Alcohol limits

[JTK]

What are they and where can I find them - especially for far east? Might be operating to Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand soon and don't want to have a beer that ends up with me in the dock! :eek:

[White Otter]

Well the wording isn't clear (I only have CAA BTW) "must not act as flight crew if they are undder the influence of alcohol or a drug" though 20mg/100ml seems to be the limit (compared with 80ml/100ml for driving). Also remember the 8 hours bottle to throttle rule.

P.S. after drinking your first drink one hour will elapse and from then on 1 unit of alchol will leave per hour.

P.P.S its probably best not to risk it. A pint 10 hours before the flight is probably OK though.

[JTK]

Thanks. I can't find anything on other countries though - despite trawling google for hours. :ugh:

[Bealzebub]

The requirements are normally laid down in the operations manual. They will be based on the air law relevant to the jurisdiction, but they can vary from company to company. Usually you will find a restiction of anything from 8 to 12 hours after the consumption of any acohol before commencing a flying or standby duty. This period will be extended to at least 14 hours for anything more than a moderate intake.

Obviously the metabolic rate of absorption can vary from person to person and whatever the limit may actually be, your own performance can be sufficiently degraded after the statutory period such that you are not fit to fly.

I would suggest that playing with the limits in this case is a dangerous game to play in any jurisdiction.

[JTK]

Absolutely it's just that I've heard that in some countries the limit is 24 hours and I guess the far east has a reputation for being quite hard on offenders of any sort so just in case I have a quiet beer one evening I'd like to be sure that I'm not busting a 24 hour rule, if there is such a thing?

[BelArgUSA]

Think of this...
xxx
A person of 130 kilos can probably drink twice as much as one of 65 kilos.
Provided that the two have equal metabolism. But we all are different.
Many variables enter into the blood/alcohol tests, i.e. meals and drinks.
Would not trust any of your above rules, unless checking them for "my body".
xxx
Had a few random tests here and there, before flights.
I most cases, had dinner the night before, a glass of wine, or a beer.
Never got problems.
On that, sleep your 8 hrs... and fly 10 or 12 hrs later... you will be ok.
Just limit yourself to conservative figures.
xxx
Cheers

[parabellum]

India has, ( or did have) a 12 hour LAW, you could be fined or jailed for drinking within twelve hours of a flight and they have been known to check the room service bills in a crew hotel to see what time the alcohol was ordered.

[TheGorrilla]

One good reason not to drink in the hotel. Even just ordering it without drinking it could get you in trouble then? Best not to bother, or wait till your next day off (you'll enjoy it even more then!).

[balajinaidoo]

better u dont drink the day before

[Yay!!!]

Dont drink at all. I take a coke or something like that instead.
(Dont like beer):)

[OverRun]

Here is a blood alcohol calculator in excel - click the link and if you have Excel on your machine, it should open. Otherwise right-click the link, and save as:
bac.xls (http://www.geocities.com/profemery/bac.xls)

It is pretty useful for all crew (and SLF) if you're on a trip because even if you are a little dis-orientated from time zone changes, it'll give you a good calculation of bac without having to rely on judgment. Remember that the graph is % blood alcohol, which is not the UK ** mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood (often 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood).

[Miles Gustaph]

This is a complicated issue and very much depends upon where in the world you are; for example in the United States a Pilot was refused access to an Aeroplane for being suspected as being under the influence, and subsequently received disciplinary action from his company… he thought this was a little unfair and took his employer to court, the courts upheld the employers actions.

Worse still Pilots have been know to have been used as pawns in Political negotiations; two Western Pilots were arrested at an African airport, breathalysed and thrown in jail for being over the limit to fly… the law had changed over night from a modest level to a no alcohol level, after the State where the carrier was registered had taken a less hard line in some trade negotiations the Pilots were released, and shortly after the pervious alcohol level was reintroduced.

There is a big school of thought on this subject at the moment and the loudest consensus of opinion makes several valid points:

Since the law is different all over the world, and you never know if it changed last night and
Since everyone is different with a different metabolism and
Since it cost you a lot of money and time to get your Pilots licence and
It might be difficult to get another job after a charge of flying or attempting to while under the influence, or as it is in some countries endangering lives
Why drink alcohol within 24hours of flying?I do know the social pressure’s & hell the fun that is too be had from a globe-trotting social life, but the world at large has no sympathy at all for any Pilot who is accused of being under the influence.

I don’t want to sound like a party pooper but why after managing to get “The Dream Job” would you want to throw it all away for just another G&T?

[A Comfy Chair]

JTK,

So many posts and so few actual answers to your question! Unfortunately this post will be of limited assistance too!

The rule will be stipulated in their version of the Aviation Regulations, but of course different countries, different documents!

The USA, for example, is governed by FAR 91.17
Alcohol or drugs.

(a) No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft--
(1) Within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage;
(2) While under the influence of alcohol;
(3) While using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any way contrary to safety; or
[(4) While having an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater in a blood or breath specimen. Alcohol concentration means grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood or grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath.]


Australia has a similar section in their "CAR/CASR"'s.

Good luck finding them!

[Lasiorhinus]

CAR 256
Intoxicated persons not to act as pilots etc. or be carried on aircraft

(1) A person shall not, while in a state of intoxication, enter any aircraft.
Penalty: 5 penalty units.

(2) A person acting as a member of the operating crew of an aircraft, or carried in the aircraft to act as a member of the operating crew, shall not, while so acting or carried, be in a state in which, by reason of his or her having consumed, used, or absorbed any alcoholic liquor, drug, pharmaceutical or medicinal preparation or other substance, his or her capacity so to act is impaired.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.

(3) A person shall not act as, or perform any duties or functions preparatory to acting as, a member of the operating crew of an aircraft if the person has, during the period of 8 hours immediately preceding the departure of the aircraft consumed any alcoholic liquor.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.

(4) A person who is on board an aircraft as a member of the operating crew, or as a person carried in the aircraft for the purpose of acting as a member of the operating crew, shall not consume any alcoholic liquor.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.

(5) A person shall not, while acting in any capacity in either air traffic control or Flight Service, be in a state in which, by reason of his or her having consumed, used, or absorbed any alcoholic liquor, drug, pharmaceutical or medicinal preparation or other substance, his or her capacity so to act is impaired.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.

(6) A person shall not act in any capacity in either air traffic control or Flight Service if the person has, during the period of 8 hours immediately preceding the commencement of the period of duty in which he or she so acts, consumed any alcoholic liquor.
Penalty: 50 penalty units.

(7) A person who is on duty in either air traffic control or Flight Service shall not consume any alcoholic liquor.
Penalty for a contravention of this subregulation: 50 penalty units.

(8) An offence against subregulation (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) is an offence of strict liability.

Thats the Australian law.

[OverRun]

I came across a good extended rule of thumb, which I have been testing out extensively using the calibrated breathalyzer at work, and I'm pretty confident with:

8 hours bottle to throttle if you've had a couple of drinks, BUT
12 hours bottle to throttle if you've had a lot (should that be 12 hours Bender to fender???).

If you can't remember when you stopped drinking, this automatically qualifies you for the 12 hour rule and a conservative application thereof. :ok: