Spice Jet. Pilot fails booze test 3rd time, grounded

[Longtimer]

Originally Posted by scotneil

I find it difficult to see why a pilot would fail a post-flight test after (presumably) passing the mandatory pre-flight test: surely drinking during flight (or during walk-round) must be noticed? Post-flight testing is really locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.......

'
when you drink it does take some time for the alcohol to register in your blood sream.

[peekay4]

Indian rules say pilots must be checked post-flight when they can't checked pre-flight, e.g., ops from a foreign base, after a diversion to a remote airfield, etc.

[aterpster]

Originally Posted by Longtimer

'
when you drink it does take some time for the alcohol to register in your blood sream.

Varies mostly with the contents of the stomach in people with normal metabolism.

[skridlov]

I'm just a naive SLF but it amazes me that any pilot is ever allowed control of a passenger aircraft after a second violation of this kind. Given that the established recovery rate for alcoholics is no better than 5% simple probability should be applied.

[Radgirl]

Who mentioned alcoholics? We are talking about a zero level which may be violated for all sorts of behavioural, medical and scientific reasons in pilots who havent had a drop of alcohol.

One has to ask all the chest beaters on this thread if they would agree to the same screening in the Western World. If so please lobby your MP or Senator

Me, I'm off to India as it sounds like there are thousands of cushy jobs for healthcare professionals grounding pilots for the wrong aftershave

[PA28161]

With respect, you're talking rubbish
The analytical test protocols differentiate between alcohol in the bloodstream and any other topical preparation. Unless, perhaps, one is in the habit of drinking copious quantities of Listerine

Originally Posted by Radgirl

A quick look on google is your friend and it appears that the test demands absolutely zero. So any contamination, mouthwash, a urinary tract infection etc etc etc is a fail. Scientific madness

[Radgirl]

With respect, this is repetition

This has been discussed on this thread. Contamination was only one of the errors discussed. There are many reasons for trace readings. And there seems to be considerable questions over the devices, their maintenance and use.

Anyhow, this is all academic. Indian politicians are never going to change this but hopefully even our scientifically illiterate masters are not daft enough to implement a similar system here

[TowerDog]

Doing a charter flight in India I refused the breath test for alcohol.
(Haj charter for Air India)
The AI doctor and ops people got all huffy and puffy and threatened to cancel the flight.
Told them No Problem, pls arrange transport back to the hotel.
As we had 500 pax who also would need accommodations, AI reluctantly backed off and cleared us to go without no stinking alcohol testing.

[peekay4]

You're lucky, not employed directly by an Indian airline. New policy for expats who fail or refuse a single test is revocation of their license validation and a lifetime ban from working in India.

[TowerDog]

Wow, guess I was lucky, but my gig in India was a few years ago.
Didn't thrust their equipment, a false positive could have been a real possibility.

[scifi]

Mathematically the number zero does not exist, but for practical purposes 0 +or- a bit, is taken as being zero.
In the UK any reading below 8 ug is taken as being zero, being 4 times less than the Drink-Driving limit. If India is requiring 0 to an infinite number of decimal places, they are soooo wrong.
.

[peekay4]

If India is requiring 0 to an infinite number of decimal places, they are soooo wrong.

They don't. The device certification standard has a specified accuracy tolerance level. A reading of 0.00 really means "no or an insignificant level of alcohol present", i.e., below the tolerance for the minimum detection level, which is typically 1 mg/100ml BAC.