Hope for Challenged Airline Pilots: An Untold Success Story

Captain Ward Buckingham was saddled with the potentially devastating disease of alcoholism at a time when the disease was misunderstood and often ridiculed. In an industry whose attitude was typically to deny that a problem existed or to summarily fire the affected pilot, he was able to confront and control his illness. He was also a groundbreaking leader in helping the airlines 1) acknowledge and address this disease among their pilots, 2) support rather than ignore or humiliate or fire those who fell victim to it, 3) establish one of the most effective assessment and treatment programs in any major industry today. Imagine yourself a passenger on Pan Am's London to Los Angeles Boeing 747 in the early 1970's with actress Elizabeth Taylor seated on the captain's lap steering that one-million pound bird as it jockeyed for position at its assigned arrival gate in L.A. Or better yet, how about being a passenger on Pan Am's Boeing 707 leaving Seattle with the captain so drunk he had to be helped up the stairway by two fellow crew members and strapped in the cockpit's jump seat well removed from aircraft controls! But as far as passengers and airline management and FAA regulators knew, the captain remained in command of that flight on paper and over the PA system so that the 'secret' reality of his impaired state never left that cockpit and crew. Yep, both tales are absolutely true, and they illustrate a time in aviation history I label the 'dark ages' which others choose to call the 'golden age' of flight. My father was that captain in each case.No full-length book exists which tells what you are about to read. Let me be clear: this book is not intended to disparage the character of pilots, the competence of government regulators, or the courage of airline management. After all, who can fairly criticize those who are ignorant of a reality and hence impotent to effect change in that reality. Denial of reality is a different matter. Knowing reality, but denying its existence, is fair game for lodging criticism. This book will expose how pilots, regulators and airline management dealt with impaired airmen prior to the 1970's. In fact, it was a core of pilots who persevered in the 1970's to effect needed change in how alcohol dependency was viewed and dealt with. My father's life will be used throughout.Alcohol dependency is so common in our society that virtually every adult reader knows of someone in their sphere of influence with the disease, alcoholism. Some of you know of pilots who are still flying while in bondage consequent to current alcoholism. Please do not ignore your opportunity to bring deliverance to that friend, co-worker or loved one by being the loving enabler that my dear mother was to my father for so many years. The diseased one will only be farther down the dead-end road of terminal alcoholism allowed by your inaction. I hope to be a catalyst for readers' activism in moving present practicing closet alcoholic airmen to treatment and rehabilitation. Why? Because human nature still leads some to deny and/or hide their alcohol dependency. The HIMS program manager of one large airline has told me the following: "Many of our pilots are doing well in their recovery. Unfortunately, there are many many more that would benefit from this program but are not ready to do so."You will find some relevant contact information in my chapter nine and appendix I with names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and websites which can help you help those pilots in need of help. Someone has said that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing. Think about that and do your part for the good of humanity around you. When it comes to confronting the alcoholic mired in denial, you do well to enlist the helping guidance of recovered alcoholics. Nobody knows the practicing alcoholic's con game like one who has been there and is now solidly recovered and rehabilitated.