AirTran pilot arrested?

[CatYaaak]

There has never been a commercial airline fatality in the contiguous 48 states attributed to a pilot under the influence of alcohol. NEVER. This is society and media sensationalism. Fatigue is the biggest killer. Educate your fellow passengers about this factoid should they ever give you grief about pilots and drinking. I don't advocate drinking and flying, but I like for people to get real to the facts instead of a bunch of hyped up myths.

I think any sensational aspect from an incident like this comes from the fact that society at large understands that the vast majority of airline pilots DON'T drink and fly, otherwise nobody would board an airplane.

Perhaps the only hyped-up myth that these events tarnish is the one where every airline pilot is a paragon of professionalism and virtue? And although fatigue certainly kills and factors into some accidents, I'd like to see your evidence that it's the biggest.

 

[TexaSWA]

Its true. I read it from a credible source. Cant remember where and am not willing to look. It does not take into consideration GA type flying. I never crop dust without 5th of whiskey next to my seat.

 

[mesaba2425]

When will these idiots learn??????

 

[Joe Jet Pilot]

This Just In

I just saw this on Yahoo news (From the AP):

"A breath test found that pilot Oliver Paul Reason Jr. had a blood alcohol level of 0.09 when he was arrested Wednesday, according to a police report. The legal limit for driving in Nevada is 0.08, and federal regulations prohibit flying at 0.04 percent or higher."

If you want to read the whole story the link is http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050116/ap_on_re_us/intoxicated_pilot_3

 

[Loogie]

Thanks for posting that...as I stated in my previous post, the odds were slim that the media had it right the first time. I'm glad things were conducted properly. He's done - and should be.

 

[DetoXJ]

.09 the morning after? **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**! Must have been one hell of a Vegas layover. You gotta feel for this guys family. I wouldn't wish this trouble on anyone. What a shame better judgment wasn't used and a sick call wasn't made. We all make mistakes, but this one just shouldn't happen. On occasion, things can get out of hand on a layover and if you aren't up for the job the next day for gods sake call in sick. It's hard for me to feel pitty for this guy but my thoughts are certainally with his family. What a shame.

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

.09 the morning after?

How about .182? That one actually happened last year. Amazing. That's almost drunk enough to do a fat chick (or a UAL F/A).

 

[Sy-bill]

AirTran Airways fires pilot charged with intoxication in Vegas

Associated Press


LAS VEGAS - AirTran Airways has fired a pilot who was arrested and charged with operating an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol.

A breath test found that pilot Oliver Paul Reason Jr. had a blood alcohol level of 0.091 when he was arrested Wednesday, according to a police report. The legal limit for driving in Nevada is 0.08, and federal regulations prohibit flying at 0.04 percent or higher.

After being released from the Clark County Detention Center on Thursday, Reason, 37, was flown to Atlanta, where company officials fired him for violating a policy against flying with a blood-alcohol level higher than 0.04 percent, said Tad Hutcheson, an airline spokesman.

"He won't be flying for AirTran Airways," Hutcheson said.

Reason did not return a message left at his home in Newnan, Ga., near Atlanta. The National Pilots Association, which represents AirTran pilots, would not comment on the case.

Reason could lose his pilot license if a Federal Aviation Administration investigation finds he violated regulations. Besides the blood-alcohol limit, federal rules also prohibit pilots from drinking alcohol less than eight hours before a flight.

Reason told officers he had not had a drink in about 10 hours, according to the arrest report.

Las Vegas police were called late Wednesday after a security checkpoint screener smelled alcohol on Reason's breath.

The pilot was checking in with the screener because Reason was part of a program allowing certain pilots to carry guns in the cockpit.


The officers escorted Reason from the plane. Police said Reason's breath smelled of alcohol, but the pilot was coherent and cooperative and did not appear impaired, according to the arrest report.

 

[Freddie Spencer]

I think we all should thank LAS TSA, and LAS PD for getting this moron off the airplane, since the FO was such a pssy and didn't do it himself, like calling in sick himself, or giving the CP a call ( bet he is fairly junior and still on probation).

 

[Ty Webb]

That's a BIG assumption, that the FO was even on the airplane at that time. As someone else pointed out, crews don't always travel together, and as far as we know, the FO may not have had any contact with him at that point. Hell, for all you know, he was over at the Quizno's getting some chow when the thing went down.

Gotta love all these idiots who assume they know all the details, want to blame an FO they never met, and kick a guy who is down, all at the same time.

What's the matter, Freddie? Wife ran off with an Airtran pilot? Give it a break, ya freak.

 

[Bdfg1]

Originally Posted by Ty Webb
I'll give you about 30 minutes to delete this crap, or I will ask Mark (Webmaster) to ban your IP address from the site.

If you can't make your point with words, maybe you should stay off of the message boards.

What are you, about 20? Still living with your parents?

My twelve year old would probably be amused by your sense of humor, but I think it's pretty pathetic.

If you want to be banned from here for life, you've pretty much found the way to do it . . . . 20 minutes and counting.

Over and out.

 

[Ty Webb]

Bdfg1, Cy-Bill, Cry Webb&

Whatever else you want to call yourself-

You've got three screen names here- you've got to be kidding me.

You must be a real lamer. . . . the triple hat-trick of dweebdom.

Congratulations .

 

[slowto250]

One of the THE toughest decisions an F/O will ever face in a career fraught with obstacles. For those of you who think that that it is black and white, please don't demonstrate your ignorance by responding.

Ok, you're the self righteous, gung ho type. Next time you SUSPECT the skipper might be under the influence, call the CP, and have him breathalyzed. Hmmm....he only blew a .03 ? Enjoy your trip assignment with the next 50 captains you fly with, and good luck at the next base picnic.

Calling in sick doesn't solve the problem. You haven't removed the threat to the travelling public, nor the crewmember who replaces you. I 'll demonstrate to you how insidious and precarious this situation is. Would anyone care to relate to us how they had a ranking crewmember removed from the flight deck of a scheduled 121 carrier, for suspicion of intoxication ?

The only way one could find themselves in a more compromising position, would be if they were (as someone earlier proposed ) on probation. Talk about no way out !

Can and will, happen to almost everyone, if your career is long enough. Just glad it wasn't me assigned to Paul's flight that fateful day in LAS.

Watch that stone throwin' !

 

[Bdfg1]

Originally Posted by Ty Webb


Bdfg1, Cy-Bill, Cry Webb&

Whatever else you want to call yourself-

You've got three screen names here, for the sole purpose of making an ass out of yourself. You must be a real lamer.

 

[Freddie Spencer]

Calling in sick doesn't solve the problem. You haven't removed the threat to the travelling public, nor the crewmember who replaces you.

Not sure how much reserve coverage Airtran has in LAS, but it seems they didn't have another Captain since the flight was cancelled after the Drunk and Armed Captain was hauled off the Flint Express.

 

[enigma]

Are you guys still going round and round about this?

Come on.

enigma

 

[flx757]

nevermind...enigma's previous post is spot on.

 

[ButtonMonkey]

"At no point was the flight under the captain's command," said Tad Hutcheson of AirTran Airways

Just a thought...was the pilot actually part of the crew? I am not that familiar with the FFDO program, but could he have been arrested for carrying a gun onboard while being intoxicated? Maybe as a jumpseater? Still just as bad though.

 

[SWA/FO]

I would say NO

 

[Ty Webb]

No, sorry to report, he was the capatain assigned to the flight. So much grief for the pax, his family, the company, the FFDO program and all pilots. I hope this is the last one of these we have to hear about for quite a while.