America West Airline crew arrested KMIA

[avbug]

Flyinbrian,

I suppose I don't understand your distain. Cockpit monkeys are a very serious subject.

What everyone, and the media at large, has failed to note is the key element to this situation. These two pilots were flying to Phoenix. Not only is it deathly hot there, but it's a DRY heat. They would have been fine when they landed...probably desicated.

Listerine does not fool a blood alcohol test.

I do take this subject very seriously. However, I'd do just about anything if we could just avoid having one thread turn into a battle over scope, RJ's, or firearms in the cockpit.

 

[skiddriver]

Well I for one, prefer Scope to Listerine.

 

[Timebuilder]

When I read a story like this, I have to wonder what was going through their minds as their flight time was approaching. When did they stop thinking like the responsible professionals that they had been up until that day?

More bad press for aviation.....

 

[jetexas]

Great. Now the liberal media and all their cronies will say that we surely can't carry guns because "we're all drunk" or something like that.
Maybe those guys could have a valid defense that it was the thought of going through security as pilots that drove them to drink!

 

[chperplt]

Updated Article

Police: America West pilots drunk before takeoff.
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) - Two America West pilots at the helm of a Phoenix-bound jetliner were ordered to return to the airport terminal moments before takeoff and were arrested for being legally drunk, police said.
The pilots were charged Monday with a felony count of operating an aircraft under the influence and operating a motor vehicle under the influence, police said.

Both have been suspended with pay pending an investigation by the airline, said Patty Nowack, an America West spokeswoman.

Miami-Dade police Detective Juan DelCastillo said security screeners at Miami International Airport first noticed a whiff of alcohol on the men Monday when the pilots tried to bring cups of coffee through the checkpoint.

The screeners alerted airport officials, who called police. By the time officers arrived, the plane had already left the gate. The airport tower ordered the plane back to the terminal and the pilots were given a cursory sobriety test, DelCastillo said.

The men were then asked to take a breath test and agreed. Both registered blood-alcohol levels above .08, Florida's legal limit for operating machinery, DelCastillo said.

Pilot Thomas XXX, 44, had a .091 blood-alcohol level, while Christopher XXX registered .084, police said.

The pilots couldn't be reached for comment Monday; they were being held by police pending processing. It wasn't immediately clear if they had obtained attorneys.

Cloyd has worked for America West since 1990. Hughes joined the airline in January 1999, Nowack said. Both pilots have good working records, she said.

It was the pilots' first flight of the day, she said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating to determine whether to take action against the pilots, which could include having their licenses revoked or suspended, said spokeswoman Laura Brown.

Federal aviation rules prohibit pilots from flying within eight hours of consuming alcohol or with a blood-alcohol level of 0.04.

 

[ACWild]

Is America West an ALPA carrier? If they are, I'm sure the pilots will get their jobs back.

 

[Caveman]

Skiddriver,

I knew someone would eventually turn this into an argument about 'scope'. BTW, how's training going in CVG?

Caveman

 

[Timebuilder]

9:30 am edt, Monday-

A blurb on Court TV just said that America West will fire both crewmen if "the breathalyzer results are proven".

 

[Andy Neill]

9:30 am edt, Monday-

Could it be that Timebuilder gets the TV version of Early Edition. He heard this hours before it happened!

 

[trainerjet]

No criticizing of Timebuilder's posts before 10:44am, after the 3rd cup of coffee, when both eyes are open. Those are the rules.

 

[Timebuilder]

You see, before the third cup, I'm clairvoyant.

After that, it's Tuesday, and then I'm fully awake....

 

[publisher]

According to the local news, these two really were caught because they were giving the secuity agent a bunch of crap when he would not let them carry an open container through--coffee.

As this has been on the news, the open container issue that is, it seems pretty stupid if you are either drunk or very hungover to get into a pissing contest with a security guy.

 

[Simon Says]

Oh my God......a crew went out and got loaded on an overnight. 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. It makes me sick seeing these guys handcuffed sitting in a waiting area. Give them a little respect for crying out loud.

 

[Andy Neill]

Simon,

I haven't done that.

 

[chperplt]

I've never done that. A beer or two, sure... Never gotten hammered.

 

[Lindy]

Concerns

First, the airlines do NOT need this type of press, as most carriers are suffering financially and need to fill seats with a reasonable yield.

Second, this is a criminal investigation and I am very concerned (legally speaking) about the release of information in the manner which it ocurred.

Third, if the BAC is accurate, the drinking took place within the 8 hours, per the FARs, and (is it twleve for this carrier??). (Those of you who can drink excessively, and will argue that they could have drank within the 8 hours, you would have to be about .16 -- that is almost emergency room visit status.) Still, the .04 was violated.

Fourth, what the hell were they thinking??? I was watching MSNBC (don't ask why....) and the channel is posing the "question of the day.....should EVERY PILOT receive a breathalyzer prior to EVERY COMMERCIAL FLIGHT...." (I don't like early am show times....and if the knee-jerk Congress decides to enact this law.......along with the new FBI checks (been fingerprinted for the Bar Associaion, so it's not a big deal, but, the poking, proding, invasiveness of everything will continue....)

 

[Simon Says]

Ok, before I get flamed here I should say have said have some beers on an overnight. I just cannot believe they took the breathalizer without calling there unions laywers first.

 

[cvsfly]

Please let's help avbug get that **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** monkey off his back! No but seriously, I will let the facts come out first. If it true what they are saying is true, then not only should they loose their jobs, they should face criminal charges too. If the accusations are false, then it proves the media are ready to crucify all of us and if there is some power play going on with screeners then that is unacceptable. I for one will avoid flying the airlines at all cost until the industry redefines itself. This was my feeling before 9/11. It has become one big cattle call. It is a humiliating and depressing experience. I haven't seen much pride coming any airline worker in a long time.

 

[DAL737FO]

Let's see you have a multi million dollar career and you throw it away for an overnight. No thanks, I hold to the Army reg of 12 hours and all residual effects and I base that on report time not pushback. Maybe I'm a geek but I took a long stupid road to get here and I'm not going to throw it away now. Same thing when guys want me to give up my seniority number AND sign a training contract for a First Officer charter job in an aircraft I'm already rated in.

DAL737FO
furloughed in Florida could be worse

 

[Andy Neill]

Simon,

I have not done that either.

Care to call me a liar?