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  "path": "/news/royal-navy-pilot-sues-mod-blames-gatekeeping-male-instructor",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-28T07:02:19.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "William shines a light on women serving in Armed Forces with special outing",
    "British soldier steps in to resuscitate diner after he choked on mouthful of chicken and collapsed",
    "GB News viewers hailed for backing veterans' charity as Charlie Peters joins Great Tommy Sleep Out",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA female Royal Navy pilot who failed training has sued the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for sex discrimination after failing her exam, blaming her \"gatekeeping\" male instructor.\n\nHannah McCann told an employment tribunal in Bristol that her military career was ruined without the ability to get her wings.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Royal Navy pilot hopeful failed her Final Aptitude Test and could not continue on with her pilot hopes.\n\nShe claimed poor training from her male trainer amounted to sex discrimination and sex harassment.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\nShe laid blame on the Royal Navy-contracted trained, saying he failed to provide her with a proper education, the tribunal heard.\n\nMiss McCann said this resulted in a \"knowledge gap\", comparing it to a driving instructor \"failing to instruct a learner on the use of indicators\".\n\nThe case was, however, thrown out before it could make it to a full tribunal.\n\nThis is because the MoD could not be found \"vicariously liable\" for the trainer's alleged actions because he was only a contractor, and not directly employed by the Navy, the employment tribunal found.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe trainer was contracted through Babcock International Group, the Mod said.\n\nReferred to only as Mr Pearson, the tribunal heard how he gave Miss McCann an initial stage of flight training between February and May 2023.\n\nHe instructed her on flying light aircraft to \"standards set by the [MoD]\".\n\nMiss McCann was training at the Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) in Yeovilton, Somerset, the tribunal heard.\n\n### LATEST ARMY NEWS\n\n\n\n\n  * William shines a light on women serving in Armed Forces with special outing\n  * British soldier steps in to resuscitate diner after he choked on mouthful of chicken and collapsed\n  * GB News viewers hailed for backing veterans' charity as Charlie Peters joins Great Tommy Sleep Out\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nOn May 4 2023 she failed her Final Aptitude Test, conducted by Royal Navy commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Clinton.\n\nAs she was unable to progress in her training, she left service with the Royal Navy.\n\nThe final decision to select, grade, or withdraw trainee pilots fell to the MoD, and not her trainer, the tribunal heard.\n\nAn MoD employee told the tribunal that reports filed by her trainer were \"exactly what would be expected of an instructor\".\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe tribunal heard Miss McCann describe Mr Pearson's role as a gatekeeper.\n\nShe said he: \"exercised a 'gatekeeping' function in the decision as to whether or not she would pass her training.\"\n\nA representative for Miss McCann told the tribunal: \"Were it not for his acts of direct discrimination and harassment, she would still be serving in the Royal Navy, but his 'gatekeeping' role prevented her from doing so.\n\n\"The consequences of Mr Pearson's actions were devastating for [Miss McCann], both in terms of her planned military career and her emotional wellbeing.\"\n\nWhile the case was struck, Employment Judge Colm Henry O'Rourke said Ms McCann was correct that the MoD could \"evade\" discrimination claims by using contractors rather than service instructors.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Female Royal Navy pilot who failed training sues MoD for sex discrimination and blames ‘gatekeeping’ male instructor"
}