Commercial Pilots and Alcohol limits.

[Tikka]

Hi.
There was a news item today about a Delta Airlines Pilot found guilty of being drunk before attempting to fly his 767 from Edinburgh to New York.

American pilot pleads guilty to being drunk before flight from Edinburgh to USA

Lawrence Russell, 63, was searched by airport security officers at about 08:00 on 16 June last year and was found to have two bottles of Jägermeister in his luggage - one of which was half full

www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk

I was wondering what defines 'drunk' when it comes to a commercial pilot?

Is there an Internationally recognised alcohol limit for pilots or is it just as simple as meeting the host countries driving alcohol levels?

Thank you.

 

[ctechbob]

Pretty sure it is .00. Can't have any in your system.

 

[atikovi]

Pretty sure it is .00. Can't have any in your system.

What if you unwittingly consume some of those liquor filled chocolates at the duty-free shop?

 

[ctechbob]

How bout that, they apparently are allowed some.

 

[Astro14]

How bout that, they apparently are allowed some.

View attachment 206864

That’s FAA.

In the UK, it’s 0.00.

Edit - looks like it’s 0.02.

I do not know a single pilot who takes a chance with that stuff.

But, evidently, they exist.

 

[Astro14]

What if you unwittingly consume some of those liquor filled chocolates at the duty-free shop?

Then, you would be colossally stupid?

How you consumed the alcohol doesn’t matter.

Being at the airport is “intent to operate”. Intent to operate with a BAC of greater than the limit is a felony, here, and in the UK.

 

[daves87rs]

Should be 0.00 pretty much 24/7 anyways …

None of my pilot friends drink, even the ones in the military

 

[atikovi]

Then, you would be colossally stupid?

How you consumed the alcohol doesn’t matter.

Being at the airport is “intent to operate”. Intent to operate with a BAC of greater than the limit is a felony, here, and in the UK.

Most Americans raised on Hersey and Milky Way would have no idea there is even such a thing as liquor filled chocolates.

 

[vavavroom]

What if you unwittingly consume some of those liquor filled chocolates at the duty-free shop?

I think you meant dimwittedly. I eat Turin Fireball Truffles wittingly.

 

[Jetronic]

Pretty sure it is .00. Can't have any in your system.

Doubt that. I recently got tested and blew 0.005%, the lowest the device could register. Strange as I hadn't touched any alcohol in months. Got to try again and blew a 0.000 as it should have been. No mouthwash or filled chocolates either. 0.005% wouldn't have caused me any problems I hope (0.02% would have, 0.05 being the legal limit) but it shows you can't get too focused on the exact number.

My point is, you need to allow for some tolerance. I do wonder what was in that ham sandwich I was eating while waiting to be tested... My wife made the sandwich but was the bread or ham contaminated from previous desinfection of equipment?

 

[Jetronic]

Most Americans raised on Hersey and Milky Way would have no idea there is even such a thing as liquor filled chocolates.

You'd know as soon as you crack it open.

 

[spasm3]

Doubt that. I recently got tested and blew 0.005%, the lowest the device could register. Strange as I hadn't touched any alcohol in months. Got to try again and blew a 0.000 as it should have been. No mouthwash or filled chocolates either. 0.005% wouldn't have caused me any problems I hope (0.02% would have, 0.05 being the legal limit) but it shows you can't get too focused on the exact number.

My point is, you need to allow for some tolerance. I do wonder what was in that ham sandwich I was eating while waiting to be tested... My wife made the sandwich but was the bread or ham contaminated from previous desinfection of equipment?

It's extremely rare but here you go.

Auto-brewery syndrome - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Jetronic]

It's extremely rare but here you go.

Auto-brewery syndrome - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

In that case I would blow positive a second time aswell, but ndeed you don't have to drink to apparently have some alcohol in your system.

 

[Astro14]

Most Americans raised on Hersey and Milky Way would have no idea there is even such a thing as liquor filled chocolates.

There are just so many things wrong with your strawman.

First, at duty-free, your item is sealed, and you are not allowed to touch it, or consume it, until you arrive in your destination country.

Many duty-free shops will not allow you to even carry it to your airplane, it is delivered to you on board.

Second, airline pilots are not “most Americans” and we are well aware of what is sold in duty-free.

Third, you can get liquor filled chocolates in the United States.

Fourth, when you’re in a safety sensitive job, and you can be breathalyzed at any moment, without warning, you’re actually quite careful about what you eat and drink and when.

Lastly, and I made this point earlier, it doesn’t matter how you got the alcohol, if you have alcohol in your system, and you are on the property of an airport, you have committed a felony.

Airport police in the UK take great delight in harassing flight crews during the security process and I am certain they were ecstatic when making this arrest. Every airline pilot knows this. We know what UK security is like.

So, the smart ones don’t take chances.

 

[mk378]

Yes the .02 exists because for various reasons even someone who never drinks may not always test at zero point zero.

 

[atikovi]

Yes the .02 exists because for various reasons even someone who never drinks may not always test at zero point zero.

Kinda like if you eat a poppy seed bagel or muffin before a drug test?

 

[Aredeeem]

Driving a commuter bus was the same scrutiny. Tests were for probable cause, post accident or simply random. 0.0 was the only acceptable range.

 

[Leo99]

What if you unwittingly consume some of those liquor filled chocolates at the duty-free shop?

It happens. Sometimes athletes unwittingly receive injections of tetrahydrogestrinone.

 

[John105]

It’s be interesting to hear the pilot stories from the 60’s

 

[atikovi]

It’s be interesting to hear the pilot stories from the 60’s

Not possible. As the saying goes, there are old pilots and there are bold pilots. There are no old bold pilots.