From Bottle to Throttle

[TXflyer]

HOOK EM HORNS! The Drunk Flyers.......

UT '99

 

[trigeek]

Gee,
I thought it was no drinking 50 feet from the aircraft and no smoking within 12 hours.....

 

[flyhi]

I always try and use 12 hours and even at that, always take it easy the night before a flight. The only time i can remember not abiding by this was not too long ago in vegas where there are NO clocks and everything looks the same all the time.

Was on my second drink at the tables where our 8 pax, including the boss, were playing and the boss looks at me and says "do you know what time it is?" It was 10 hours to go...and i said "wow, didn't realize it was so late, this is my second and last drink. but, you do know legally it's 8 hours?" he acknowledged that and said "i've always seen you switch to water 12 hours out and thought you might not know what time it was." he was right and trying to help me out. i guess i had become too focused on all the money i had blown!

 

[Tim47SIP]

Rehabilitation?

Not to change the subject, but if I remember right, an article that I had read concerning the NW pilot 10 years ago stated that NW would rehire him after he went through rehabilitation and got out of jail. I know of a couple guys that were busted for drugs at a regional I fly for and they were sent to rehabilitation (at company expense). One is still flying, the other walked out of rehabilitation and has been fired. I havent heard one thing about this and was wondering if it is even a possibility in this case? Anyone got a clue about this?

 

[bobbysamd]

Double standard

Here, again, I find these rehab cases to be totally unbelievable.

You just about have to be a saint to be hired. No driving problems, no drug problems, perfect academic record, All-America athlete, perfect work history with few job changes, no history of financial problems, and finish training at minimum times. Bust any one of the above and your chances deteriorate or dissipate entirely.

However, get hired, pass probation, and you can be a complete f___up. You won't be fired, as you might from other jobs of responsibility, such as being a cop, but you're just sent to rehab. You can even go to prison, which, by definition, is a felony conviction, and you can get your job back.

Sorry, I just don't get it. It seems to me that any reason that would bar you from hire should result in automatic termination after hire. I know that drunkeness on the job is good cause for termination from any job under most state laws.

 

[BigFlyr]

Who would ever be stupid enough to admit to drinking and flying inside the FAA 8 hour limit? DUH! Besides... Its not when you last had a drink, its how much alcohol do you still have in your blood. From what I understand .04 is the FAA limit but if you get random checked by the airline you fly with, any alcohol at all is grounds for termination. So... if you want to play you better get ready to pay!

 

[ILS JNKY]

Drinking

Cant afford to drink , all my money goes in one end IE the fuel Tank and comes out the Exhaust pipe.

Where is the drinking money at??? and besides any money left over after flying wife winds up with,,,,,

 

[skydiverdriver]

Yeah, that Northwest crew that was found still over the legal limit AFTER the flight arrived was a few years ago. I saw a documentary on it, and the captain is now a captain with NWA again. He lost all of his certificates, and went to prison, but earned them back and was approved to be a captain again after a lot of hard work.

 

[Lonestar]

He retired back in '98 as a 747 captain.

 

[Ned]

toke

Of course I've never but... How long between a toke and throttle?

 

[bigD]

Ned, what you need to do is make a bong out of the juice can air vents in the high wing cessnas. Of course, *I* have never done anything like that before, but some friends told me about it.

 

[Ravengirl]

No, I would not know anything about toking smot or frying or drinking till I can't even sit up straight...not near an airport anyhow. Or within *how many feet was it* some distance from an aircraft that I'm not hallucinating. I admit nothing of the sort.

I admit to flying hung over though, and **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**, that was one hell of a mistake. Can we say nausea at 6,500 feet? Yecccccch.

Stephanie

 

[Austpilot]

What are you guys talking about

It's 8 hours or 35 feet between bottle to throttle, which ever is closer?

 

[dispatchguy]

dispatchers, etc. have better rest rules
Fascinating.

Gotta correct you on that one. 121 dispatchers are required to get 24 hours off in 7 days, "or the equivalent thereof in a calendar month."

That means that my airline could work me for 26 days straight, and give me 4 or 5 days off at the end of the month, and its totally legal under the FARs. I got my 24 hours off per week, the reg just doesnt say that that time off needs to be in the week worked (i.e., there is no true regulatory 1-in-7 like pilots).

Granted, most dispatcher contracts interpret the 24 off in 7 rule as if it were a 1-in-7 like pilots (ours does), but we can trade into a less than 1-in-7. Its that loophole that allows the airlines to hire fewer dispatchers, knowing that some guys will pickup the open time as overtime and be overtime whores. I know dispatchers who will schedule themselves thru trades and opentime pickups, for 15-16 days straight. No thanks. After 6 days of looking at flight plans, I need time away.

 

[CAK@4000]

I'll admit to a few highly intoxicating "post" flight briefings when I was instructing (beer bottles make great VOR's when discussing VOR tracking), and passing out in the back of a 421 in the hanger after a bash at local FBO. But flying under the influence...never. 12 hours is my limit (and my company's) after a casual beer or glass of wine. If it been a real "elbow bender", then 24 hours is my limit.