Drunk??????

[Flyingdutchman]

WILMINGTON, N.C. — The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether a pilot for a regional carrier failed a breath test before boarding his Atlanta-bound flight.
Airline officials would not identify the Atlanta-based co-pilot or say how long he has worked for Atlanta Southeast Airlines.

The co-pilot, who has since returned to Georgia, was grounded with pay pending results of blood and urine tests, ASA airline spokesman Kent Landers said.

The 28 passengers were removed from the flight nearly a half-hour after their scheduled departure from the Wilmington International Airport, said Airport Director Jon Rosborough. They were placed on other flights.

Rosborough couldn't confirm whether the co-pilot of the twin-engine plane failed the test.

FAA guidelines say crew members may not have more than a 0.04 percent blood alcohol level and may not drink alcohol within eight hours before duty. Violations can lead to license revocation.

Rosborough said the co-pilot was stopped from boarding the plane at around 6 a.m. by a security officer with the Transportation Security Administration. It was not immediately clear why the co-pilot was stopped.

The investigation comes less than a month after two America West Pilots allegedly tried to fly a jetliner while they were drunk. They were arrested in Miami before the plane took off.

 

[cvsfly]

Watch your backs! The new battle between TSA and pilots or is the pilot population more subseptable(sp?) to alcoholism than we originally thought? Very disturbing if the findings do show positive results of his BAC. Even more disturbing is if an over zealous TSA screener is jumping the gun here and crying alcoholic whenever he makes a psycological assessment of pilots going through security who seam upset at the whole ridiculous process.

 

[skydiverdriver]

Yup. Just another group of people that we can't joke around with. Just be careful everywhere you are in public view. I hope they dont' take it too far, because if they single out too many pilots, we will never get to work!!

 

[ifly4food]

I have gone through security at Wilmington, NC many, many times at all hours of the day.
I can personally assure you that it is one of the worst checkpoints in the system. The CSS checkpoint managers hate pilots. They think we're all a bunch of prima donna jerks. The screeners are rude, obnoxious, and go out of their way to make a spectacle of uniformed crewmwmbers. I have had my company's station manager called no less than 4 times for "harassing a screener". Each time I have been vindicated.

My "offenses" include:
1. Insisting that my baggage remain in my view.
2. Asking for a private screening.
3. Asking the a very rude and conspicuous screener to treat me politely and with respect in front of passengers when a private screening "wasn't available".
4. Insisting that I am not required to remove my shoes or any other article of clothing prior to passing through the metal detector.
5. Apologizing to our passengers who have been delayed by my extra thouough screening.
6. "Unauthorized touching of personal articles" when my wallet, phone, and personal articles went flying out of the xray machine and the screener didn't bother to catch them for me. I had set off the metal detector and was on my way to the "penalty box".

Every time I opened my copy of FAA/ALPA's "Pilot's Guide to the Security Checkpoint" and showed the manager how the screeners weren't following the rules. The case was closed.

Long story short... I wouldn't be one bit surprised if these clowns smell scope and run with it from now on. Look for more occurances of this in the future if screeners aren't stripped of their current absolute power over crewmwmbers.

 

[ilinipilot]

If it comes out that this guy was not drunk that security screener better be FIRED on the spot. All you pilots out there dont stand for this stuff. If they call you out say fine, but make sure when they bet wrong they get whats ritfully coming to them, a pink slip.

 

[Anaconda]

so what's the word on this guy's BAC? .16 or .016? can anyone confirm it?

 

[Airline Pilot27]

Drunk

I'm pretty drunk now hehe

 

[AV8700]

The Atlanta Urinal says the results are due on Tuesday.

 

[Homer J simpson]

He FD,

effe controleren of je wel een echte "flying dutchman" bent.

oudoe

H.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

jaja de nederlanders veroveren de ..nk site! hahaha


spatterrrrrrr

 

[rumpletumbler]

Those free language translation sites work great don't they. Here is what I got:

jaja they the netherlands veroveren they. nk site! hahaha

Probably the same thing the CIA uses.

RT

 

[Flyingdutchman]

Affirmative! haha

G'day

 

[GoingHot]

[]If it comes out that this guy was not drunk that security screener better be FIRED on the spot. All you pilots out there dont stand for this stuff. If they call you out say fine, but make sure when they bet wrong they get whats ritfully coming to them, a pink slip[/]

Haven't you heard? These guys are Government workers now. They can't be fired.

 

[publisher]

ASA

As the individual resigned, I think it would not be a stretch to think that he may have not done too well on the testing.

The dangers here are many. First, every screener and passenger will start smelling their flight crew. No more Bay Rum after shave. It is also interesting to note that as the individual did not get to the plane, he only faces license suspension and not a more severe penalty.

In effect, the screener saved him from jail.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Bad News

It is my understanding--after speaking to an exceptionally reliable source--that this individual has resigned. His situation is much more grim than I imagined as he (A) is only twenty-two years old, (B) just bought a house, because (C) his wife just had a baby this week. (In fact, they induced labor two weeks early since ASA agreed to let his benefits run for another two months. They didn't have to do it, and I guess it says a lot about the nature of this company that they did.)

I have made a couple of poor career decisions here-and-there, but this fellow's judgement is just...unfathomable. It's not my place to judge him, and even if it was...I can't understand what would cause someone to risk so much for a few drinks.

I am dissapointed about the further damage he did to all our reputations, though.

I still believe that there is a very small minority of commercial pilots that have a problem with alcohol. But, at the risk of sounding holier-than-thou, if you are in that minority, please, ask someone for help. We'll all do what we can as long as you don't wait until it's too late.

One last thing: this has the potential for causing security screeners to become wildly overzealous in their "duties." Everybody be very careful. Make sure you have witnesses at all times when passing through security! Crews, stick together: don't get caught alone with Barney Fife.

 

[Anaconda]

that's a sad story...

just curious...where were the other crewmembers when all this took place? why didn't they police this up before they even walked into the terminal?

 

[crxpilot]

Hey, I get paid .5 above guarantee for pee-pee tests. If thats what they want to do, fine by me. If you are not guilty, then there is nothing to worry about!

 

[Typhoon1244]

that's a sad story...just curious...where were the other crewmembers when all this took place? why didn't they police this up before they even walked into the terminal?

I'm a little fuzzy on this part of the story, but it sounded to me like the captain was not aware the F/O had alcohol on his breath until the security troops made an issue of it. (Possibly the F/O was not inebriated enough that his behavior was significantly out of whack.) After they cleared security--the security people decided they didn't have the authority to do anything but report the problem--the captain called a halt to the flight until the F/O could be dealt with.

Again, I'm not crystal clear on this part of the story. If anyone knows better, speak up. (Type up?)

 

[lionflyer]

What we as crewmembers need to do is soak our ties and shirts in a pint of vodka overnight. We will go through security as normal and of course those morons will accuse us of being drunk. When our breathalyzer comes up as .000 we can look them right in the eye and say "Let me talk to your supervisor BIYATCH", and then file a lawsuit. Of course that would take some serious balls (which I don't have). That would be a good experiment for the guys approaching age 60.

 

[Anaconda]

When our breathalyzer comes up as .000 we can look them right in the eye and say "Let me talk to your supervisor BIYATCH", and then file a lawsuit.

ROFLMAO!!!

I only wish I could say that!