United Pilot pleads Guilty to being drunk

mooneyguy

mooneyguy

been around forever
So Erwin is in the news again. His breath test indicated 31 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath. The legal limit is nine micrograms.

the max sentence is two years in jail, and a fine.

The question i have for you airline guys, did this guy just insure someone an up-grade slot at United, or is there any chance he might not be fired?

When I was in transportation (trucking) the union master freight agreement managed to get you two strikes for drugs and alcohol. You had to admit yourself into a rehab facility and finish the program, but after that you could come back to work.


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,581979,00.html?test=latestnews
 
mooneyguy said:
did this guy just insure someone an up-grade slot at United, or is there any chance he might not be fired?
Click to expand...

Doubtful that someone will upgrade to take his spot...meaning FO to CA. It could mean that a CA vacancy would be created on his aircraft type that someone could fill. A 757 CA moving to 777 CA for example.

I seriously doubt he will get his job back. If nothing else he's going to have jump some serious hurdles to get his Class 1 medical back. That can take years if at all possible.
 
mooneyguy said:
So Erwin is in the news again. His breath test indicated 31 micrograms of alcohol per 100 milliliters of breath. The legal limit is nine micrograms.
Click to expand...

Someone please check my math, but this would be 0.05 % BAC in the US, right?

This would be just barely over the 0.04 limit for part 91 in the US. I'm surprised anyone would notice - 0.05 doesn't have a very obvious effect on most people. To be that high the next morning though, you really need to have tied one on the night before. Then again, he should have known better.
 
As far as getting the job back goes, I heard from someone that one of the America West pilots from the MIA(I think) incident several years ago had to get a new medical, go to rehab, then earn all his ratings back. He was hired by another major airline where he is currently flying. Is this true?
 
ChasenSFO said:
He was hired by another major airline where he is currently flying. Is this true?
Click to expand...

Certainly within the realm of possibility, Doctors and Lawyers have substance abuse problems all of the time, generally they are not barred for life from their jobs. People make mistakes.
 
Read flying drunk. The story of the nw722 crew that flew drunk. The fe is now at aa. Spent a year prison. Good story.
 
DPApilot said:
Read flying drunk. The story of the nw722 crew that flew drunk. The fe is now at aa. Spent a year prison. Good story.
Click to expand...

I have only read snippets of his story but it appears to be a good one from what I have read and the reviews.

As far as the UAL pilot goes it all depends on the union and contract language. It is my understanding that if you ask for help prior to getting busted then your job is safe and you go to rehab and come back. If you get busted first then all bets are off. I think the hard part is for him to keep his license and medical.

If I am reading the story right he's the third pilot over there to get busted. I wonder if they'll still be handing out slaps on the wrist. I wonder if it was a pilot or FA that turned him in.
 
WOW. That Louse character got lucky twice. Some will never see the captain's seat of a wide body. This guy did it TWICE and the second time made it all the way to a 747 after having basically killed his career. WOW. Wish I had that luck.
 
falconvalley said:
WOW. That Louse character got lucky twice. Some will never see the captain's seat of a wide body. This guy did it TWICE and the second time made it all the way to a 747 after having basically killed his career. WOW. Wish I had that luck.
Click to expand...

LMFAO - that was awesome, man . . . :D

Drink's on me!
 
stuckingfk said:
I saw him speak in person.

Inspiring.
Click to expand...

Are you being serious Lucas? I heard him speak the same time you did and I was deeply disappointed. My take from his speech was that it wasn't his fault, but instead a medical issue of alcoholism. He made a decision (just as the UAL pilot did in LHR) and took command a ship intoxicated with two other pilots he knew were intoxicated. That decision he made should exclude you, in my opinion, from the cockpit of a airliner forever. I'm not denying that he didn't have a serious medical issue that he need help with, but he should have taken absolute full responsibility for his actions that day and from where I was sitting Lyle Prouse didn't get that done.
 
Boris Badenov said:
Exclude me? Why should the decision he made exclude me!?

Swami says you're young. Walk a mile, kid. Everybody screws up, including you.
Click to expand...

Don't be snide about this. It wasn't a minor lapse of judgment on their part. They made a conscious decision to continue to drink through the night knowing that they were flying the next morning. Complete lack of judgement and disregard for safety, not just a "screw up".
 
jon222 said:
Don't be snide about this.
Click to expand...

Don't be presumptuous about this. Life has a funny way of putting the self-righteous in humiliating positions. I'm glad the guy got help for his problem and was able to resume his career. You'll be down sometime, too. Remember to thank everyone kicking and spitting on you for their integrity.
 
Boris Badenov said:
Don't be presumptuous about this. Life has a funny way of putting the self-righteous in humiliating positions. I'm glad the guy got help for his problem and was able to resume his career. You'll be down sometime, too. Remember to thank everyone kicking and spitting on you for their integrity.
Click to expand...

I don't have a problem with giving second chances, but some people don't deserve them. In this case, this is what scares me:

I will identify "the problem" as being where and how to drink without getting caught or in trouble
Click to expand...

Can we say Freudian slip?

Disclaimer: I only skimmed the article, so if he explains some other detail later to reveal the reasons for such an absurd statement, then disregard my post.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top