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Over-the-limit Finnair’s A320 pilot arrested in cockpit

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Old 17th Aug 2018, 08:10
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Red face Over-the-limit Finnair’s A320 pilot arrested in cockpit

Wednesday's intoxication on Finnair’s A320 Captain delayed the flight to Rome for about two hours.
”Finnair staff reported on substance abuse, and police patrol was called to breathalysed the crew," the company said in a press release. Captain’s blood alcohol reading was 1.50mg of ethanol per millilitre of blood. (0,15% BAC)



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Old 17th Aug 2018, 08:29
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Blimey, all this back-stabbing, in-house reporting,and media exhaustion is driving me to take a quick slurp before reporting for duty myself !
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 08:41
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Originally Posted by slowjet
Blimey, all this back-stabbing, in-house reporting,and media exhaustion is driving me to take a quick slurp before reporting for duty myself !
so youd be happy to fly as a PAX or as part of an intoxicated flight crew?
BTW - how much over the airline limit was, presumably, the Captain or FO?
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 08:43
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Originally Posted by Alpha777
Wednesday's intoxication on Finnair’s A320 Captain delayed the flight to Rome for about two hours.
”Finnair staff reported on substance abuse, and police patrol was called to breathalysed the crew," the company said in a press release. Captain’s blood alcohol reading was 1.50mg of ethanol per millilitre of blood. (0,15% BAC)
Blimey, if the above figures are correct, I am surprised he/she could even stagger onto the aeroplane??
Pity the F/O didn't take him/her aside, long before they got anywhere near an aircraft and said something like: "Mate, no go!!, go sick!!"
Tootle pip!!
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 11:36
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I remember a few years back with a local airline that it was the cabin crew who made a phone call to operations about suspected PIC intoxication and the aircraft was recalled to the gate.
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 11:44
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Originally Posted by LeadSled
Blimey, if the above figures are correct, I am surprised he/she could even stagger onto the aeroplane??
Pity the F/O didn't take him/her aside, long before they got anywhere near an aircraft and said something like: "Mate, no go!!, go sick!!"
Tootle pip!!
Why would any FO ever do that? Get him breathalyzed and a CPT position will open up. Especially interesting in a seniority driven airline with long waiting lists.
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 11:47
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That's 3x the Oz driving BAC limit!
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 14:58
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0.020-0.039%No loss of coordination, slight euphoria, and loss of shyness. Relaxation, but depressant effects are not apparent.

0.040-0.059%Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, and sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of judgment and memory, lowering of caution.

0.06-0.099%Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Reduced judgment and self-control. Impaired reasoning and memory.

0.100-0.129%Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment. Speech may be slurred; balance, peripheral vision, reaction time, and hearing will be impaired.

0.130-0.159%Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reducing and beginning dysphoria (a state of feeling unwell)

0.160-0.199%Dysphoria predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a sloppy drunk.

0.200-0.249%Needs assistance in walking; total mental confusion. Dysphoria with nausea and vomiting; possible blackout.

0.250-0.399%Alcohol poisoning. Loss of consciousness.

0.40% +Onset of coma, possible death due to respiratory arrest.
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 17:43
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It depends on the individual - people who seldom drink can be literally falling down drunk at 0.05%, while heavy drinkers can be somewhat functional at three times that amount (I read someplace long ago that some 'functional alcoholics' needed to keep their blood alcohol around 0.10% just to function ).
However I'd hope a 'functional alcoholic' wouldn't be a professional pilot. 0.15% would be pretty drunk for most people.
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 18:31
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To Denti: I hope these were tongue-in-cheek remarks about an FO getting him/herself promoted through someone else's dismissal - not that I have any sympathy for the captain. I wonder, however, why the captain's state was not noticed at an earlier stage of pre-flight preparation.
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 18:38
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Thank the lord for AP/YD and TCAS..
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Old 17th Aug 2018, 19:11
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Originally Posted by LeadSled
Blimey, if the above figures are correct, I am surprised he/she could even stagger onto the aeroplane??
Pity the F/O didn't take him/her aside, long before they got anywhere near an aircraft and said something like: "Mate, no go!!, go sick!!"
Tootle pip!!
Thing is, we don't know from the article whether this was the first time this happened, or the tenth.

Enabling alcoholics to continue to 'function' is a whole lot less a good idea up front of a passenger jet airliner.
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Old 18th Aug 2018, 00:40
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Originally Posted by Denti
Why would any FO ever do that? Get him breathalyzed and a CPT position will open up. Especially interesting in a seniority driven airline with long waiting lists.
Denti,
Because that is what a decent person would do for a colleague with a problem ---- and he/she clearly has a problem. Difficult as it may be for somebody of your expressed mindset, that is more likely than your scenario, based on my long experience, thank goodness.
Tootle pip!!
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Old 18th Aug 2018, 06:29
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Originally Posted by LeadSled
Blimey, if the above figures are correct, I am surprised he/she could even stagger onto the aeroplane??
Pity the F/O didn't take him/her aside, long before they got anywhere near an aircraft and said something like: "Mate, no go!!, go sick!!"
Tootle pip!!
I'm guessing you have never been drinking with Finns, you'd die before they even feel drunk...

Fun aside. Rat anybody out? As a PAX I'd never set foot on a plane if I knew the CPT was intoxicated. Would you?
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Old 18th Aug 2018, 08:45
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Originally Posted by LeadSled
Blimey, if the above figures are correct, I am surprised he/she could even stagger onto the aeroplane??
Pity the F/O didn't take him/her aside, long before they got anywhere near an aircraft and said something like: "Mate, no go!!, go sick!!"
Tootle pip!!
Daily Finland is writing "the pilot had not yet entered the aircraft" and YLE is writing "the airplane was not ready for departure and the captain was not yet sitting in the cockpit". That sounds like he was intercepted somewhere along the pre-flight process, possibly as early as when he reported for duty.
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 13:50
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Originally Posted by Denti
Why would any FO ever do that? Get him breathalyzed and a CPT position will open up. Especially interesting in a seniority driven airline with long waiting lists.
You should be ashamed.
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Old 19th Aug 2018, 15:49
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Originally Posted by Joe_K
Daily Finland is writing "the pilot had not yet entered the aircraft" and YLE is writing "the airplane was not ready for departure and the captain was not yet sitting in the cockpit". That sounds like he was intercepted somewhere along the pre-flight process, possibly as early as when he reported for duty.
I guess reporting for duty counts as intending to fly. Before that no aviation related offence has been committed.
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 09:39
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Remember that US pilot at Manchester who got off as he was obtained at security and his defence was that he did not intend to carry out an aviation function and had only turned up in uniform to get access to the airside area where he could catch up with the Captain (he had left hotel late) to tell him that he was unfit to operate. That’s when security would allow you to board the aircraft and take your seat before popping up and breathalising you.
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 09:47
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Old 20th Aug 2018, 14:07
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I suspect Finnair's ZERO TOLERANCE policy would mean they don't even want employees in uniform when over the legal limit.
It may (in company logic) reflect poorly on their brand (reputation risk management 101).
One may escape criminal prosecution, but still end up without a job?
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