Originally Posted by
FullWings
Yes. Alcohol and flying shouldn’t be mixed, but the practical effect of 49mg is zero, although a line has to be drawn somewhere.
It is difficult to argue that a stiff drink before aviating should be allowed, however the hoopla and publicity is very disproportionate to the actual risk. If the pilot in question was a tee-totaller who didn’t get a great night’s rest (time zones, busy roster, noise, etc.) but felt kind of OK after a cup of coffee, very few would be questioning his fitness to fly but, as countless accident reports have detailed (including the recent one from Pakistan), tiredness, fatigue, hypoglycaemia, worry and stress are far more potent performance degraders than a BAC only detectable by sophisticated equipment.
If 1% of the effort put into alcohol screening and security theatre was instead concentrated on the real dangers above, the aviation world would be a safer place. Yes, don’t drink and fly but even if no-one ever did, it’s not going to do anything to improve the accident statistics. For those with real issues, peer intervention and employer support work much better than anything else.
Bit of a denialist attitude.
You have no evidence of this, zero.
How many taxiway incursions, runway incursions, almost accidents, ATC clearance deviations (may) have been the result of impairment?
Neither one of us could provide evidence for either side of the argument as testing is only required after an accident or incident with significant damage.
However the truth might be hiding in plain sight.
Peer intervention? Peer pressure you mean?
People are pack animals and ‘group feel’ is strong. Being the odd one out for not going out to dinner with fellow crew as drinking is somewhat expected? The don’t-worry-we’re-all-drinking attitude?
Cabin crew that gets absolutely hammered on overnights?
That maybe I’ve had one to many feeling in the morning?
Calling in sick and self disclosure of an issue is something else entirely then getting caught while attempting to gain access to an aircraft with the intention of ‘getting away with it again’ which is criminal.