For clarity,

Random drug testing IS legal in the US, and IS a requirement for a range of commercial operations (I believe, including maintenance operations). So it is not that 'unreasonable' that some congressman will get in a twist about the 'lesser' safety of European regulations (not withstanding there is no evidence of a problem - after all Europe does not have a monopoly on solving non-problems). I believe the twice yearly inspection is an increase and that it was a protectionist action.

The bigger issues must be around airline ownership and a very different view in Europe vs. the US with regard to monopolies (hence Europe's desire to allow long term immunity from prosecution and America wanting this immunity to fall away quickly).

I have worked for 2 companys in the UK that do random drugs testing.

Pee in a pot and a hair clipping.

Story goes a offshore worker to hide his hobby in Amsterdam shaves his head in the belief that that will foil the drugs tester. Should have got a crack and sack though as they took a clipping from there instead.

Fair enough; is drug testing an issue in the EU then?

If the EU objects to it, that is tantamount to enabling drunk/drugged workers to perform maintenance on US registered passenger jets, which looks pretty bad form for the EU to be defending :ugh:

Next time you take a flight on say Continental Airlines, the aircraft may have been maintained by some EU based Repair Station whose employees have been protected from drug testing by EU law.

Does the EU really want that? It would make the evening news.

You sure you lot arent taking the pi** :)

Seriously, what has the world come to.

I can think of so many ways an engineer might perform his work badly and so many reasons why radomn drug tests wouldnt make any difference.

What next. Shall we drug test lawyers, accountants, politicians perhaps.

It really is time this nonesense must stop - not least because we cant afford it any more! :)

anyway, sorry to depart from the discussion, I know it probably will not (stop) but had to vent my view.

Chaps, back to the discussion.

I think we could do with getting some of the folk at EASA drug tested.

Part M makes dodgy maintenance impossible.

Absolutely. And if there is a maintenance-related incident, then the owner is responsible

Nice to see a sense of humour creeping into the thread.....:E

I vote for regular and thorough drug testing of the entire staff of the Dutch CAA, in the light of some of the bizarre and thoroughly baffling legislation that they have produced concerning PLB's, Mode-S transponders and the overflight of bird reserves.

It all suggests that they have been loafing around in cafe's, getting skunked to the eyeballs.

YouTube - Police in Amsterdam - Harry Enfield and Chums - BBC comedy

Rejoice! :d:d