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Pilot's arm comes loose in landing

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Recliner

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Aug 13, 2014, 8:01:21 PM8/13/14
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28778728

I'm surprised that a one-armed pilot could lass his commercial pilot's
medical.

Graeme Wall

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Aug 14, 2014, 3:01:41 AM8/14/14
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Bader flew combat missions in Spitfires with no legs.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at <http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail>

Recliner

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Aug 14, 2014, 3:43:03 AM8/14/14
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Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> On 14/08/2014 01:01, Recliner wrote:
>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28778728
>>
>> I'm surprised that a one-armed pilot could lass his commercial pilot's
>> medical.
>>
>
> Bader flew combat missions in Spitfires with no legs.

But not with paying passengers in board.

Graeme Wall

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Aug 14, 2014, 4:05:19 AM8/14/14
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Post-war he flew a company plane.

Recliner

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Aug 14, 2014, 4:20:38 AM8/14/14
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Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> On 14/08/2014 08:43, Recliner wrote:
>> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 14/08/2014 01:01, Recliner wrote:
>>>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28778728
>>>>
>>>> I'm surprised that a one-armed pilot could lass his commercial pilot's
>>>> medical.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Bader flew combat missions in Spitfires with no legs.
>>
>> But not with paying passengers in board.
>>
>
> Post-war he flew a company plane.

Ah, I didn't know that. I'm still surprised that a commercial airline has a
one-armed captain, and that they don't even have a rehearsed drill for
dealing with situations like this one.

Graeme Wall

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Aug 14, 2014, 7:18:28 AM8/14/14
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On 14/08/2014 09:20, Recliner wrote:
> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> On 14/08/2014 08:43, Recliner wrote:
>>> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 14/08/2014 01:01, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28778728
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm surprised that a one-armed pilot could lass his commercial pilot's
>>>>> medical.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Bader flew combat missions in Spitfires with no legs.
>>>
>>> But not with paying passengers in board.
>>>
>>
>> Post-war he flew a company plane.
>
> Ah, I didn't know that.

IIRC he worked for Shell, so not exactly paying passengers in the
airline sense.

> I'm still surprised that a commercial airline has a
> one-armed captain, and that they don't even have a rehearsed drill for
> dealing with situations like this one.
>

Pilot's arm dropping off at flare out is not the first hazard that
springs to mind. Does BA have a procedure in place for when the captain
drops dead of a heart attack just after take off?[1][2]

[1] Trident at Staines.

[2] Actually they do, now.

Recliner

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Aug 14, 2014, 8:41:24 AM8/14/14
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On Thu, 14 Aug 2014 12:18:28 +0100, Graeme Wall
<ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>On 14/08/2014 09:20, Recliner wrote:
>> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 14/08/2014 08:43, Recliner wrote:
>>>> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>> On 14/08/2014 01:01, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28778728
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm surprised that a one-armed pilot could lass his commercial pilot's
>>>>>> medical.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Bader flew combat missions in Spitfires with no legs.
>>>>
>>>> But not with paying passengers in board.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Post-war he flew a company plane.
>>
>> Ah, I didn't know that.
>
>IIRC he worked for Shell, so not exactly paying passengers in the
>airline sense.

It was a Flybe Dash 8 flight from Birmingham to Belfast, so I assume
the 47 passengers were normal members of the public. Where does Shell
come into it?
>
>> I'm still surprised that a commercial airline has a
>> one-armed captain, and that they don't even have a rehearsed drill for
>> dealing with situations like this one.
>>
>
>Pilot's arm dropping off at flare out is not the first hazard that
>springs to mind. Does BA have a procedure in place for when the captain
>drops dead of a heart attack just after take off?[1][2]
>
>[1] Trident at Staines.
>
>[2] Actually they do, now.

I assume that pilot was not known to be at high risk of a heart
attack, or he'd have failed his medical. And, as you say, there are
established procedures if either pilot suffers a heart attack, etc.
But there seemed to be no procedure with Flybe when the captain's
artificial hand on the yoke came loose.

Graeme Wall

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Aug 14, 2014, 10:55:20 AM8/14/14
to
On 14/08/2014 13:41, Recliner wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Aug 2014 12:18:28 +0100, Graeme Wall
> <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> On 14/08/2014 09:20, Recliner wrote:
>>> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> On 14/08/2014 08:43, Recliner wrote:
>>>>> Graeme Wall <ra...@greywall.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>>>>> On 14/08/2014 01:01, Recliner wrote:
>>>>>>> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-28778728
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm surprised that a one-armed pilot could lass his commercial pilot's
>>>>>>> medical.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Bader flew combat missions in Spitfires with no legs.
>>>>>
>>>>> But not with paying passengers in board.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Post-war he flew a company plane.
>>>
>>> Ah, I didn't know that.
>>
>> IIRC he worked for Shell, so not exactly paying passengers in the
>> airline sense.
>
> It was a Flybe Dash 8 flight from Birmingham to Belfast, so I assume
> the 47 passengers were normal members of the public. Where does Shell
> come into it?

Douglas Bader I was talking about.

>>
>>> I'm still surprised that a commercial airline has a
>>> one-armed captain, and that they don't even have a rehearsed drill for
>>> dealing with situations like this one.
>>>
>>
>> Pilot's arm dropping off at flare out is not the first hazard that
>> springs to mind. Does BA have a procedure in place for when the captain
>> drops dead of a heart attack just after take off?[1][2]
>>
>> [1] Trident at Staines.
>>
>> [2] Actually they do, now.
>
> I assume that pilot was not known to be at high risk of a heart
> attack, or he'd have failed his medical. And, as you say, there are
> established procedures if either pilot suffers a heart attack, etc.

Problem was the rest of the flight crew didn't appear to realise what
had happened until it was too late, if at all.

> But there seemed to be no procedure with Flybe when the captain's
> artificial hand on the yoke came loose.
>

Up till now probably not with any other airline either.
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