More alcohol related incidents.

There are still lots of places on this planet where anything not compulsory is forbidden, and the local constabulary will absolutely lose their poop if it looks like you’re taking a picture.

True story! I took a photo of my own aircraft during a walk-around in Bucharest and had to speak with security shortly thereafter.
 
I look at it this way, at around 15,000+ pilots each, the big 3 are essentially small towns. No matter what, we're going to run the gamut of all things 'life'. Helps me feel a little better when we get the death notices of our fellow brothers & sisters putting it all into perspective. Still sad & unfortunate but in a sample size this large poops happens no matter what profession (aka town) you're from.
 
True story! I took a photo of my own aircraft during a walk-around in Bucharest and had to speak with security shortly thereafter.

That’s a popular trick in many peoples republics, but I’m sad to say I’ve seen a couple of examples here, but they usually get slapped down by their superiors in a pretty public way.
 
True story! I took a photo of my own aircraft during a walk-around in Bucharest and had to speak with security shortly thereafter.

Had the "security" in Tijuana com yell at me for taking photos of my plane...Wanted the proof that I flew there once upon a time. NonStop Delta Connection LAX-Tijuana baby! 2007 i think it was. Good times.
 
True story! I took a photo of my own aircraft during a walk-around in Bucharest and had to speak with security shortly thereafter.
It’s so funny how the rules in the EU are full of asterisks, what ifs, and therefores. I was photographed twice when I was flying corporate once in Zurich during the WEF a bus pulled up in front of us as we pulled in the deice pad and about a half dozen spotters hopped out to snap pics.

The second time was in Eindhoven there was a bunch of them on the parking garage while we were getting the airplane preflighted so I was out there giving them thumbs up and rock on vibes hoping I’d catch myself on the interwebs some day.

No such luck, I think it is my face for radio that holds me back…
 
I think there is an aspect not being appreciated here. With a BAC of .132 (I think that was the number) and claiming you last drank the night prior…you either are lying (which is the likely candidate) or you were at a death range the night prior and are still that high the next day. That is less likely. At the end of the day, he is probably an alcoholic and has been doing this for years just barely skating by. I have dealt with issues like this several times at my previous carrier from a disciplinary standpoint and it is really sad to see. Two pilots that were caught were personal friends of mine and I would have bet my life that they were always sober and certainly wouldn’t show up to work like that. I was shocked. Truth is you never know until it catches up with them. The pilot needs help. Sadly, from seeing how these things go and how unforgiving the FAA is over this, it is unlikely this pilot will get all of his certs back in time to fly again. It is a several year process.


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.132 is trashed. That's not some guy who had a beer at T-7 hours and got popped. I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for that one.

Surprised this wasn't Edinburgh.


One would think.....But.....My wife (a paramedic) encounters people all of the time when you talk with them at even higher rates of BAC they 'seem' entirely normally as far as the ability to function.....The 'professional' alcoholics will seem to be just fine until something happens.
 
One would think.....But.....My wife (a paramedic) encounters people all of the time when you talk with them at even higher rates of BAC they 'seem' entirely normally as far as the ability to function.....The 'professional' alcoholics will seem to be just fine until something happens.
Buddy of mine (non-pilot) is pretty much matching this description these days. I think we're gonna get our friends together and maybe have a talk. Good news is, he doesn't drive cars but I believe it might be time for some help.
 
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I think there is an aspect not being appreciated here. With a BAC of .132 (I think that was the number) and claiming you last drank the night prior…you either are lying (which is the likely candidate) or you were at a death range the night prior and are still that high the next day. That is less likely. At the end of the day, he is probably an alcoholic and has been doing this for years just barely skating by. I have dealt with issues like this several times at my previous carrier from a disciplinary standpoint and it is really sad to see. Two pilots that were caught were personal friends of mine and I would have bet my life that they were always sober and certainly wouldn’t show up to work like that. I was shocked. Truth is you never know until it catches up with them. The pilot needs help. Sadly, from seeing how these things go and how unforgiving the FAA is over this, it is unlikely this pilot will get all of his certs back in time to fly again. It is a several year process.


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Where did you see .132? EDIT: I see they updated the article. I believe it originally said 3 times the limit in Europe which would have been .06 or greater. Yikes!
 
I think there is an aspect not being appreciated here. With a BAC of .132 (I think that was the number) and claiming you last drank the night prior…you either are lying (which is the likely candidate) or you were at a death range the night prior and are still that high the next day. That is less likely. At the end of the day, he is probably an alcoholic and has been doing this for years just barely skating by. I have dealt with issues like this several times at my previous carrier from a disciplinary standpoint and it is really sad to see. Two pilots that were caught were personal friends of mine and I would have bet my life that they were always sober and certainly wouldn’t show up to work like that. I was shocked. Truth is you never know until it catches up with them. The pilot needs help. Sadly, from seeing how these things go and how unforgiving the FAA is over this, it is unlikely this pilot will get all of his certs back in time to fly again. It is a several year process.


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Meh, apparently you just don't know enough of the rugged ol' timey bird men. Like a modern day marathon runner who carries O2 more efficienly and gets faster with every training run, those dudes livers got more efficient with every single practice drink. Practice typically ended at midnight. After that, the real competition started. 🤣
 
"Do, you drink much?" the doc asked.

"IDK, I don't think so," was my reply.

"How much each day?"

"I don't really count but two, maybe three adult beverages. Generally one while I prepare dinner, one with the meal and sometimes a nightcap before bed."

"So, 21 a week?"

"Sure, if that's the math. I don't really count."

"You drink too much,"says the doc.

"You don't know many people in emergency services, do you doc?"


15 years ago the medicos I frequented had the maxim, " if you don't drink - no need to start; if you do, no more than 2-3 drinks with spirits daily as a male (and no driving)." T'was 1-2 for the gals for some reason, although I've known some who outweighed me significantly.

These days, the docs in my area view ANY consumption as anathema. Had a cardiac doc about 8 years ago - old guy - whose philosophy was "It's fine and no worries," but I imagine he drank, too, and had deep roots in another era, long gone (as do I).

Read a news story about a cop who passed away at 37 of a heart attack while on his morning run. It reminded me that we all just get our hundred percent despite our best efforts; long for some, sadly short for others. IMO, what counts the most is making every day we can enjoy the very best we might.

YMMV🤷‍♂️ BTW, don't much care if you drink or don't; certainly know from personal experience it isn't needed to enjoy life's beauty. Just observing the change I've noted o'er the decades. Could apply to any number of other areas, too; briefly:

"Do you fall much?"

"That's not why I'm here. Could you just take the embedded tick I can't grab off my ass?"

"Do you feel safe at home?"

"WHAT? Could you just get the tick, please? That's why I'm here."

"How much do you drink?"

😳
 
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