA said about your asthma

[BenL]

Hi, this is a really helpful thread for me as I too suffer from (what I believe to be) a very mild asthma and dream of becoming an airline pilot. I'm a little older though, 23.

Can I just clarify something? You mention "mild asthma", I am just wondering how you define this? I do not use a prevention spray, but on the odd occassion require my ventolin, for example on the odd cold morning after little sleep, and sometimes before taking a 20-30 minute jog on a treadmill. I have never been into hospital, or had a severe attack.

It would be nice to hear from any pilots out there with asthma to give us hope. Also could any one offer advice on the preventer situation: I read that the class 1 medical requires asthmatics to be on a steroid preventer.

Thanks for any advice!

[Sky Wave]

Benl

I try to use my Becotide preventer when I remember simply because I don't want to end up needing the Ventolin (Salbutomel).

I call mild asthma the type that doesn't stop me walking, rock climbing, canoeing and snowboarding. I too get a little wheezy if I go for a run especially on a cold winters day. I don't find any problem with running on a treadmill in the gym except for the fact that I'm overweight and out of condition :(

The class 1 doesn't require you to be on steroids and I believe that it disqualifies you if you are taking steroids by mouth, however you are allowed to take Becotide Inhalers which do contain steroids.

From what you've said I don't believe that you'll have a problem, I suggest you check with the CAA to confirm that you will require a letter from your doctor and take the plunge, it's the only way you'll know for certain.

SW

[BenL]

OK great thanks, it's easy to get paranoid about everything when something means so much to you!

My asthma doesn't stop me windsurfing or snowboarding, no matter what the weather, it's just running in the cold and damp which gets me! Which is why I was a bit worried to read somewhere about the Doc sending you for a jog around the building and then for a peak flow test! I'm assuming that ventolin use beforehand is not allowed!