America West Airline crew arrested KMIA

[TurboS7]

You can always do the FA thing and call in sick.

 

[Flynfish]

I have never done anything close to that. Sounds like Simon is guilty. What ever happened to professional integrity?

 

[UPS Capt]

What the he11 is going on here. All of you 121 fliers out there tell me that you have'nt done that and I will call you a liar.

Huh??

I'm not a drinker on or off the job, thank you! But thanks for your concern!

If the AW pilots are convicted of what they have been accused of doing, then it'll be far different from what I see of my colleagues on a daily basis.

I now see where the MSNBC news is asking if all piolts should be giving a breathalyzer before each flight. If that's the case, why not check to see if all firefighters aren't carry matches since they apparently like to start forestfires (at least two of them anyway so that must mean all, right?!?). What about alchoholic doctors who perform surgeries after downing a few? Should all doctors have breathalyzers before performing surgery? Why should they be any different?

Point being: Let's not throw an accusatory blanket over every person in a profession because of a delinquent few. I am getting more than a little tired of all the knee jerked worthless political and FAA policies that we have to live with now because of media driven public hysteria!

Looking forward to retirement!

 

[cvsfly]

Also remember, the rule is 8hrs and .04 BAC to be ILLEGAL to fly. .01 will make you ineligible for duty. Any trace of alcohol is grounds for a company to suspend a pilot. Listerine may throw a breath analyzer off, but it will not register a Blood Alcohol Content.

 

[Timebuilder]

I have a two drink max on an overnight, and I finish the last drink 16 hours before reporting time. If I don't have 16 hours, I don't have the drinks. Period.

That gives me plenty of time to sleep in, mistake Tuesday morning for Monday morning, watch TV, have some "Cof-ay", and make certain that I am fully roused and ready to fly before I appear at an airport.

You do what you have to do, that's all. What were they thinking????

 

[skydiverdriver]

I don't drink either. Some people just don't like the taste, or have religious reasons not to drink, or just don't want to be strangded or take a chance. I like to be awake when I'm awake, and asleep when I'm asleep. And, I don't care if I'm in the minority, or even the only pilot in the world like that. Good luck to all.

 

[TurboS7]

You have to throw in the cute FA at the bar or in the room. That usually causes pilot's not to excercise their superior judgement and fall for the same thing Adam fell for. It is just one more drink then maybe...............If we all had longer layovers(at least 24 hours) non of this would ever be an issue.

 

[Simon Says]

I knew I was going to get flamed as soon as I use the words all and every. How about some and sometimes. Geez people. Of course not every person drinks or even partakes in any of the many sins of life. But there are some people that do partake in the legal sins of life. These two America West Pilots probally did some drinking on there overnight and I believe that it happens, and happens a lot. Those of you denying it are living in a different world than I am. Does the 12 hour rule get broken, of course. Does the 8 hour rule get broken, probally not. Have any of you flaminig me ever broke a company policy that compromised safety? How about an FAR that has compromised safety. We try not to, but it does happen. Lets all (whoops I didn't mean to say all) I mean lets some of us get off our high horse and not persicute these two before all the facts have been siffted through.

 

[Timebuilder]

I don't want to persecute anyone. I just can't believe they didn't call in sick if they were that far into the bag.

 

[Flynfish]

High Horse? Not getting hammered on trips is being on a high horse? I figured you would try to justify your post about how everyone does it by bringing other arguments into it. Whatever!

 

[skydiverdriver]

I don't want to hurt these guys, but the evidence looks pretty bad, and now I have to go to work and have some old lady ask to smell my breath because of what she saw on CNN. I'm not upset at these guys, as they have not been tried yet, but they sure have done a job on our credibility, and made my job just a little bit more difficult.

 

[ACWild]

I've been flying for airlines for almost 9 years now and I'm very happy to say that I haven't seen anyone break the 8 hour rule or fly under the influence. I know that I must be living in a sheltered world, but thank God for that.
Simon... the fact that you think it's common for flight crewmembers to do so disturbs me.

 

[FlyinBrian]

There undoubtedly quite a bit of crew partying in the industry on layovers and overnights. I still think the overwhelming majority of crewmembers adheres to regulation and policy when it concerns alcohol. There is no way you could blow a .091 if you were even close to being legal time-wise. The evidence against these guys is bad. I know some of you are "waiting for the facts" But let's be real. It is very unlikely that it will turn out that all of this is bunk. These guys pissed on all of our credibility and betrayed the profession. Assuming that all this is true (and I think it probably is), these guys do not deserve our respect.

 

[TurboS7]

Keep in mind that it is not the 8 hour rule but the .04 that rules. Eight hours bottle to throttle does not insure that you alcohol content is less than .04.

 

[hyper]

I'm trying to keep an open mind about this myself and do find some of the posts funny BUT..... I have to agree with flyinbrian on this one. I find it a gross disrespect to our profession at a time when we need as much of the public on our side as possible.

We all can laugh about it, but what about all of the ones (and I hope it's very few) that go undetected while they fly you around on that non-rev. Do any of ya have moms, dads, sons or daughters that fly? F*#& those guys, what about the passengers?

 

[StarChecker]

I guess they'll have to change the age old interview question....

"You show up for departure and both you AND the captain are drunk......"

 

[Simon Says]

I just want to make it known that flying drunk or breaking the 8/12 hour rule or .04 bac is unacceptable. I am just saying that rules are broken and these guys got caught. They will pay with their careers. That is too bad.

Those of you that do not break any rules in your life you are all more holy than me. I break some rules and I abide by others. And before any of you jump on the band wagon and say that I condone this action. I do not. I am saying don't throw rocks from glass house.

Hyper, do you speed on the freeway. Well, my family drives on that same freeway and you are putting them at risk.

 

[TurboS7]

From one professional pilot to another-get used to it-either they throw rocks-or they are holier than thou. Anyway you look at it your fellow stick buddy can be you best pal or your worst nightmare.

 

[Simon Says]

I know what you mean Turbo.

 

[hyper]

Simonsays,

"They will pay with their careers. That's too bad". What's too bad about it? They made that decision, not anyone else. What are you, their defense lawyer?

"Hyper, do you speed on the freeway. Well, my family drives on that same freeway and you are putting them at risk."

Not even the same ballpark pal. Breaking some "rules" and flying 129 people in a complex environment while you're half-looped doesn't really deserve an acknowledgement to the comparison.

Nowhere in my post does it say I'm "holier than though" or that I don't break any rules. But rest assured, I've never and will never blatently put peoples lives at risk as your America West buddies have today.

Now that you've made a personal attack on me and my thoughts, look at the direction of your thread. I think you realized how ridiculous it was to launch a defense about drinking and flying. Then to cover yourself, started the "noone's ever broken rules" and "holier than thou" routine. Don't turn it around on me. I waited until there was some sort of proof (i.e. breathalizer) before i made any posts on the subject. I wasn't set to jump on them right of the bat.