Flight planning whilst drunk

[Gertrude the Wombat]

OK, I don't really mean "drunk", I mean "maybe not entirely as sober as one would be if flying".

Of course none of us would get into a plane and try to fly it after drinking, but what about sitting down a few days beforehand, after dinner and a couple of glasses of wine, to draw the lines on the map, look up the frequencies, measure the angles and so on?

So, who does that then? And how many of us repeat all the work whilst fit to fly, just to make sure we didn't make any mistakes?

[tacpot]

Been there, done that!

Have flight planned while under the influence, but have always got the Weather, Notams etc. on the day of the flight and luckily noticed 'errors' when completing the PLOG.

I was taught to check for gross errors in the PLOG, AND I have found such errors after both alcoholic AND non-alcoholic supported planning sessions!

So I don't repeat it all, but do check for gross errors.

tp

[Julian]

Havent most of us at some point??? :D

After I have done a flight plan I always do the same one on Navbox and just cross check if they look the same and the figures more of less match up. If something is way out you can go back and rework it to find out what you have done.

Julian.

[jimpearce]

many a silly idea was hatched in the pub :-)))))))))
see www.microlightadventures.co.uk for 2 of those!!!!
Jim.

[Genghis the Engineer]

It's what you get up to when you're sober that worries me Jim :D

G

[FlyingForFun]

Have to admit I've never done this, but will definitely give it a try now you've mentioned it! :)

A couple of years ago, I remember discussing with another PPRuNer what it might be like to fly when drunk. We hatched a plan whereby one of us would remain sober, act as captain for the flight, and carry out the take-off, approach and landing, but the other would do most of the flying after a beer or three, under the watchful eye of the sober one. Of course neither of us had any intention of taking our plan even slightly seriously..... but a small, curious part of me does wonder what it might be like. Maybe when we have full-motion sims for light aircraft at a reasonable price it would be something to try?!?

FFF
---------------

[tacpot]

FFF, if you ever do try, do take a sick bag!

[englishal]

Havent most of us at some point???
Not me mate :} Oh ok, then maybe once or twice.

Normally if I have a skinful of beer the night before a flight, I don't bother to plan it. By the time you've had enough coffee the next morning to sober up, there is no time left for flight planning. Just get a ruler out, check its not so far that you'll run out of fuel, and off you go. At least if you go IFR, ATC tell you where to go...;)

[Confabulous]

I'll admit I have flown while drunk (5 pints), yes I know it's not the safest way of flying, but nobody stopped me.

It was a very weird experience - you think you're doing everything properly, but somehow the aircraft keeps getting away from you - for example, preflight was a bit lax, takeoff was a tad protracted, couldn't remember how to trim for level flight, and landing was fairly difficult, but it didn't seem like that at the time - I (almost) overran a 3000ft runway - no thought of a GA, just aimed for the runway and hit the brakes till they locked. Checklists and mnenomics were nonexistent, and while I tried, I couldn't be bothered looking for traffic. RT was a tad sluggish too. Lucky I'd ordered a taxi really, otherwise I surely would've ended up in a ditch on the way home.

I realise it wasn't the most responsible thing to do, but I really learned my lesson - no-one found out (they probably though I was on a student solo), but it was unsettling all the same.

Got down in one piece, that's the main thing, and great fun to boot - much more relaxed then usual!

Confab

And yes, it was a simulator I flew :D

[Whopity]

The Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 lays down the current requirements relating to aviation and alcohol:

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2003/30020--f.htm#94

Aviation functions

(1) For the purposes of this Part the following (and only the following) are aviation functions-



(a) acting as a pilot of an aircraft during flight,



(b) acting as flight navigator of an aircraft during flight,



(c) acting as flight engineer of an aircraft during flight,



(d) acting as flight radio-telephony operator of an aircraft during flight,



(e) acting as a member of the cabin crew of an aircraft during flight,



(f) attending the flight deck of an aircraft during flight to give or supervise training, to administer a test, to observe a period of practice or to monitor or record the gaining of experience,



(g) acting as an air traffic controller in pursuance of a licence granted under or by virtue of an enactment (other than a licence granted to a student), and



(h) acting as a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(h) a person acts as a licensed aircraft maintenance engineer if-



(a) he issues a document relating to the maintenance, condition or use of an aircraft or equipment in reliance on a licence granted under or by virtue of an enactment relating to aviation, or



(b) he carries out or supervises work on an aircraft or equipment with a view to, or in connection with, the issue by him of a document of the kind specified in paragraph (a).

