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A former RAF pilot has been sacked for allowing Premiership leather worrier Robbie Savage "near the controls" of his aircraft in breach of anti-terrorism rules, the BBC reports.

Pablo Mason, who flew 23 bombing missions over Iraq during Gulf War I, was flying a private Mytravel charter from Finland last October when he ill-advisedly let the Blackburn Rovers midfielder enter the flight deck "in an effort to ease his fear of flying".

Mason admitted: "Yes I broke a rule. I did interpret the rule wasn't quite as strict for a private charter, which this was. Everyone on board knew each other."

He continued: "I think above all his [Savage's] anxiety about flying has been relaxed in some way. He knows a little more about how and why a modern airline gets into the sky and I think he sees the captain as being someone to trust and place his trust in."

Savage and Blackburn Rovers sent Mytravel a letter "explaining our version of events", but Mason was given his marching orders. A Mytravel spokesman said: "We have a zero tolerance policy towards any actions which could endanger the safety of our passengers and employees." ®

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Latest Comments

@ Blackley (and Why is society losing it?)

When I was a kid in the 80's, like other people I was allowed up front into the cockpit of an international jetliner. Can someone tell me exactly how many airplanes have been hijacked and crashed because the flight crew voluntarily asked someone onto the flight deck? Under 10? Under 5? Under 1???

Society is the loser as we pointlessly suck all of the joy out of the world.

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Oh for the good old days ...

... when one simply had to give one's business card to an air hostess (oops - member of cabin crew) and ask politely if she would ask the pilot if one could visit the cockpit. I have sat in a jump seat during cruise and for several landings in B747, B737, A300, A320, A330, and others. As I am a researcher into flight control systems, these experiences have been priceless.

The good old days are no more, alas. (As someone said, the terrorists have won.)

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@Mark

Robbie Savage is more of a star than you're likely to be. Getting to play at Premiership level is a fairly exclusive club.

(I'm already internationally famous, so I have nothing to prove)

:-)

But he's a footballer and as such a complete and utter waste of time and part of a huge plan to ruin any decent sportsmanship in the world and also a reason there's bugger all to watch on TV on a weekend!

Sad that the Rugby World Cup is nearly over :(

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