Pilot's artificial arm 'became detached while landing plane'

[ricardian]

BBC report

A pilot lost control of a passenger plane after his artificial arm became detached as he was coming in to land, an accident report has said.

Belfast City Airport

[SKS777FLYER]

Well, the good thing, according to Flybe :


"Flybe said the senior captain was one of its most experienced and trusted pilots"




Mods, hopefully the comment is in line with approved thought and deemed by the tarot cards to be in line with authorized commentary.

[Zeppelin]

far more important that everything was stabilised at the 'gate'

[oceancrosser]

Class 1 medical with a prosthetic arm?

[Fostex]

I always thought such a disability would preclude holding a Class 1, obviously not!

Medical certification of pilots with a disability | Medical | Personal Licences and Training

[DaveReidUK]

The BBC's Daily Mail-type headline makes it sound as if the pilot shed his prosthetic limb, which wasn't the case.

[ATC Watcher]

Medicals : Lots of exceptions possible but assessed on individual basis.
Quite normal.

[cleanair]

equal opportunities?

Please don't take this as a personal attack on this or any other person with a disability, but had this pilot had two good arms I presume this could not have happened?
What about the passengers equal opportunities?

[Basil]

From the BBC:

However, as he made the flare manoeuvre - a stage of the landing shortly before touchdown - "his prosthetic limb became detached from the yoke clamp, depriving him of control of the aircraft".

While he had thought about getting his co-pilot to take control, the time available and the challenging conditions meant his best course of action was to move his right hand from the power levers on to the yoke to regain control.

"He did this, but with power still applied and possibly a gust affecting the aircraft, a normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily," the report found.

The AAIB reported that the captain had said that in future he would be more cautious about checking the attachment on his prosthesis as he may have dislodged the latching mechanism.

He also said he would brief his co-pilots about the possibility of a similar event and that they should be ready to take control at any time.

Para 3: "a gust affecting the aircraft" could happen to any of us BUT, if he'd had a hand on the throttles he could have adjusted power.

Sorry, but I do not wish to be flown by someone with bits missing. There's enough which can go wrong without deliberately starting off with a built-in disadvantage.

[ChickenHouse]

Do I understand correctly? Being a pilot with an artificial arm or leg ist possible, but with a transplant not, due to the medication needs? Something like for avionics "detachable parts don't have to be TSO'ed"?

[goudie]

Sorry, but I do not wish to be flown by someone with bits missing.

There was an RAF Britannia captain who had only one eye. He seemed to do ok. I flew with him an several occasions.

[ManaAdaSystem]

He obviously had a class one medical, and that must have been granted after careful consideration of his ability to control the aircraft.
The problem is this, he just proved that he can't do that in all situations, so I expect the medical to go bye bye.

[Basil]

goudie,

There was an RAF Britannia captain who had only one eye. He seemed to do ok. I flew with him an several occasions.

We had an ex-Javelin Argosy co-pilot with an eye missing but it was understood that, following that posting, he wouldn't be going flying again.

[Basil]

The problem is this, he just proved that he can't do that in all situations, so I expect the medical to go bye bye.

My point precisely.

[Doors to Automatic]

I'm sorry, call me old fashioned and I am sure this is an excellent pilot but having four working limbs should be a fundamental requirement of the Class 1, after all up to 80 lives are at stake here!

[ROSCO328]

I'm with the above. Was amazed when my wife showed me this article.

[Above The Clouds]

Doors to Automatic
four working limbs should be a fundamental requirement of the Class 1

For the initial class 1, yes.

But an experienced pilot who already has the skills, then has an unfortunate accident or medical problem, surely if they are able to pass the medical and required sim tests why should they not be allowed to continue their career ?

[OneOffDave]

Would a similar incident where a two handed pilot lost grip on the controls resulting in the same outcome be reported to the AAIB?

[Above The Clouds]

cleanair
If your happy to buy a ticket for yourself, your wife or child to be flown under the control of a captain with a prosthetic arm after what has just happened without any second thoughts for your or their safety then that is your choice but I won't be condemning you for your choice or opinions with personal attacks or insults.

And just exactly how are you going to determine who has what missing before you step onboard ? it seems the medical department have deemed the individual fit to hold the medical.

Of course it all depends on how accurate the BBC reporting of the incident is, and we how accurate that can be.

[cleanair]

A two handed pilot would have been able to grab a hold of the yolk imediatly without having to re attach his arm.