Medevac pilot fired for being "too safe"

MikeD

MikeD

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Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

Here's one of the problems I have with some of the med flight aircraft and crews I've come across in my time. Bold area is the area I've had a problem with.....personnel that while they're flight crew (medics/ flight nurses, etc), they AREN'T stick actuators, and have ZERO say over PIC authority, regards anything that has to do with ultimate safety of flight. Period. Too many of them think that just because they tend to the patient in back, that they somehow have some say over what goes on up front; not realizing that they're just along for the ride. They shall take care of the patient cabin and patient, and the pilot(s) shall take care of the cockpit, and never shall the two meet. The pilot doesn't tell the nurse what to do with the patient, the flight nurse should never tell the pilot what to do with his aircraft.

CJ Systems, the complaint stated, violated those public policies when it discharged Wright "for flying his aircraft 'too safe'"; refusing to take unreasonable flight risks; and refusing to fly in weather that would have put himself, the crew, medical personnel and medically ill patients in jeopardy.

"Moreover, CJ Systems allowed personnel at the Wyoming Medical Center, none of which have any flight training or experience, to influence flight decisions and as a result, to influence and cause the termination of plaintiff," according to the complaint.

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2004/05/30/news/casper/254d1008c9d0382787256ea30082b06f.txt
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

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Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

Brownie points for him when he goes up for his next job and tells that story to the interviewer.
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Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

Reeeeeediculous.

A friend of mine flies corporate, and his CEO has told him, if you don't think it's safe to fly, don't. And if anyone gives you a hard time about it, have them talk to me.
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

I would like to see a pole of how many pilots were fired for not taking flights because of weather or mechanical reasons. I have been fired for not taking tractor- trailers on the road after I deemed them unsafe. The thinking is that if I take the truck and an accident happens because of the known defeciency, I am negligent. If I don't take the truck, I get fired.

Maryland is a employment at will state, I can leave or be terminated without just cause. The opposite is a right to work state, an employer needs just cause to terminate you. I don't know the rules governing his state, but a wrongful termination suit has been brought against the company. Forcing a person to do something they deem unsafe is wrong, but the company knows that if you don't, someone else will.

This pilot should move to Maryland and work for the Maryland State Police. The MSP gives the pilot the final say as to wether or not to fly for any reason. I hope the company settles with the pilot and the industry takes a lesson from the pilot. If he took the flight and crashed, he would be ripped apart by the NTSB, FAA, his company, and everyone else.

It is a Catch 22, damned if you do, damned if you don't.
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

While I don't doubt what you say, MikeD, about medical flight aircraft and crew, take what you read about this particular lawsuit with a grain of salt. I've been litigating employment-related lawsuits for about five years, and I've found that the allegations in a court complaint generally bear little resemblance to what actually happened. What happens is that the Plaintiff, who is trying to convince a lawyer to take his case, gives his lawyer a significantly embellished version of his grievances to make it sound like as good a case as possible. Then, when the lawyer goes to draft the written complaint, he takes the (already embellished) story his client gave him and embellishes it further to make for good copy (i.e. to shock the reader and scare the bejeezus out of the Defendant). The result is a story which rarely holds up under examination. In fact, the story plaintiffs end up telling under oath in their deposition or at court generally is much more benign than what appears in the written complaint.

Just my $0.02

MF
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

[ QUOTE ]
While I don't doubt what you say, MikeD, about medical flight aircraft and crew, take what you read about this particular lawsuit with a grain of salt. I've been litigating employment-related lawsuits for about five years, and I've found that the allegations in a court complaint generally bear little resemblance to what actually happened. What happens is that the Plaintiff, who is trying to convince a lawyer to take his case, gives his lawyer a significantly embellished version of his grievances to make it sound like as good a case as possible. Then, when the lawyer goes to draft the written complaint, he takes the (already embellished) story his client gave him and embellishes it further to make for good copy (i.e. to shock the reader and scare the bejeezus out of the Defendant). The result is a story which rarely holds up under examination. In fact, the story plaintiffs end up telling under oath in their deposition or at court generally is much more benign than what appears in the written complaint.

Just my $0.02

MF

[/ QUOTE ]

Of course I'm going by what the article says in this particular case, but I have seen situations like this one in the medevac field, where flight nurses think they have some say over the stick actuator. While the details need to come forth in this particular case, it's not an unheard situation to occur in this field.

We'll just have to see what pans out.
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

[ QUOTE ]
"Moreover, CJ Systems allowed personnel at the Wyoming Medical Center, none of which have any flight training or experience, to influence flight decisions and as a result, to influence and cause the termination of plaintiff," according to the complaint.[/b]/quote]

This is probably one of the more common situations you will find in your aviation career. It's called "pilot pushing" and was the main reason that airline pilots felt the need for a union. Not pay and benefits, but just keeping your job if you make a decision that pisses off the management.

It's one of those things you have to decide early on. Will you put your job on the line to make a PIC decision? If you won't you are, by definition, unsafe.
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Dave
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

[ QUOTE ]
They shall take care of the patient cabin and patient, and the pilot(s) shall take care of the cockpit, and never shall the two meet. The pilot doesn't tell the nurse what to do with the patient, the flight nurse should never tell the pilot what to do with his aircraft.


[/ QUOTE ]

Tru dat!!
 
Re: Medevac pilot fired for being \"too safe\"

I have a sneaking suspicion that there is a lot more to why he was let go, and that the newspaper and his lawyer have blown this out of proportion.
 
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