Pilots spend their careers guiding aircraft between destinations. Sometimes life forces an unexpected journey that no one can plan for.
For Barry Coutts, a London-based pilot for a major UK airline, that journey began earlier this year when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
Instead of stepping away quietly, Barry chose to document his experience publicly through his Instagram page, Between Runways. The account shares the reality of living with the condition while raising awareness about the symptoms that many people overlook.
We spoke to Barry about his path into aviation, the challenges he has faced, and why telling his story matters.
Where did your aviation journey begin?
My love for aviation started the very first time I stepped onto an aircraft. I was about 13 when my brother and I flew from Aberdeen to London to visit family. Something about that experience sparked a real curiosity about flying.
A couple of years later, I travelled to the United States for the first time. The combination of a long-haul flight and arriving in a completely different country only strengthened that desire to travel and explore the world.
You’ve been flying for some time now. What are some of your most memorable flights?
Some of my favourite flights have been the ones where I’ve been able to share the experience with family.
I’ve taken my daughters to Los Angeles, where we have relatives, a couple of times now, and it’s been incredibly special. I’ve also flown with my twin brother to Japan and New York.
My wife of almost 7 years, my mum, my sister and even my granny have all flown on one of my aircraft at some point, usually on domestic flights. Moments like that are something I’ll always treasure.
My wife and I met 12 years ago, over a Bologna night stop that was very close to being cancelled due to a delayed, bad-weather trip. She is also crew, and we’ve done multiple trips together with work, Sydney three times, Nairobi, and Chicago.
We went through an IVF journey together to have our first child, Myla, and then our natural miracle, Adalyn, came along during COVID. We’ve really not had an easy 12 years, and also had the sudden loss of Kerrie’s dad to battle through 10 years ago this year, too. Now here she is at my side, unconditionally, as we deal with whatever this diagnosis is going to throw up.
How has your aviation career shaped your outlook on life?
In many ways, my whole life has been shaped by my desire for this career.
I came from a very unprivileged background, and becoming a pilot wasn’t something people in my circumstances typically considered — especially growing up in remote north-east Scotland.
Because of that, failure wasn’t an option, financially or otherwise. The journey gave me a strong drive to succeed, but more importantly, it taught me humility and respect — qualities that I think are essential in aviation.
What challenges did you face on your path to becoming a pilot?
There were plenty of challenges along the way.
I completed a full-time integrated training course for my licence, and I was the only student who didn’t initially pass the entry requirements. I had to reapply and eventually secured a place six months later.
That experience stayed with me and gave me an extra motivation to work hard and prove myself.
More recently, I had been scheduled to begin my command course later this year on the Boeing 777, but unfortunately, my diagnosis has brought those plans to a halt.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the aviation community?
There are countless things I love about this career.
The people are a huge part of it — those middle-of-the-night galley chats with colleagues are something quite unique to aviation. Of course, I also love the aircraft themselves.
But perhaps the greatest privilege is being able to travel to so many places around the world.
That said, I could happily do without the time changes and night flights!
When did you first start noticing symptoms?
The first symptoms appeared towards the end of 2025. Initially, it was just numbness in my hand, but within a few weeks, that numbness had spread down one side of my body.
I also started experiencing short-term memory loss and a lot of fatigue. At first, I assumed it was simply the result of a particularly busy flying schedule over Christmas.
Everything changed on January 9 when I experienced a seizure. That’s when the pieces finally started to come together.
Within a couple of weeks, I had a brain scan, and shortly after that, I was called back to the hospital urgently because the results painted a very serious picture.
What was your reaction when you received the diagnosis?
It’s still very difficult to process, and I’m not sure I fully have yet.
At the moment, I’m simply taking each day as it comes and trying not to think too far ahead.
What motivated you to begin sharing your story?
There were two main reasons.
Firstly, if I’m honest, sharing the journey has given me a sense of purpose. I’ve found it incredibly meaningful to read other people’s stories and hear from families going through similar experiences. It’s humbling and eye-opening to see just how common these situations are.
Secondly, I want to highlight the subtle signs and symptoms that people might otherwise overlook. Through the page, I’m sharing a very real, raw account of what this experience is like.
I’m not hiding the difficult days or the unpleasant details — because those are often the parts of the story people don’t see.
How has the response from the aviation community been?
The response has been overwhelming.
I’ve received so many messages, shared experiences and words of support — particularly from people within the aviation community.
It has reminded me just how strong that sense of community really is. It truly does feel like a family.
What message do you hope people take away from your journey?
I think people often believe that serious illness happens to someone else — that it’s something distant or unlikely to affect them.
But the reality is that it can happen to anyone, at any time.
If there’s one thing I hope people take away from my story, it’s the importance of recognising symptoms early and appreciating how fragile life can be.
“It doesn’t happen to you, until it does!”
Barry’s story is still unfolding, and like any journey, it comes with uncertainty. But Barry continues to share his story openly through Between Runways.
We often describe the aviation industry as one big family, “Same sh*t, different uniform.” Like most families, it can be chaotic, imperfect, and occasionally dysfunctional. But when one of our own needs support, that sense of community becomes unmistakably real.
You can find Barry’s Instagram account here – between_runways
© Confessions of a Trolley Dolly