Former pilot for Goodman jet takes unfair dismissal case

A PILOT formerly employed by Larry Goodman to fly his private jet has taken an unfair dismissal case against the beef baron.

Ronan Murtagh, son of Kingspan chief Eugene Murtagh, told an Employment Appeals Tribunal yesterday his employment came to an end after he refused to fly alongside another pilot, referred to as PQ, about whom he had safety concerns.

The tribunal heard from Mr Murtagh that he realised he had been dismissed because he was “getting no more calls” from Mr Goodman. He had previously been on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as a personal pilot to the business magnate.

On April 14th, 2009, Mr Murtagh wrote to Mr Goodman to inform him of professional concerns he had about PQ, who was hired by the businessman earlier that year. Mr Murtagh referred to one particular flight during which the aircraft’s speed “was getting very low” and he told PQ it needed to be increased by about 20 knots. Instead PQ decreased the speed by 20 knots, with the result that the aircraft was then travelling 40 knots too slowly.

“There was strong turbulence and he didn’t do what I said,” Mr Murtagh added. He said his subsequent refusal to fly alongside PQ was not based on personal animosity.

After making this complaint, Mr Murtagh was interviewed by Capt John Batty, former chief executive of the UK’s Business Aircraft Users Association, as part of an investigation into the issue he had raised.

The tribunal heard Mr Murtagh then had a meeting with Mr Goodman at which they discussed his concerns about flying with PQ. “We finished saying we’d find out how we could resolve the issue,” he said. He said there was no mention of him being fired or leaving his position.

He also said Mr Goodman had raised a complaint with him (which he believed had come via PQ) about an incident during which he briefly allowed the businessman’s sister to sit in a pilot’s seat in the cockpit during a transatlantic flight. There was no danger in allowing her to do so, he said, as the plane was “straight and level” at the time. No complaint had been made when he allowed Mr Goodman’s son to do the same on previous flights.

The tribunal committee also heard that in 2008 Mr Goodman sold his Citation X jet to a Russian. Mr Murtagh delivered the jet to its new owner in Moscow who requested that he continue flying it for him. Mr Murtagh said he proposed a new roster regime to Mr Goodman which would allow him to fly for him as well as the jet’s new Russian owner. However, according to Mr Murtagh, he did not intend to leave Mr Goodman’s employ.

Ercus Stewart, counsel for Mr Goodman, has yet to cross-examine Mr Murtagh, and Mr Goodman been not yet appeared in the witness box. The hearing continues on Friday.