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Pilot sues Virgin

Old 6th Feb 2012, 19:02
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Pilot sues Virgin

It would appear that a rather senior F/O has decided to sue Virgin, because his Nav Bag is to heavy and he has done his back in. He said he should have been given a small computer on which to store his manuals. I must say I am speechless, though I have sympathy for anyone with a bad back, but we have all been lugging around Nav Bags since day one, and whilst I have heard whinging about it, lots of whinging, suing the company was not on the radar. It will be interesting to see how far he gets. (He wants over a million). Perhaps you should all jump on this cash cow if he is successful.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 19:20
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Often it takes some sort of action such as this to make the power's that be listen, as opposed to just saying "no" and forgetting about the issue.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 19:31
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Obviously isn't that keen on a command then.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 19:34
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Shouldnt be speechless. Had the same happen to me. Had surgery over three years ago, and now on various permanent use of pain meds - loss of medical and a career of over 20 years. After all this time I am still not able to work full time and my employment options are extremely limited.
In my safety report to management I stated that carrying jepps in the nav bag was an issue (with various other items mine was over 15kg's) and why couldnt they be supplied to both pilots on the flight deck as in my last airline in Europe. Their answer was it was extremely unlikely to happen again.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 19:34
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That's why they invented Nav bags with wheels. As a training captain I used to carry twice the crap I did as a line captain without any problem at all.

All this was done with 2 titanium plates and 8 screws holding my back together. I certainly know all about serious back injury and pain.

With the issue of iPads this all should be a thing of the past anyway.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 19:58
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He will be bloody lucky to be able to link the bad back directly to the carrying of a nav bag, I'd think.

Being charitable, it's possible, but to establish it as a work-related cause that the company should pay for is a bit of a stretch.

Realistically though, how hard is it to carry a nav bag? Sounds suss to me.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 20:04
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Good luck to him. Australia wake up and look at the rest of the world.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 20:11
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One of the reasons QF went from individual Jepp charts for 737 pilots to aircraft manuals was due to the potential injury risk of guys and gals moving bags in/out of the flight deck. Carrying them wasn't the issue, manoeuvring them in confined places was. There were a number of crews who had injuries- albeit none as serious as this one it appears- and thats why they made the change.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 20:23
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News article says he was injured on Dec 29 2009 and claimed he should have had an iPad instead.

iPad was first released April 2010. Doh!!!
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 20:28
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Seriously!the people claiming a bad back due carrying Jepps what's next?
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 20:36
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Chicko- Coffee in half cups to avoid too much strain, oh, and it can't be too hot either otherwise you may burn your tongue.

Seriously, carrying a heavy bag on one side over time , without a countering weight in the other hand can put a lot of lateral strain on your back.
It's not the weight, it's knowing how to lift, and I did furniture removals casually for 15 years- some pieces well over 100kg with 2 guys. Harden up!

Last edited by Dangnammit; 6th Feb 2012 at 21:04.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 21:24
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Perhaps those Kangaroo Court Lawyers here can explain to me what this pilot should do for a career having not flown since 2009.

Perhaps those concerned about his potential Command in Virgin Australia can tell me what he should be doing when the daily chores are limiting.

Perhaps those that have lifted all manner of weights can tell me what they would do if they incurred an injury at work and their career, lifestyle and future were put on permanent hold.

Perhaps those who critise the specific Court action on the basis of what is written in a newspaper should have a very firm reality check!

Don't hold back if you have the FACTS but I find it pretty low to consign a pilots career and future to attitudes of "harden up" and "sounds suss"

PPRune at its best!
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 21:37
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Is it only in Australia that pilots are required to carry their own Jepps. around with them? The electronic age is taking over but throughout my career the Jepps. were on board the aircraft, two sets of common use approach plates, one set of the rest, per aircraft, maintained and updated by the Tech Library and frequently changed when the a/c gets back to base. What is so difficult about that?

When I had minor back problems my AME, also a Specialist in Aviation Medicine, said "get wheels", for both cargo bag and nav bag, forget the macho image!
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 21:49
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parabellum

There is no requirement for us to carry our own personal set of Jeps.
It has been company policy to issue individual sets to each crew member.

It appears that this policy is about to change albeit somewhat late for some crew.

Wheeled bags are part of the solution but I would hazard a guess some of the posters above you have not been on a 737 let alone tried to wheel their Nav bag into position in the cockpit of a 737.

'Nemo Me Impune Lacessit' is rather appropriate in this situation!
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 21:51
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Parabellum, that's fine but just remember "real" Pilots carry Nav bags!

Btw, absolutely outrageous claim in my opinion.

Last edited by hoss; 6th Feb 2012 at 21:58. Reason: Because parabellum is hard to spell
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 22:03
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ad-astra,


last time I checked I had just under 7000 in B737 so I do know about manoeuvring a nav bag into place.

The B777 is really not much better as was the EMB.

As my personal trainer keeps telling me...."toughen up princess".
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 22:08
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As I said - PPRune at its best!
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 22:23
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Good career move. </irony>
Princess - Either get a nav bag with wheels and drag it behind you or get a backpack. I used both for years.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 22:34
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I think a few airlines have been sued successfully in the states... I can't remember where I got that info from .... But it's in my head from somewhere.

I can't understand the logic from a cost point of view in making every pilot have a set of personal Jepps.
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Old 6th Feb 2012, 22:51
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A good time to bring to your attention what us old pilots suffer. Skin Cancer and bad backs are way up there, (there is no excuse whatsoever for any of you younger blokes getting skin cancer these days, oh and watch that area around the neck/chest when shedding the tie.) The other problem that can come up is varicose veins, as the sitting for long hours with the blood all pooled in the bottom half of your body puts pressure on your veins, the ones in your legs are bad enough but if you get them in your groin, well, what can I say that does not make your eyes water. More sinister problems showed up with the crews especially on the 747SP with a far more than normal rate of brain tumours, both malignant and benign, as well as a reduced fertility rate, this of course was shared by both CC and Tech crew. As I now belong to the retired blokes group we share our "ills" which for countless hours of flying have bequeathed us, so going on that info, I suggest a good sun screen always, plenty of sport and activity on down time, go consult a good chiropractor regarding a cushion to support your spine and never fly without it, get up a least once a hour and stretch hard, keep your weight down, sleep every chance you get, and everything you use should be on wheels, keep your stress levels down (hard in this world) and you will be fitter and healthier blokes than us at retirement.
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