Asthma/RAF aircrew

[beeniemac]

As a child (around 7-8) I was diagnosed with asthma. I only ever received a blue inhaler that I never actually used. It was for incase I had an attack, which I never did. I am now 19.

It seems from what my mum told me, I used to get a bit out of breath whilst swimming, I got taken to the doctors and was given the inhaler as a 'just-in-case' kind of thing?

Am I looking at a absolute, definite 0% possibilty of becoming aircrew?

[effortless]

They may judge whether you have asthma now, unless it really has changed a lot. It could be that you were badly diagnosed. Get an opinion now and then that will be on your current medical records.

[Send Clowns]

Talk to the Navy. When I was in and having aviation medicine lectures the president of CAAMB (the central admiralty aiation medical board, or some such), a certain Surgeon Commander Stoot (this was in 1997, probably more senior now!), insisted that childhood asthma was not a very strong indicator of adult asthma anyway. Worth a try with all three services (Royal Marines same as navy for flying) as they all have their own policy. Worth mentioning Surgeon Cdr Stoot's opinion too, and discussing the fact that you have never had an attack.

[Well Travelled Nav]

At OASC we see plenty of cases of asthma that were mis-diagnosed when the candidate was a child.

Seek a specialist medical opinion prior to going to OASC as the docs there will probably just tag you as Permanantly Unfit for aircrew duties unless you can convince them that the previous diagnosis was wrong.

WTN

[Mike Adam-Swales]

Having been involved on the periphery of RN aircrew selection some years ago, one concern over childhood asthma with the Military in general, is that if it does reappear during service the MOD will be faced with a bill for Invalid Retirement benefits. Training may not have been entirely wasted as a return of service may already have been given.

[Max Contingency]

Beenie - This is a question that I have been asked many times before by prospective pilots. So much so that I asked the advice of a good friend of mine who is also a local GP. It seems that in the 80s/90s it was almost 'fashionable' for doctors to issue inhalers and dismiss ailments as a 'little bit of childhood asthma'. My friends advice is go back to your GP, tell him that you never used the inhaler and that it may now be preventing you from following the career of your dreams. Doctors are human and certainly my friend says that, in those circumstances, he would just remove the record from your notes and wish you well in your application.

Plan B - If you still have paper medical notes, you could just reach across the desk, grab them and leg it!!

Good luck and don't be disheartened by what you read on these forums. We just like to moan a lot but we no longer have the time to sit around in our crewrooms and do it. ;)

[Jucky]

They Navy will now accept people with a childhood history of asthma, however they do look at it on a case by case basis. It would be well worth a try.

Regards,

Jucky :ok: FLY NAVY!:ok:

[Michael Edic]

The official policy is that any history of asthma precludes selection. BUT as the advice above suggests go to a respiratory consultant (they carry more weight than a GP although you'll probably have to pay privately unless you have family friends) and get a letter from them saying that you don't have asthma and go back to your GP and ask them to write a letter saying it was a preacaution and you never had true asthma and then go to OASC, hopefully prepared. If they still say no, don't give up, write to the President of the Medical Board explaining your situation and enclose copies of both letters.
Persistence seems to get you along way. I have friends who have got in simply by not giving up.

Don't join the RN!!

GOOD LUCK

non illegitimus carberundum (think that's the right spelling!)

[Grimweasel]

Was at OASC Aug 2004 and even with a specialist letter from an RAF Air Cdr at Peteborough Hospital (he was a respiration specialist) clearing me of Asthma, the Wg Cdr Doctor still said ''No'' because her joining reg's said in black and white "no childhood history of asthma". No aircrew for me!
It does seem that its dependant on the Selection Doc at the time tho, as I had 6 pilots on my IOT all with Hayfever!! (notes ditched, economical with the truth, summer cold sketch!!)
Do keep trying though, and remember there are ground jobs in the RAF that are very rewarding too. Flying, in some cases, is not the be all and end all!
Good luck.