The drunk pilot. What to do?

[targaman]

Here is one for the stirring pot.

When do you report a fellow pilot for an alcohol addiction problem?

I have deliberately left out drug taking and other forms of mental, psychological and physical abuse.

Should you reort them?

Who should you report them to?

Have you ever reported a colleague (Pilot) for an alcoholic addiction affecting their job?

I have. Once. Not a good thing to have to do but in this case completely necessary.

The person involved thankfully accepted treatment sponsored by the employer and he returned to work after several months and was one of the lucky 20% that didn't re-abuse.

Hard call I can tell you!

In my case I got a complaint from a bar owner at a favourite crew watering hole. Apparently and I had witnessed it on one occasion, this individual was habitaully drunk and abusive and driving cusstom from her bar. She didn't want to call the fuzz and asked me for help.

I reported the individual first to our union medical officer. They (Union) took the matter up with the individual and the company.

In that company there were many heavy social drinkers, but few true alcoholics. How do you tell the difference?

Some alcoholics wre recognized by the company as such and were either treated (Unsuccessfully in many cases) or fired).

How do you decide when the line has been crossed?

What should you do?

When should you do it?

Comments?

[learjetdriver]

hi folks,

any drunken pilot is a risk. Not only for himself, also for the crew, the passengers, other aircrafts and people on the ground.

I think, there is no way to tolerate any abuse of alcohol in the cockpit. Do yourself and your company the favour and report these pilots. Imagine what would happen, if a newspaper would find out, that your company employs pilots with alcoholic addiction problem. The loss of image can ruin a company. The result: you will loose your job because someone else is not able to limit his intake of alcohol.

The report should be made as soon as possible, of course latest before entering the aircraft.
It is the resonsibility of the company management to keep the reports in confidence. It must be in their own interest, to keep drunken pilots out of the cockpit.

[kobus]

Report him or you will lose your job or be suspended.
Search google news for "drunk pilot" and you will see what I'm talking about.

[BA299]

In my first airline I reported a captain and it was very hard. My report caused the cancellation of the flight me and the crew went back home a day later. And I was so unlucky that I reported the most famous and friendly captain, so I become the bastard the put in trouble the nice captain....

[Hawk]

Targaman. Not certain there is an off the shelf definition of an "alchoholic". Generally, if alcohol is interfering with your personal, social or work life then it probably qualifys as problem drinking. If a person's drinking places self or others in danger, or interfers with the safe operation of an aircraft there would be a case for notification. How that is done, depends on the reporting mechanisms in place for the individual airline.

[No_Speed_Restriction]

How about this.....think about the pilots that get away with being on duty whilst under the influence (just something to think about). Not good. Lets hope it doesnt happen.:confused:

[You Gimboid]

This is quite a pertinent question since the Helsinki case - where a skipper got jailed for having crew under the influence although he himself wasn't!

Might make a Capt think it more beneficial to his long term well being to offload crew members first and worry about the consequences later?

[BGQ]

You did exactly the right thing for the following reasons :-

You were at risk if the allegations were untrue or the pilot concerned denied the problem.... it happens.

By reporting to the union and having them handle things initially your union was in a position to consider the legal and welfare issues affecting both you and the offending pilot.

The union is also able to make discrete enquiries to confirm whether a problem really exists or not prior to a possibly genuine but unfounded allegation is made to management.... career damaging stuff for both of you.

The situation would be much harder if you genuinely felt there was a problem and the union refused to deal with it. Under those circumstances you really have no option but to report it to management.

Alcoholism is a sickness... responsible companies have plans jointly agreed with the unions to deal with and manage the sickness for the betterment of all parties.

On the other hand the part time drunk who gets pissed on an overnight, is not an alcoholic and turns up for work under the influence has NO excuse and should be fired on the spot.


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