Even a sip of champaign "emboldens" a person. (for example when one has to do an injection to one's dog ;o, when prescribed by the vet)(otherwise both dog and owner are too scared ;o)
Seriously, General could have put a stop to the attempt to approach, provided he could evaluate the situation, what I mean is what is his own flight experience with TU-s or flight time overall? If any one read his own record? He may have been very experienced. Could be not.
I can't stop thinking how here, in Russia, for example, at one nice day early in his career our president appointed a former civillian and a furniture company maker :o))))))) - as a head of the Defense Ministry. The army simply flopped down collapsed ;o)) in amazement. Imagine HIS advice, on board of, say, any thing ;o), come eh, whatever.