Pilot caught smelling of alcohol at LHR
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I briefly summarise an article which appeared in the local press (Finland).
A lady motorist was stopped, randomly breath tested, and gave a very high reading (4%).
The police officers felt she couldn't possibly be that drunk (no other signs) and an investigation was commenced.
It concluded that the breathalyser machine had been contaminated by the disinfectant, which we are currently urged to rub on our hands, used to contain pig flu.
A lady motorist was stopped, randomly breath tested, and gave a very high reading (4%).
The police officers felt she couldn't possibly be that drunk (no other signs) and an investigation was commenced.
It concluded that the breathalyser machine had been contaminated by the disinfectant, which we are currently urged to rub on our hands, used to contain pig flu.
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The Air Canada pilot tested over the limits until the blood test came in . Now he is back on the line. Interesting not a word about the AA pilot I suspect he is clear also
. If he was convicted it would be public record. Flying Lawyer do you know
. If he was convicted it would be public record. Flying Lawyer do you know
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On my last (retirement) flight, I'm planning LHR.
On the crew bus I'll take a bottle of the cheapest, rot-gut whiskey and do my best "hai Karate cologne" (..you have to be old enough to remember the commercials) impersonation.
Get close enough to those security wankers to set off all the bells. It'll make their day, "great..we caught another one!"
Breath and Blood will be zero, as I don't indulge.
Maybe "book-off" for all the stress and indignity and send a message to the Monkeys that run the zoo.
On the crew bus I'll take a bottle of the cheapest, rot-gut whiskey and do my best "hai Karate cologne" (..you have to be old enough to remember the commercials) impersonation.
Get close enough to those security wankers to set off all the bells. It'll make their day, "great..we caught another one!"
Breath and Blood will be zero, as I don't indulge.
Maybe "book-off" for all the stress and indignity and send a message to the Monkeys that run the zoo.
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Jonny boy
A canuk hooligan after me own heart Though I may ask, have you been "Screeched In" yet ? if not you've got to get Screeched afore you take the 'screw you lot' through the management floor on your last cmcl pole inbound 
Though I may ask, have you been "Screeched In" yet ? if not you've got to get Screeched afore you take the 'screw you lot' through the management floor on your last cmcl pole inbound
LHR security
More bang for your buck
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absolutely correct. LHR security are seriously over zealous with aircrew
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johnny 767
Add insult to injury and eat a whole bulb of garlic the night before. Nothing like garlic and alcohol breath.
When they do the blood test they will say 'no alcohol but marvellous cholesterol levels'.
When they do the blood test they will say 'no alcohol but marvellous cholesterol levels'.
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John McGhie
I have been sober now for 1 year, 10 months and 17 days.
It was the single most important decision I took in my life. And the hardest thing I ever had to pull off, and will have to continue to pull off until mother nature claims me back.
I have regained my self-esteem, I'm back to teaching evolutionary biology at my university and I never was happier ever.
I can't thank you enough, Sir, for your post at the beginning of this thread.
I hope it will serve as a homing beacon for everybody in the aviation world who suffers from an addictive disease. There is plenty of help out there. Go get it!
Best regards and may the force be with you.
Peter
It was the single most important decision I took in my life. And the hardest thing I ever had to pull off, and will have to continue to pull off until mother nature claims me back.
I have regained my self-esteem, I'm back to teaching evolutionary biology at my university and I never was happier ever.
I can't thank you enough, Sir, for your post at the beginning of this thread.
I hope it will serve as a homing beacon for everybody in the aviation world who suffers from an addictive disease. There is plenty of help out there. Go get it!
Best regards and may the force be with you.
Peter
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I've known 3 pilots to be breathalised at LHR and all proved to be negative.Maybe it's the small minded idiots we employ at LHR smelling each others breath which is confusing their limited senses.
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Gentleman and Ladies
Just wondered if there isn't room in the airliner biz for one piece of technology slowly now being introduced in the less well funded trucking industry. If you follow this link:
Volvo Trucks Magazine
...and click on the story about the French road transporter TECL at the top/right, you will see what I mean: an onboard device that prevents engine start if the driver/pilot fails a breath sample.
There have been several references so far in this thread to road transport and to trucking in particular, so maybe this is useful.
Dan
Just wondered if there isn't room in the airliner biz for one piece of technology slowly now being introduced in the less well funded trucking industry. If you follow this link:
Volvo Trucks Magazine
...and click on the story about the French road transporter TECL at the top/right, you will see what I mean: an onboard device that prevents engine start if the driver/pilot fails a breath sample.
