Another alcohol incident

[azpilot]

Why the he!! do so many people think alcohol is so important? It isn't! There is nothing wrong with having a drink but do it responsibly. It is a sad fact that so many people let a stupid drink rule there life. Folks quit pissing your careers down the drain and just drink on your days off! Many people have such a bad perception of pilots and these incidents don't help.

 

[350DRIVER]

I would tend to hold off in accusing this pilot of being an "alcoholic" until ALL the facts are out and the FAA as well as DAL has fully and adequately investigated this matter to the utmost. This could be just a perfect example of a pilot attending a party or having a few too many since tis the season for parties. No matter what happens though, it is obvious that blowing a .07% is unacceptable, illegal, unprofessional, etc, etc, etc, ..... and just punishment should be handed down to this guy. Just because one enjoys drinking on "certain" occasions does NOT always indicate that everyone is an "alcoholic". An alcoholic is dependent on alcohol most of the time and I am sure that he wouldn't have made it this far if he truly was "dependent" upon alcohol and if he had a major problem. A few possibly will slip through the cracks however "IF" he is that much into alcohol everyday then I would only assume that he would have been caught long before now. Atleast that would be logical reasoning. Regardless of whether he is an "alcoholic" should be irrelevant since his actions were unacceptable and not permitted and he never should have shown up for work knowing that he was in that kinda shape.- Hopefully he can get the proper help if he does have a serious problem but I won't just "assume" that he is an alcoholic until ALL facts have been made public and all sides of the story have been put out

I am very curious how he is going to justify his side of the story...

3 5 0

 

[rjcap]

This could be just a perfect example of a pilot attending a party or having a few too many since tis the season for parties.

Thats not an acceptable excuse for a 42 year old major airline pilot who had a 6:00 A.M. departure the next morning. He should have had nothing to drink the prior evening if he was going to abide by the 8 hour FAA rule and I am assuming Delta has a 12 hour rule bottle to throttle. The 12 hour rule is governing in keeping his job.

An alcoholic is dependent on alcohol most of the time and I am sure that he wouldn't have made it this far if he truly was "dependent" upon alcohol and if he had a major problem

This incident would be classified as a "major" problem.

There are numerous pilots with drinking problems that are able to conceal year after year.

but I won't just "assume" that he is an alcoholic until ALL facts have been made public and all sides of the story have been put out

I agree, but the incident speaks for itself. This guy just lost his job.

 

[skydash]

GEEEEZ!! All of this pontificating is exhausting!! I need a drink!!

 

[Clownpilot]

Wow

Doctor B737G,

We all appreciate the exhaustive research you have done on this incident to arrive at your precise conclusion. Thank you for your indepth and thorough assessment.

If I am ever accused of murder I certainly want you on the jury. I can see it now.

-Lawyer,"Your honor, we happen to know that Clownpilot was somewhere within a few miles of the murder scene when it happened AND we heard a rumor that he may have been seen shooting a gun at a round target in the past few years, a gun I might add that used bullets. As it happens the gun that shot the victim ALSO USED BULLETS."

-B737G screaming from the jury box, "OMG he's guilty, GUILTY!!!!!! Execute Clownpilot!!!!!"

Well done, G.

My Father is an addictionologist and his hospital has treated over 500 airline employees. As a result, I believe I can safely say he is an alcoholic. Any pilot who attempts to work while blowing a .07 has impaired judgement which is a classic sign of an alcoholic. My bet is he has done this before and that a pattern of behavior will be evident when he goes for an assessment. You should hit your local library and do some research. You may actually learn something about the disease and its signs.

 

[Slim]

I apologize, in advance, if this is not 100% accurate.

In the late 1980s/early 1990s, a Jetstream International pilot reported for work under the influence. He called in, told scheduling he was running late because of a flat tire, and said he would be in for his next scheduled departure from DAY (his domicile). Another first officer was assigned to fly the first two legs of his duty period.

After arriving at the airplane, the captain noticed nothing wrong with this pilot. At the out station, another employee smelled something on the first officer's breath and reported it. However, the flight departed as scheduled. In DAY, the flight was met and both pilots were removed from duty.

The FAA went after the first officer and the captain! The reason was the captain should never have allowed the first officer to fly. While technically correct, the captain stated, many times, he never smelled any alcohol, and did not observe any behavior indicating the first officer was intoxicated. It took a long time, but the captain evetually won his job back, thanks to ALPA (by the way, ALPA did exactly what they were supposed to do in this case!).

The captain's position was he had a lousy sense of smell. If I recall the story accurately, he spent a lot of his own money to demonstrate this lousy sense of smell. A captain may not always be able to smell alcohol. I'm not certain I could unles the first officer was exhaling right in my face.

 

[saabcaptain]

I know as a Captain there would be no question that if I had the slightest thought my FO or any of my crew was under the influence that they would certainly not fly on my aircraft, I am also disturbed that time and again the FAA and companies go after the entire cockpit crew when there is but one offender. Now if it can be somehow proved that one pilot knowingly allowed the other to fly under the influence I could understand going after both but I am frightened by the concept that should I fail to see my FO is intoxicated I could lose my job and career.

 

[Orvilleflyer]

No brains no headaches I guess...

 

[ILS JNKY]

boozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I think thats why you get days off from duty, just to do what you want, and if it's drinking on your day off than so be it.


All that money down the drain for flight training ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[TDTURBO]

They still should let him fly part 91 stuff without a problem in a year or so. His 135 and 121 days are certainly over if he's guilty.

 

[Caveman]

"...well trained and alert TSA screener."

Here are some other fictional characters:

Easter Bunny
Unicorns
Santa

 

[skydiverdriver]

Hey Sabreliner,
I believe an alcohol test given by a law enforcement officer IS valid, just as we have to show our certificates to any federal, state or local law enforcement official. It may not sound right, but I do believe it's legal.

 

[79%N1]

The day may soon come where each individual company Bans drinking completely during any company time! This means all overnights, layovers, etc.. And, why shouldn't they? Do we need to drink on these overnights? This is still, after all, company time, even if crews are not technically "on duty." I sure don't need to drink on overnights, although I have seen many crewmembers that do! I know the age old arguement, hey, I should be allowed to have a couple of cocktails at dinner...blah, blah, blah....I know firsthand, too many take it farther than this. Well, the actions of all too many of our peers may take that "right" away for good! Could anybody blame the first company that steps up and outlaws drinking on overnights altogether? They might be saving some of you from yourselves!

 

[Sphincter Boy]

I was actually there when it happened. We saw the 757 just sitting on the ramp with the beacon on going nowhere. It wasn't until the next day that I heard the news and realized that we were within feet of the incident.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Originally posted by suen1843
I am sure lots of people will strongly disagree with this, but, any pilot who cannot do a complete duty tour without having an alcoholic drink has a drinking problem and should find a new career.

Now bear in mind that I neither smoke nor drink, so my perspective on this issue may be narrow...but I have to agree with suen on this one. Is that drink really more important than your career?

There is one good thing--and only one good thing--about this most recent incident. In light of recent events, the general public was probably beginning to see alcohol as a "little airline" problem. "That can't happen at the 'real' airlines." Sadly, it can. It can happen anywhere.

The TSA screeners are watching, listening, and sniffing, folks. If you do this kind of drinking while you're at work, you're playing Russian roulette with all our reputations.