A 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.
Hannah McCann told an employment tribunal in Bristol that her military career was ruined without the ability to get her wings.
The Royal Navy pilot hopeful failed her Final Aptitude Test and could not continue on with her pilot hopes.
She claimed poor training from her male trainer amounted to sex discrimination and sex harassment.
She laid blame on the Royal Navy-contracted trained, saying he failed to provide her with a proper education, the tribunal heard.
Miss McCann said this resulted in a "knowledge gap", comparing it to a driving instructor "failing to instruct a learner on the use of indicators".
The case was, however, thrown out before it could make it to a full tribunal.
This 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.
Hannah McCann said her dream of being a Royal Navy pilot was because of sex discrimation and sex harassment
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The trainer was contracted through Babcock International Group, the Mod said.
Referred to only as Mr Pearson, the tribunal heard how he gave Miss McCann an initial stage of flight training between February and May 2023.
He instructed her on flying light aircraft to "standards set by the [MoD]".
Miss McCann was training at the Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) in Yeovilton, Somerset, the tribunal heard.
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An aerial view of RNAS Yeovilton, where Hannah McCann was training | MINISTRY OF DEFENCEOn May 4 2023 she failed her Final Aptitude Test, conducted by Royal Navy commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Clinton.
As she was unable to progress in her training, she left service with the Royal Navy.
The final decision to select, grade, or withdraw trainee pilots fell to the MoD, and not her trainer, the tribunal heard.
An MoD employee told the tribunal that reports filed by her trainer were "exactly what would be expected of an instructor".
The case was thrown out before going to full employment tribunal, as the MoD was ultimately responsible for decisions and not her trainer, who was a contractor
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The tribunal heard Miss McCann describe Mr Pearson's role as a gatekeeper.
She said he: "exercised a 'gatekeeping' function in the decision as to whether or not she would pass her training."
A 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.
"The consequences of Mr Pearson's actions were devastating for [Miss McCann], both in terms of her planned military career and her emotional wellbeing."
While 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.