Pilot with medical problems? Advice greatly appreciated

[Viper]

Hi,

I have epilepsy and a fair amount of short sight (which is however correctable to better than perfect). I may be getting neurosurgery with the intention of curing my epilepsy soon, I don't know yet.
Assuming this works, and assuming that I have all the other qualities they want, is there any chance whatsoever, or any route I can follow that will get me in? Same if it doesn't work, but I come off medication and it appears to be sorted after a couple of years.
I know exactly what I'm up against, but I want this job more than anything and am extremely determined. As an example, I got into an AS-level course at college with 1/3 of their entry requirements... when I failed that year, mostly due to being out of education for a few years, I convinced them to take me back again to repeat the same course...pretty unprecedented. Now I'm getting straight As.
I'll do pretty much anything to get in. There must be some sly way I can at least get a _chance_, an interview, something. Frankly the military rules on both epilepsy and eyesight are extremely discriminatory. According to the official laws, I can drive an 18-wheeler before I'm allowed to be an RAF cartographer. Noone else would get away with it.
Any advice would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

H. Wright

[rawli]

sticky's right, you will never be able to fly in the military and possibly not civil as well. sorry to have to break it to you but that's how it is.

[mercury]

I have epilepsy and a fair amount of short sight <snip> Frankly the military rules on both epilepsy and eyesight are extremely discriminatory. According to the official laws, I can drive an 18-wheeler before I'm allowed to be an RAF cartographer. Noone else would get away with it.

Sorry mate but the military aren't the only ones to get away with it

I've never heard of a HGV licence holder with epilepsy , or an airline pilot ,or any multitude of careers where you'd be in control of heavy machinary or accountable for peoples lifes

I'm sorry to hear of your medical problems and I sympathise, I wanted to be a Nav in the RAF , I couldnt even see the board with the letters on at the other wall so I had no chance. I have no idea what the forces policy is on Epilepsy and other than this post have no idea of your personal situation

Sometimes we have to set our sights a little lower than we'd like, whatever you do choose to do I wish you all the luck in the world, you are obviously a tryer

[Viper]

Thanks

Sorry about the eyesight thing, that sucks :| especially as theyre, so I hear, considering allowing laser surgery atm. What did you do instead?

I actually had another chat with the RAF careers office today, they said if the epilepsy does not recur after 4 years of surgery, I can join - but never as aircrew (I would have thought if i was suitable for one id be suitable for all but there we go...). Probably a fleetingly thought through rule as the surgery is relatively new - I was quite surprised actually, I didnt think theyd have any rules regarding the surgery in place. Oddly, they and the fleet air arm seem currently more concerned about my sight than my epilepsy.

btw mercury, you can get an HGV license if youre seizure free for 10 years, people prolly just dont bother after that time. after a couple of years i can drive, be a paramedic, police officer, fireman, MI5 operative, and virtually anything else...
Dunno about commercial piloting, sounds boring anyway so I dont care ... although a guy in a wheelchair is trying (successfully i think?) to become a BA pilot, which i would see as far more risky than someone flying a one seat jet with a cured medical condition.

The thing is, if you're currently suffering or have recently suffered from epilepsy - where it is not fully known whether it has been cured, then I agree 100%, its a no. But the rules state that anyone who has had a single seizure after the age of 5 is barred for life (some sort of exception made for surgery obviously), which is unjust in the extreme. Speaking theoretically, if my epilepsy has indeed been cured (4 years after the affected area has been removed and it immediately stops is a pretty solid indicator) and I can do other things that make other peoples lives depend on me even more (drive on the motorway, for example), I dont see why I shouldnt be able to pilot singleseat aircraft.
And with the facts that I am so determined that I havent once given up hope in 5 years, I got genuinely called a natural by my pilot in my first bulldog flight in cadets, I have an IQ of 140 and, for example, I keep a cool nerve when other people run around screaming - which is one of their key requested qualities, I think I should be considered on my merits and my overall abilities, not automatically ruled out because I once had a medical condition. As with anyone else.
Its draconian. A bit like blanket disallowing women in the military without considering other factors - there are no real grounds for it.

[mercury]

Well I became an electronics Air Defence techy type

Trying for aircrew was just that , me trying to aim high

Dont really fancy lasic surgery myself too risky

[podder]

hey, not sure if this is much help but my brother applied for pilot and he had eye problems and the raf told him no straight away. they also said that if you had corrective eye surgery they automatically say no. not sure if thats true or not? sorry if it aint much help

[tn201]

I'm in a similar position mate, my eyesight is slightly outside standard but it is correctable to 3 levels above 20/20 with contacts. I asked the RAF about laser eye surgery and entry standards and they said that they are currently not accepting anyone for aircrew who has had eye surgery. This is because the long term effects of this surgery are unproven. It is i believe acceptable for some ground branches provided that it has been something like 12 months with a clear bill of health post surgery. Some people who have had it done are fine for 2 years then their sight deteriorates again and they need correction. See it from the RAF point of view; if they took people who had had it done, trained them up for god knows what cost and then their sight went ti*s up again, its a risk that they will avoid if possible, so they do.
It's unfortunate to have conditions that bar you from entry but political correctness has its limits when it comes to warfare so the forces have to have certain standards that exclude some unlucky people from service.

Tim.

[Viper]

:|

Well, thanks all. Appreciate it. Hope you were happy with what you did in the end mercury.

[Slider]

And with the facts that I am so determined that I havent once given up hope in 5 years, I got genuinely called a natural by my pilot in my first bulldog flight in cadets, I have an IQ of 140 and, for example, I keep a cool nerve when other people run around screaming - which is one of their key requested qualities, I think I should be considered on my merits and my overall abilities, not automatically ruled out because I once had a medical condition.

Unfortunately, the RAF is far from short of pilot recruits; therefore while it could be argued that they should look at you on merit, the hard facts are that they have 10 candidates just as good as you without any adverse medical issues. You may have been able to handle a Bulldog alright in your first AEF trip, but how would you fare leading a pair on a SAP on 19(F) Sqn? Very presumptious.

Glad you're still keen and hope you'll consider a ground branch, but the rules won't change until we start finding that no-one's applying.

[Biggles1211]

Slider is correct. There are so many applicants for the limited number of aircrew positions, that the RAF can afford to be very choosy. So choosy in fact, that they only consider you if you are virtually medically perfect.

Along with 99.9% of the population, you will have to face the fact that you will not become a pilot in the RAF. It's time to grit your teeth and see what other branches appeal to you (like many, many people - inlcuding me - have had to do).

[Viper]

Yeah :|
It's just, when it's the only damn thing in the world you can envisage doing with your life, it's very hard to accept. I think I'm getting there now...
Might become a paramedic or something.

Thanks