Alcohol
How did we all manage when we weren't subject to random drug testing, alcohol testing and The brilliant employees of the TSA treating
pilots as criminals.
There was a time when Airline pilots were trusted as the professionals that the vast majority of us are, to use their own judgement on alcohol use as well as laws like 8hrs bottle to throttle.
This is not politically correct, but I cannot possibly condemn this pilot, many of us including myself have pushed the limit, not as much anymore of course, with the scrutiny we endure but why not ask this question.
With the exception of the JAL DC8, how many airline accidents do any of you know of where alcohol was even suspected as a factor?
How many of us have flown fatigued to 'get the job done' and may have been just as impaired as someone with a hangover.
As pilots we constantly have to 'approve ourselves for flight'
if we were all adamant about not flying when we do not feel optimal there would be a lot of cancellations, how many of us are under pressure not to call in sick and avoid doing so to stay out of the office?
I don't endorse this pilot's breaking 'the law' but I wonder how 'impaired' he really was, unlike some others on this forum who have no mercy and seem incapable of mistakes themselves
my heart goes out to this guy, and I hope his life is not ruined.
If you've ever flown fatigued, you're impaired as well, gone to work after an argument with the wife and can't get it off your mind? you name it.