(3) For the purposes of this Part a reference to an activity which is ancillary to an aviation function is a reference to anything which falls to be treated as such by virtue of subsections (4) to (6).

(4) An activity shall be treated as ancillary to an aviation function if it is undertaken-



(a) by a person who has reported for a period of duty in respect of the function, and



(b) as a requirement of, for the purpose of or in connection with the performance of the function during that period of duty.

(5) A person who in accordance with the terms of an employment or undertaking holds himself ready to perform an aviation function if called upon shall be treated as carrying out an activity ancillary to the function.

(6) Where a person sets out to perform an aviation function, anything which he does by way of preparing to perform the function shall be treated as an activity ancillary to it.clearly states that is an offence to commit any aviation activity whilst under the influence of alcohol.

Flight planning after a second glass of wine may well breach breach the act yet a FISO with a bottle of sherry seems OK!

[stue]

you get the most interesting trips when planning after a few! Scotland doesnt seem that far away and the lakes are just afew "lumps" in the centre of the map. grate fun! you need to sober up the following morning though.

I remember when i was a student doing steep turns with a hangover, that was good fun! round and round and round and round........:yuk: (with and instructor, obviously)

;)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

That's interesting. So, we have a new law which defines an offence which is

(1) not identifiable
(2) not enforceable.

(1) because ... I'm drawing lines on the map ect ect whilst not entirely sober? Am I committing an offence? Who knows - if I'm actually planning to fly that route one day then yes, if I'm just drawing lines on the map for fun for a route I never intend to fly then no. Prove that then, one way or the other.

(2) because ... whilst I can believe that one Saturday afternoon I might meet a policeman as I go airside who will ask me to blow into a little tube, I have serious difficulty in believing that that same policeman will knock on my door the previous Wednesday evening, spot that I'm drawing lines on the map, come to the conclusion that this is a route I actually intend to fly on Saturday, and then ask me to blow into a little tube.

Now, it is a generally recoginised principle of good legislation that you don't pass laws like that, because all they can possible achieve is bringing the law into disrepute. Next time I meet our lawyer MP at a party I'll see what he thinks about this one.

[Oh, and in posting the above I'm possibly tempting providence slightly ... I do actually know quite a few of the police round here, and if there's a knock on my door next Wednesday I'll know that one of them has risen to the bait!]

[PSF2J]

Well done for the Act reference.

I have been told for some time now locally, that if you are carrying out flight planning under the influence, it is illegal and you can be prosecuted.

How the hell are they going to know? Seriously!!!!

Sensibilty rules the day.

[reynoldsno1]

something along the lines of ....
p*ss poor planning = p*ss poor performance.....

[FlyingForFun]

I suspect that many of these rules were created with commercial aviation in mind.

When an airline undertakes flight planning, its employees (pilots or dedicated operations planning people, depending on the size of the airline) will be at an office, in working hours, and will have been told by the boss that they are to plan a particular route with the intention that the airline will fly that route. Now it is very obvious that "flight planning" is taking place - and the rule makes much more sense in this environment than it does in private aviation.

Does that make sense?

FFF
--------------

[Julian]

(6) Where a person sets out to perform an aviation function, anything which he does by way of preparing to perform the function shall be treated as an activity ancillary to it.clearly states that is an offence to commit any aviation activity whilst under the influence of alcohol

So no buying any new flight planning equipment/books/software/etc whilst p1ssed as according to the above that will be an offence as well!