By Mrs G, pilot's sister. 25.10.05

I have been most concerned to witness my brother's obvious distress over the past 14 months and can testify that he was experiencing stress before the incident in 2004. From 2004 I was well aware of the increasing and regular upsets with his roster.

My brother  is a reliable person with a strong sense of fairness. He is a conscientious employee and devoted family man.

Frequent changes made to his roster at short notice have blurred the boundaries between these two separate areas of his life and undermined these defining qualities in his character.

Sometimes he has been unable to respond to an invitation until a few days before an event because of the late roster publication date; other times he might suggest our meeting at another location because he is expecting to fly there for the company and would have a few hours rest period in which we could meet.

However he would just as often phone within the next few hours to announce a last minute change and cancellation.

It is only when he takes an official day off that he can be sure of attending any family event. This has become an increasing source of frustration to him as he appears so unreliable through no fault of his own.

My brother has also become increasingly worried about the compromise of safety issues as he perceives the high standards he has adhered to throughout his thirty year flying career being eroded by low cost flying procedures.

As an experienced pilot he has been over-ruled again and again by his bosses.

These two aspects: chaotic changes to roster and loss of responsibility as Captain have been detrimental to his mental state.

I have always identified my brother  as being straightforward, cheerful, optimistic and enthusiastic with a keen sense of justice.

Over the past eighteen months I have noticed changes in his character which I would identify as stress related. He has become increasingly absorbed with his own problems, demonstrating short temper and intolerance. He has been depressed.

One day in  2004 we had a family gathering at my home. My brother looked exhausted and was impatient. He was over-critical about issues that were not his concern. I made reference in my journal that he was "rubbing me up the wrong way."

When analysing stress "It is essential that any obvious cause for the stress reaction should be removed. Also, obvious obstructions to natural recovery should be rapidly recognised and steps taken to overcome them." (Prof. G. TTTTTTT)

Neither the cause nor the obstructions have been removed in my brother's case and the issues which concern his career have been allowed to drag on for many an anxious month.

"It is tragic to me to witness a vocational pilot being mismanaged"