Flying and Sports

shooter13

New Member
Doug,
Does the airline tell you not to participate in activites off duty that could result in an injury to you? The reason I ask is that last week I got hurt playing hockey. Nothing serious but it put me out of commission for a few days. I am in the navy and the higher ups weren't exactly thrilled I played a high contact sport(yeah right) off duty. If you were to be injured, can you call in sick? What happens if you break a leg or something that takes a while to heal like that?

Just curious.
 
I didn't find anything specific about sports, but here is an excerpt from the Flight Operations Manual:

Crew members will keep physically and psychologically fit for duty. This includes obtaining adequate rest prior to duty and avoiding misconduct/neglect that would render one unfit for duty.

Crew members will not report for duty when in ill health, under serious mental stress, or when a known medical condition exists that would make them unable to meet the requirements of their current medical certificate


I think it used to talk about extreme sports and dangerous activities, but I couldn't find the reference.
 
I dont know about airlines, but where I work, in the policy book, it is made clear that our employment can and very likely will be terminated if we are unable to fly for 30 consecutive days due to illness or injury. So basically, if I break my leg or something, I'm doubly screwed- I have no ins./benefits, and would lose my job. Lovely, huh?
crazy.gif
 
Wow, that's pretty rough. I know one of my pals who had a sinus infection that grew into an inner ear infection and he spent 4 months on the 'disabled list' at the airline.

The scary part is that if you go under treatment for cancer, not only do you probably lose your job, probably your health insurance too. Double whammy!

Who do you work for?
 
I work for a Part 61 flight school (I'll keep it anonymous, if you really want the name, PM me). The owner is notorious for treating his employees like crap. This is just one of many examples. The policy actually reads like this:

When an employee has been off of work for 30 days due to illness or injury, [name of company] has the option to replace this employee...

...This policy is necessary because of the hardship long absences cause [name of company].


Yeah, nevermind the hardship of being ill/injured, having a low paying job as it is, no benefits, and no health insurance. Its really quite rediculous. (Its also the reason why I'm taking a hiatus from skydiving, lol)
 
The only thing our FOM says is that SCUBA diving below 10 feet requires a 24 hour waiting period before flying.

If your companies offer disability insurance, I'd highly recommend getting it, especially if you can get it with a "own occupation" clause. That way, if you are disabled from your own occupation (pilot) they have to pay benefits (i.e. they can't insist that you are well enough to be an instructor or dispatcher or something).
 
I have read and talked to many AF pilots who have seen or broken a leg, ankle, etc. playing crud during pilot training. Upper brass knows this is going on yet they don't say anything threatening to stop it.
At my current job its not like I get any benefits or anything anyway, so if I break my neck I'll just be out some students and I'll have to work my way back up again.
 
Heya Doug,


Correct me if I'm wrong, but an airline can't fire you because you go under treatment for a condition that invalidates your medical can they? That sounds like wrongful termination, and I know a guy that had an issue with getting some glass in his eye while on duty (he was a 757 driver) and when he couldn't get his 1st class back he was terminiated and the union sued on behalf of him.

Cheers


John Herreshoff
 
Ok I'll correct you.

One of the requirements as a certificate pilot in most employee handbooks is to maintain a current and appropriate medical certificate.

I've never known an airline to fire a pilot just for this. They usually find you a place somewhere in a non flying position. However, I know a couple of airlines that have gotten rid of troublemakers this way.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Correct me if I'm wrong, but an airline can't fire you because you go under treatment for a condition that invalidates your medical can they? That sounds like wrongful termination, and I know a guy that had an issue with getting some glass in his eye while on duty (he was a 757 driver) and when he couldn't get his 1st class back he was terminiated and the union sued on behalf of him.


[/ QUOTE ]

That's weird.

One of my good friends is out on long term medical leave because a sinus problem turned into a vertigo-like condition. He's been out for about 9 months and the company is working with him.

That's just a rotten company that your pal works for.
 
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