Drug & Alcohol Testing

[thewaffler]

JAR regulations which are being replaced with EU-OPS for EU member states issue guidance for pilots and crewmembers in relation to this subject. Under JAR-OPS 3.085 a crewmember cannot commence a flight with blood alcohol level in excess of 0.2 promille (20mg%) Same as Aus!

Anything which improves safety has got to be a good thing, one major accident could result in a multiple of the annual number of needless deaths in road traffic accidents. Societial alocohol and drug use is increasing and it would be naive and indefensible to assume that aviation workers are immune or insulated from societys problems. Bolting the gate after the horse is gone is never a good policy.

Casa may have a few problems to iron out but at least they are doing something pro-active in preventing accidents.