Sick days...?

[Vee One...Rotate]

It's Easter Day and I'm full of a cold...which got me thinking. What happens when you folks decide you're in no fit state to fly and have to take some time off?

Obviously you'll be rostered to be on a certain flight so is there always backup crew on stand by? How much hassle does it cause in reality?

I can't remember the last time I had a day off work but am soon to start commercial flight training and being a bit under the weather today made my mind wander to this question...not the most interesting topic I know...!

How does it work where you are?

Thanks for any input,

A merely curious,

V1R :ok:

[DBate]

How does it work where you are?

It's simple - if I think I'm unfit to fly I call in sick. There are crews on standby for exactly these occasions.

And if there aren't - then it's the companys problem, not mine. I don't care how much hassle my calling in sick might cause. There are plenty clever people in my company who get paid for exactly doing this - solving crew dispatch problems like this one.

This may sound a bit harsh, but if I call in sick, than I am really sick.

If I fly while being sick, not causing any trouble to the crew dispatchers, then I won't get a medal from my company, not even a simple thanks.
But I'm not only endangering my own health, but also that of the passengers.
And if something happens, while I'm flying being sick, than everybody will say: 'He should have known that he wasn't supposed to fly while sick'.

So long,
DBate

[Vee One...Rotate]

Thanks DBate.

There are plenty clever people in my company who get paid for exactly doing this - solving crew dispatch problems like this one.

I completely agree with yout attitude. Nice to have the details about stand-by crews confirmed.

Cheers,

V1R

[You splitter]

As someone who for many years was "paid for solving crew dispatch problems" I agree with DBate. Sometimes they are easily solved other times (espcially when the bugs are doing the rounds) its a bit more tricky and you have to call in a few favours. Would rather have a fully fit crew member sitting in the seats, than someone whose not on top of his/her game. And as pointed out the beancounters at the top should make enough resources available that someone going sick is not the end of the world.

I will have one little moan though - I always thought it most annoying and unprofessional when you called a crew member out two hours into their standby to be told "Im not fit". You should declare this at the start of your standby. I guess the thinking is if I don't get called they will never know - keeps the sickness records down. :ok:

[DBate]

I always thought it most annoying and unprofessional when you called a crew member out two hours into their standby to be told "Im not fit". You should declare this at the start of your standby.

I totally agree - that's absolutely unprofessional!

Regards,
DBate

[Old Smokey]

It's totally agreed, it's unprofessional (and a host of other things) for a pilot to wait until the call-out from standby to declare him/herself "sick". There is another side to the coin, I can quote 2 instances -

(1) My command trainee was obviously uncomfortable and fidgety during briefing and the walk to the aircraft, nerves I thought, he was early in his command training. This continued to the exact moment that we passed MSA, whereupon he loudly announced "You have control", and bolted from the cockpit. The smell as he departed was horrendous. He spent most of the remainder of the flight in the loo with severe vomiting and diarrhoea. Post flight, I enquired when he had become aware of his symptoms. "About 2 hours before sign-on, but I didn't want to get hammered for going sick at short notice", he replied.

(2) Myself (1 day sick in the last 15 years), taking a shower in a bath tub about 1:30 before sign-on, slipped getting out, and cracked a bone in my right hand in the fall (still painful to this day). Called in "sick" 1:15 before sign-on, sorry guys! Later recriminations included a 'not so friendly' phone call from a sub-boss, and the need to write a letter supporting my late sick call. In the letter I noted that I was paid for being a pilot, not a bl**dy psychic.

Sick Leave at short notice DOES happen!

Regards,

Old Smokey