Tail Wheels right, as someone who has been a DAMP Officer, admittedly at a smaller GA company with around 10-15 pilots at a time, just because you get a positive result doesn't necessarily make them guilty straight away, theres a lot of mitigating factors. I had 2 Pilots who recorded Positive Drug results using approved drug testing equipment, 1 of them was cleared by the local doctor as it was due to medicine being taken some time ago and was perfectly legit and would not affect them, the other turned out to be a false positive on the first test!! It isn't 100% guys, especially the breahalyzers, even the ones that are up to the proper standard get it wrong for any number of different reasons.
And Slippery_Pete, I know this isn't definitive proof, but I know a lot of the Pilots in the area I was in at that time I was DAMP Officer changed their habits when the Policies took affect. Nothing drastic but they were all definitely more concious of their drinking...specially when I happended to be standing beside them most nights at the Pub!! I'd like to think this shows there has been some worth as a deterrent or at the very least as a method of further awareness.
I should also point out that part of the DAMP stuff isn't just detection of drug and/or alcohol use/abuse, another large part of the training was also identifying Co-Workers who were having their ability to perform their duties inhibited by other factors as well. Whilst I would never claim to be as effective as a trained full-time Psychologist, there is more awareness of such factors being put out there by CASA as part of the DAMP to cover other factors like you pointed out to hopefully prevent them causing accidents or incidents and putting in place systems to have them addressed. From what I recall we were required as part of the DAMP to have an outside organisation nominated that people could approach or be referred to in such circumstances.
Last edited by Ixixly; 7th Aug 2012 at 06:18.
Reason: Sounded too much like I was having a go at Slippery_pete!!