Pax with a few too many

[corsair]

Watching all the heli activity last week at the Galway races. 88 or was it 100 choppers to and froing all day. It looked like a re-enactment of the fall of Saigon or a quiet day in Baghdad.

Long after the last race, I counted 6 in the air and it occured to me that by that time many of the pax must have been sampling the sponsors brew for quite some time. I know I certainly was, particularly as I had a very good day at the races financially. Sadly I walked home in the rain.

So how does a pilot of a helicopter cope with an intoxicated gang of revellers? After all unlike Ryanair or Easyjet, these people have forked out big money for the trip and don't they just know it. It must lead to a fraught few moments for some of you pros out there. Any stories?

[Teefor Gage]

Tipsy passengers

I would have (and have had!) no qualms in denying access to a drunk passenger, regardless of how much they had paid out for the flight. However, there are degrees of being drunk, but it is sometimes hard to discriminate between somebody who has had a few too many but is in complete control of his faculties, and one that will act up during the flight.
If you are going to climb to a reasonable altitude during the flight, remember that the pressure change and the slight reduction in oxygen levels will have an adverse reaction on somebody who is only "slightly over the top" at ground level....
If you ever suffer the effects of a drunk throwing a fit during a flight, I'm sure you will think twice before letting one on your helicopter.....it's your life and that of your passengers that is at stake!

[verticalhold]

After one incident at a famous sporting event I now make as sure as I can that nobody touches anything. Also make the lead passenger be as sober as possible and make himm sit next to me if I have to have a front seater.

[Helinut]

Part of the rich tapestry of small helicopter ad-hoc charter.

Often an indvidual drunk who is getting stroppy is controlled by others with more concern for their own mortality.

As others have said, vigilance prior to the flight and pick the sober one to sit up front.........

[NLJ]

One too many for the road (sky).

So how does a pilot of a helicopter cope with an intoxicated gang of revellers.

Alcohol is a great leveller. It doesn't matter how important a passenger thinks he or she is, when they've had one too many they all act like a*******s.
Have done many Epsom, Ascot, Goodwood, Cheltenham etc shuttles in the past and have had many tipsy passengers on board. If they're really too far gone, feeding them coffee and telling them they're going nowhere until they simmer down and sober up usually does the job.

[Teefor Gage]

Levellers......

While giving a safety briefing, I noticed that one passenger looked a little under the influence and was not only not paying attention but was talking rather loudly to his mate. I walked up to him and said "When we crash, will you remember how to get out?" at which point he seemed to sober up rapidly......

[whatsarunway]

Had one recently, leaving cardiff , after some big event, last one there, finally the pax arrived and fell out of the taxi.

one was very drunk and shouting as he walked up to the helicopter he looked up att the tail rotor and said something stupid. . . . . . and walked directly into the horizontal stab, hit him just above the nose.

Not a word from him the whole flight. . apart from looking for more tissues!

Karma.

[ShouldItDoThat]

TG,

Do you crash everyflight, and if so what's your insurance like?

SIDT

[Teefor Gage]

Re: Crashing every flight

SIDT

I wondered if anybody would notice that one - wot sharp eyes you have!! I've been cleverer than you think - I don't have insurance so it doesn't matter how many crashes I have.......

[vaqueroaero]

I once dropped off some guys at the races and picked them up later. Needless to say they were slightly the worse for wear and had managed to acquire themselves a rather elegant 'lady for hire'.

Once we got back to the airport and we shut down one of the guys came up to me and said that as a tip for the flight she would take me aside for some fun........... No, I didn't.

[corsair]

Speaking of tips. I was earwigging some heli pilots once who were talking about the best tips. Some well known names were slammed for their parsimony. But one pilot was tipped to the tune of a thousand dollars by some American golfers. Made me wish I had taken up helicopter lessons.

[ericferret]

In the days when lightships were manned, the crews regularly turned up worse for wear.

Mind you who could blame them when they were about to swing around a buoy for two
weeks in the middle of the north sea.