[SimonS1]

@ nmh1204 – true, but I think the debate is around whether “a normal touchdown was followed by a bounce, from which the aircraft landed heavily” constitutes operating the aircraft safely.

[travelworld2]

nmh1204- isn’t that the point? The fact his arm fell off and a hard landing resulted implies that there was a safety issue. Now to be entirely fair, I’m not a pilot, doctor, or disability specialist, merely an uninformed outsider who has picked up a news story written by someone who wasn’t there at the time. It just sounds, well…odd…

[FaroFlyer]

So long as being an equal opportunities employer does not include blind pilots I am not too concerned.
Much more scary is this:-
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Pilot-asleep-co-pilot-on-tab-Jet-flight-drops-5000-feet/articleshow/40211580.cms

[TerryMcManus24]

Tend to remember a rather good pilot who had a minor physical problem during the war however the RAF for gave him the go ahead and quite rightly so…..Group Captain.Douglas Bader.As long as our pilots are fit and not colour blind ….that’s ok with me…..whats an arm or leg nowadays…..well done that chap..

[nmh1204]

True, Simon, but even pilots without impairments can bounce the aircraft

[Ekond222]

….As he has a valid Pilots license….what’s the issue….as long as the right hand knows what the right hand is doing – all is well…

[Poshgirl58]

TerryMcManus24, nmh1204, FaroFlyer and Ekond222 have summed this up very well. Prosthetic technology has advanced signficantly in recent years. The CAA website details the medical requirements. Unfortunate incident, but if he’s fit to fly then he’s fit to fly. The tabloid press love stories like this, as demonstrated by Daily Mail today who put false arm in capitals!

[Bullfrog]

If the outcome had been more serious, the rules would now be changed. That is how UK plc works.

I still have safety concerns about aircraft flying directly over populated areas such as London. Until an incident occurs, nothing will be done.

[KarlMarx]

As the original poster, may I point out that Business Traveller has edited this thread title, changing it completely, by stating the pilot lost control of the aircraft. I did not state or imply this in the original title and disassociate myself from this headline.

[MrMichael]

Karl Marx, I agree, BT seem to have joined the tabloids on this one. I commented early this morning to your thread, it did not mention in your title anything about losing control, nor about his arm coming off. Clearly someone at BT used to work for the Mail or Sun. Your title having checked my browser history was “Speechless”. Although I did not totally agree with your title, I disagree even more with BT,s version. If they wanted to ensure forum users knew what your post was about they could have just put something like (Flybe pilot) in brackets after it.

I also said earlier today I was flying Flybe today, flight on time, nice bouncy landing at MAN, here to tell the tale!

[BigDog.]

I agree.
Further am somewhat surprised that the usual reliable DT has (coincidently?) referred to this in an article about genuinely heroic pilots.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/11034026/The-9-most-heroic-airline-pilots-of-all-time.html

Especially as some of the cause of the issue (incorrectly secured prosthesis attachment) is laid at the door of the Captain.

[KarlMarx]

MrMichael – 14/08/2014 18:03 GMT

My ‘Speechless’ title was simply that I was amazed that a pilot could be employed with such a disability . As I am not a pilot, I was not suggesting that this practice is unsafe, as I am not qualified to have an opinion, but given the degree of regulation/caution in the transport sector, it seemed mind-blowing.

[SimonS1]

I am a bit surprised that the title was changed, as sometimes this can completely change the emphasis intended by the poster. However to be fair what it now says is an accurate statement.

[KarlMarx]

SimonS1

I am not sure that the statement is accurate in whole.

The artificial arm detaching is factual, but unless the editor who changed the headline wishes to declare their basis of assessment (and qualifications), ‘out of control’ strikes me as being hyperbole.

[MrMichael]

When I read “pilots arm detaches” I consider his arm detached from his body, and not that the arm detached from the control as is the case here. If the poor chaps arm detached from his body and was thus left dangling from the yoke then the ending may have been very different, but that part of the headline factual, not how I read it. Agree with KarlMarx, absolute hyperbole to suggest the craft was out of control.

Many posters on here criticise the press at times with its sensational headlines and daft assumptions on aircraft and airline matters. I have been reading the BT mag for best part of twenty years, always found it an attractive read along with Time Magazine in an airport lounge. Factual, informative, well written. It was only a few months ago I looked at the online version and found this forum. I enjoy it too, wish I had found it years ago. For BT to join the fray of sensationalism is a little disappointing as I honestly thought it was better than that.

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