Mesa pilots busted for booze

[KingAirer]

I dont have a problem not drinking before any flight. i have a 12 hr personal policy, but thats me. My suggestion about the breathalizer is not something i keep in my flight bag, i dont need it. But paint this picture, these MEsa pilots go out and order a mixed drink within a legal time frame. They wake up the next morning and know they SHOUld be ok because its been X of hours. If they had a breathalizer they could have checked and sseen that there was more in that drink then they thought and could have seen that they had no option but to call in sick.

I have no problem NOT drinking. But over a 30 year carreer im sure some of you may have a drink on an extended layover and would like to double and triple check to make sure ur ok with a breathlizer before one of the srubby secuirty ppl do!

 

[dmspilot00]

If you're a twenty-something idiot who looks forward to layovers as an opportunity to get **CENSORED**faced and hopefully laid, than do the industry a favor - get therepy or resign.

HEY!!

Don't stereotype. I am one of the twenty-somethings and I have never been drunk in my entire life. How old were the pilots at America West? That's right, they were in the FORTIES! (I think?)

I have the same opinion as you do...I do not want to put up with a bunch of drunks during my future layovers when I am a professional pilot (keyword: PROFESSIONAL!!!!).

 

[rumpletumbler]

What I'm wondering in all this is how many part 91 folks are out there clogging around drunk. Going to Treasure Cay for a week. Yeeeeehaaaaaaaaaa. Jump in the Lear and head out. Next day wander over to the general store and pick up a bottle of 151 Rum for $5. Whatta baaaaaaagin! After a couple hours the boss calls and something has come up. Gotta get home now. How many of those folks do the flight instead of doing the right thing? There is no policing that until your looking at body parts.

RT

 

[surplus1]

Re: terminal stupidity

The disease here is not alcohol, it is stupidity.

I think you hit the nail on the head!

Carry a breathalizer? Not a good idea. Follow the rules and you don't need it.

Consider this. There are two parts to the FAR. One part says you're legally "intoxicated" and in violation if you test at .04 or more. The other part says you must be removed from service by the airline if you test at .02, for (I think) eight hours.

Most breathalizers (including those used by the police and the testing services) are incapable of accurately measuring .02 consistently. But the rule still applies.

Most breathalizers (including, etc. as above) have to be perfectly calibrated and tested within a relatively short time of use to measure .04 accurately. Accuracy at these levels is highly questionable. You might convince a judge of that. Try convincing the FAA or your company. They won't buy it. If you test positive at any level, you almost certainly have violated the company rules, if not the FAR.

Your "private" breathalizer (even if you're not smart enough to realize you should NOT carry it) is no guarantee of anything.

Fighting in court after the fact, you might win on those technical counts. HOWEVER, your airline would be crazy to keep you employed once this has "gone public".

So, given all these things, stay out of the stupidity zone.

I'm not a beer drinker but I love a glass of good wine with dinner. That's just too bad. I happen to love flying more, so my wine drinking has to wait until I'm off, period. No ifs, buts or anything else.

Most airlines have a 12-hour rule, therefore FAA's 8-hour rule is irrelevant. You don't work for the FAA, you work for the airline. They pay you to follow their rules and you agreed to do that when you took the job.

Most "regional" airlines, have very few layovers that exceed 12 hours "in the hotel". You can't include the hour between when you report for duty and when you fly or the 15 - 20 minutes after you land until you are "officially off duty". That means you need and absolute minimum of 13:15 "off duty" to be able to have any alcohol at all, regardless of what you "blow".

That basically means there are very few layovers (regional or major) during which you can consume ANY alcohol at all. What you "blow" has nothing to do with it. You just can't do this job and drink on layovers in the majority of cases.

After you get "home" ..... how long will it be before your next report time? Again, remember your company's policy = 12 hours with ZERO consumption, regardless of what you "blow".

Make up your mind. Either you want to fly or you want to drink. The two just don't go together. Bottom line: If you can't or won't give up the drinking, then get a real job and leave the airline flying for the rest of us.

Please STOP tying to figure out ways to get around the rule. I really don't care what you do with your life, but I don't want your black marks or bad habits damaging MY life or my profession! Comply with the rules or get out. It's that simple.

If you happen to be flying with someone who won't follow the rules, then tell that person to either comply or you will not go with him/her. Don't ruin your career to protect someone that deliberately breaks the rules. You can be tolerant about a lot of things. Alcohol consumption or drug use are not among them.

If ANYONE suggests that you were drinking (no matter how "funny" they may think it is), then DO NOT operate the aircraft until you have been tested and officially cleared.

If you are airborne when the "funny" makes the "joke", it ain't funny. What would you do if that person made a "joke" about highjacking your airplane? Well, do the same thing if they make a "joke" about you dirinking. Land the thing and get them OFF it now. Get tested before you proceed. Keep your job, keep your career and protect OUR profession.

There can be NO TOLERANCE level for this except ZERO.

 

[WileE]

Here's the mercenary cynic in me...

The mercenary cynic in me says that as long as you are above me on the seniority list, drink all you want, whenever you want! That's one step closer to upgrade!

 

[bssthound]

I, personally, don't drink from signin until signout. I seriously doubt any words of wisdom on this thread, and there have been many, will change any casual drinking customs.

If you are still willing to push the envelope with all the media scrutiny and overzealous security screeners you're asking for trouble. These are the very impressionable folks who give Jerry Springer and his ilk such high ratings. Remember, when you come through screening in a pilot uniform you're a target. With the recent media attention almost all of those screeners will be looking for a "drunk pilot." It ain't gonna be me.

 

[emb1452002]

None

I don't have room in my flight bag for a breathalizer........2 bottles of vodka take up all the room! heeeheee haaahaaa!!
This sight cracks me up.