There have been several references so far in this thread to road transport and to trucking in particular, so maybe this is useful.
Dan
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Chewing a mouthful of "curiously strong" peppermints prior to entering the security checkpoint may get you through. But then again, if you're too drunk to think of that, then you deserve to be turfed. 
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I'm amazed by all the apologies, excuses, and rationalizations for drinking alcohol that I see here. Do you realize how negative an impression of pilots this creates? Apparently, as long as you are "legal," it's okay to take the drug, irrespective of any impairment it might cause. And procedures designed to prevent impaired pilots from endangering themselves and others are seen as nuisances to be worked around. And when pilots are found to be over the legal limit, there seems to be some persistent suspicion that they are somehow being railroaded by the authorities. Are there any pilots here who manage to lead a drug-free existence?
Are you aware that observations like these are typical of people who have developed a dependence on ethanol? They need it to sleep, to relax, to function socially, to stay calm, etc.
I am absolutely certain that total abstention from alcohol would improve flight safety; the only question is by how much. A pilot who cannot get by without alcohol already has a problem serious enough to put his ability to fly safely into question. And while the use of alcohol well outside of flying duties presumably does not cause any direct impairment, the inability to get by in life without drinking for more than a short time strongly suggests a problem.
I think this all shows how pervasive drug use is in society. Just because it's legal doesn't make it okay. Indeed, there are some illegal drugs that cause less impairment than alcohol, from a flying standpoint.
It is said that John Denver was once asked by a Congressional committee what type of drug-induced state he had in mind when he wrote "Rocky Mountain High." He responded by saying, in effect, that anyone who has seen the Rocky Mountains on a clear day can get high from that sight alone … without any need for drugs.
Are pilots so jaded by the experience of flying among the clouds that they need drugs to be happy?
Instead of going out with the crew and having a few beers ( which would keep me legal AFAIK ) I drank soft drinks . My sleep pattern was disturbed and I was significantly more tired than normal for the sector home . During a non normal I was too slow to prevent a misselection by the Non handling pilot .
I just wasn't as sharp as normal for that particular time on that particular sector I don't think I was fatigued . I'm certain a few beers would have aided sleep and the incident would have been less likely .
Flying is stressful a few beers and the conversations that arise from that with fellow crew are really helpful engender teamwork and help crew synergy.
I just wasn't as sharp as normal for that particular time on that particular sector I don't think I was fatigued . I'm certain a few beers would have aided sleep and the incident would have been less likely .
Flying is stressful a few beers and the conversations that arise from that with fellow crew are really helpful engender teamwork and help crew synergy.
Note to all tosspots ... I'm not advocating drinking and flying but for those that think abstention from alcohol for all pilots will promote flight safety are not taking all factors into the equation.
I think this all shows how pervasive drug use is in society. Just because it's legal doesn't make it okay. Indeed, there are some illegal drugs that cause less impairment than alcohol, from a flying standpoint.
It is said that John Denver was once asked by a Congressional committee what type of drug-induced state he had in mind when he wrote "Rocky Mountain High." He responded by saying, in effect, that anyone who has seen the Rocky Mountains on a clear day can get high from that sight alone … without any need for drugs.
Are pilots so jaded by the experience of flying among the clouds that they need drugs to be happy?
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<checks calendar>
Is it groundhog day?
Please can we not go down this route again? A simmer/non-pilot berating people for what they have or haven't said about alcohol, comments being taken out of context, trolls pitching in for good measure. It's all been done to death before.
Is it groundhog day?
Please can we not go down this route again? A simmer/non-pilot berating people for what they have or haven't said about alcohol, comments being taken out of context, trolls pitching in for good measure. It's all been done to death before.
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AnthonyGA you are a damn fool!!!!
I would really like to know which illegal drugs cause less impairment than alcohol!
I would also like to know whether you think fatigue or alcohol is the bigger problem!
Let me tell you, I have only ever, in 30 years of flying, encountered one person who was under the influence of drink. However, I do regularly fly with people flying well below par due to fatigue, I have even had people fall asleep minutes after take off and contribute nothing on a 5 hour flight.
Todays roster practices create much greater dangers than any drunk pilot.
I would really like to know which illegal drugs cause less impairment than alcohol!
I would also like to know whether you think fatigue or alcohol is the bigger problem!
Let me tell you, I have only ever, in 30 years of flying, encountered one person who was under the influence of drink. However, I do regularly fly with people flying well below par due to fatigue, I have even had people fall asleep minutes after take off and contribute nothing on a 5 hour flight.
Todays roster practices create much greater dangers than any drunk pilot.
