naming and shaming - cui bono?

[deptrai]

US media report that an American Eagle pilot has been suspended after failing a blood alcohol test. Full name, age, pictures, nationality...What's the point?

Is shame the elephant in the newsroom?

When will news media transition from a "blame culture" to a "learning culture"?

[/rant over]

[deptrai]

You are right. I was just wondering how the media would know his name...unless someone told them?

[Lone_Ranger]

Perhaps it makes things safer in the long run? ...........shirley its now less likely he will be hired by another company?

[alfaman]

its now less likely he will be hired by another company?

point being, there are processes to determine that, & trial by press is no substitute. Suspension does not mean guilty, it means investigate to determine guilt. Suppose there's a perfectly innocent explanation? Too late, the individual's only a google away from a ruined reputation. It wouldn't be the first time the press has got hold of the wrong persons details, either, & an apology buried on page 99 doesn't fix it.

[Lone_Ranger]

He failed an alcohol test, he smelled of alcohol, he should'nt have presented himself for work in that condition.
I would'nt want to fly with him.
What the lawyers get up to afterwards is of little interest to me

P.S. re: media versus Judicial system ...the data would be hard to collate, but imho, Its extremely likely the courts in America have ruined more innocent lives than the media ever has....or would you disagree?

[Airbubba]

You are right. I was just wondering how the media would know his name...unless someone told them?

Arrest records (including mugshots) are public in the U.S. in most cases. The fact that the alleged perp made it to the cockpit probably is the result of the time it takes to find someone to make a decision to breath test and the fact that if the pilot is stopped short of the plane, he or she will inevitably claim they were reporting sick and had no intent of operating the flight.

In recent years I've seem some of these cases handled very quietly with charges dropped and records sealed pending successful treatment of the drinking problem.

In the UK, American pilots have often been given suspended sentences or acquittals since hard time might negatively impact their flying career, e.g.:

Drunk United Airlines pilot E***** V******* W********* avoids jail sentence - NYPOST.com

Heathrow pilot was caught drunk at 9am about to fly to America | Mail Online

Cleared: The pilot who claimed he got drunk in his sleep | Mail Online

In the third link above the accused claims that he showed up at the airport in full uniform and passed though security to report sick:

At his three-day trial, he denied he had been intending to board the plane.

He told the jury: "I was drunk. I realised I wasn't going to work. I assumed I had lost my job. I figured the best thing to do was to tell Harvey."

Attempting to explain why a bottle of whisky he had bought the day before was now two-thirds full, he said the drink had disappeared overnight, adding that "strange things" sometimes happened in his sleep.

Even in the UK, it seems that the legal consequences are recently starting to increase:

Drunk pilot G***** L* P***** who didn't know where he was flying to jailed for 6 months | Mail Online

[BobnSpike]

If I were ever to be so unfortunate as to find myself on trial, I would request that my attorney ask all potential jurors whether they had ever posted on PPRuNe. Any that answered "yes" would be immediately dismissed.

[Huck]

If I were his age and still flying for Eagle I'd be drunk every day....

[VFD]

If I were his age and still flying for Eagle I'd be drunk every day....

Easy now Huck there were are quite a few "senior" pilots at MQ that ended up there do to circumstances from a shrinking industry in years past that were waiting on a "first to interview" at AA or build turbine hours for elsewhere.

But, I will take the humor side as well.

[Huck]

Yeah I meant no harm. I did my purgatory season at ASA.....

Eagle was actually a decent career airline, or it used to be anyway.

[Lemain]

Would be very easy for someone with a motive to splash/spray smelly booze over crew....and what, exactly, is 'drunk'? Not supporting drink-flying, driving or operating machines but allegations should be treated as a clean sheet to avoid the risk of some kind of set-up by those who wish the individual ill. Trial by media or forum is not acceptable.

[Mac the Knife]

"In recent years I've seem some of these cases handled very quietly with charges dropped and records sealed pending successful treatment of the drinking problem."

As it should be! A large proportion of cases so handled end up with an expensively trained professional rehabilitated and back at work in 6-12 months.

A life saved, a family saved and a pilot back on the flight deck where he should be.

[Lemain]

As it should be! A large proportion of cases so handled end up with an expensively trained professional rehabilitated and back at work in 6-12 months.

A life saved, a family saved and a pilot back on the flight deck where he should be.

Hmmm.... not usually if the problem is long-standing. If someone has just been 'silly' then yes, slapped-wrist, and that doesn't need weeks, let alone 6/12 months. If someone needs 6/12 months it's not safe for them to be ATPL. Sorry, sad, but true - they should find some non-flying role to make use of their interest, training and experience, not the flight deck. Not being argumentative but just honest and realistic.

[Huck]

Usually the 6 to 12 months is to convince the FAA doctor you're under control.

[LeadSled]

"In recent years I've seem some of these cases handled very quietly with charges dropped and records sealed pending successful treatment of the drinking problem."

As it should be! A large proportion of cases so handled end up with an expensively trained professional rehabilitated and back at work in 6-12 months.

A life saved, a family saved and a pilot back on the flight deck where he should be.

Mac,
Exactly, alcoholism is a disease, and it is a treatable disease, contrary to what some posters seem to believe.

There are many airlines, along with many industrial companies, that have excellent policies and programs to treat the problem.

The airline I worked for was a pioneer in the field, the company program of confidential treatment and rehabilitation applied to all employees, pilots were not discriminated against, although they obviously could not fly while on the program. As I recall, it commenced in its original form in the 1970's. It has been much developed since, but the basic policy has never changed, it is a disease that, if not treated, effectively costs a normal life.

Overall, in a company with a payroll in the order of 35,000, the success rate was very high, particularly for pilots.

[Temp Spike]

I suppose we need to have a trial every time a pilot is removed from duty for cause that may be damaging to the pilot‘s career? Don’t think so. The pilot has recourse through the civil courts IF he/she was removed in error or reputation damaged unjustly.

Maybe we need a trial every time the media reports the news that may damage somebody’s reputation? Don’t think so. Again, you have the civil courts for recourse.

It’s interesting though, because the pilot in question had just finished his preflight.

[captjns]

There are aviation authorities that have mandated procedures inplace to prevent a pilot from entering the cockpit while under theinfluence. During the signing process aBAC is administered. While a positivemay not save the individual’s job, it does, however prevent an arrest leadingto possible prosecution, and of course unnecessary publicity. The program works.

[SLFguy]

"Exactly, alcoholism is a disease, and it is a treatable disease, contrary to what some posters seem to believe.

There are many airlines, along with many industrial companies, that have excellent policies and programs to treat the problem."

Not passing judgement, just want to understand what you are saying.

There are airlines who have alcoholics flying?

[sevenstrokeroll]

I do think that the title of the subject thread should be changed to something like: Drunk American Eagle Pilot.

I certainly didn't know the name of the man or really cared ...a rose by any other name

I flew with a pilot who had an alcohol problem...he recoverd and was a fine pilot and a fine man. When he was a copilot, before the problem, he saved a full jet airliner by extraordinary flying skills.

the airline we both worked for hadhas a one year recovery with full pay.

I would suggest to any pilot that you never start drinking in the first place.

[westhawk]

There are airlines who have alcoholics flying?

Of course there are. Once having completed whatever initial treatment regimen is prescribed, these "alcoholics" are referred to as "recovering alcoholics". The same applies to drug addicts too. Some of those suffering from other psychological "abnormalities" are still eligible to fill safety sensitive positions as well. And not just in flying either. I'd go so far as to say that every major career field is probably represented.