Drunk pilot arrested in Canadian cockpit before take-off

 

CALGARY: -- A pilot who was drunk in the cockpit has been arrested shortly before take-off in Canada.

 

Two hours after his arrest, the 37-year-old man was found to have more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in his body.

His plane, part of the Sunwing budget airline, later left Calgary for Cancun, Mexico, with a different pilot. There were more than 100 people on board. 

 

The incident happened at 07:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Saturday.

 

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38482846

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2017-01-02

We breath test everybody before they hop on a boat to go offshore for us.  Even cooks and cabin boys.  Takes 10 seconds.

 

Seems like it would be easy to test a few key people before they take the controls of $200 million aircraft with hundreds of lives at stake.  It's not like the rest of us haven't had to accept inconveniences in the name of flying safety.

Edited January 2, 20179 yr by impulse

I'd say that's the end of this  pilots career.And rightly so!Whatever the reason,this act of stupidity and recklessness

put people not only in the air at risk,but those on the ground also.

 

I've always said,choose your airline carefully.The lesser known airlines pick up the scraps.It can be well worth it 

spending a coupla hundred  extra for peace of mind and reaching your destination.

We breath test everybody before they hop on a boat to go offshore for us.  Even cooks and cabin boys.  Takes 10 seconds.
 
Seems like it would be easy to test a few key people before they take the controls of $200 million aircraft with hundreds of lives at stake.  It's not like the rest of us haven't had to accept inconveniences in the name of flying safety.

Haha... you don't have to deal with pilots unions!

16 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Haha... you don't have to deal with pilots unions!

 

That's true, and with the technology so easily available, I have no doubt that pilot's unions are why it's not being done already.  Just like cockpit video recording (and in real time).

 

But I recall a problem with the ATC union handled quite definitively by Reagan (though I don't necessarily agree with what Reagan did).  All it takes is political will.  

 

Perhaps a senator or FAA executive finding out his kid (Edit:  or Ivanka?) was on that flight.

Edited January 2, 20179 yr by impulse

I think we can say this guy has a drinking problem.   Probably not his first time in the cockpit being impaired.   This airline is definitely going to lose some business.

18 minutes ago, mikebike said:

Haha... you don't have to deal with pilots unions!

 

Sunwing is a low budget junket airline with a very negative reputation. It specializes in low cost vacation packages and flights to sun destinations. The pilot was a Slovakian  national. Canadian pilots  avoid operations which do the bare minimum and offer  relatively poor remuneration and benefits.

 

I don't think there is a more hated  airline in Canada in terms of hatered per pax experience. And yet, the Canadian Transport Agency allows this company to operate. Keep in mind that Canada is  the only G7 country where there are no passenger rights and the airlines can do as they please.

6 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

And yet, the Canadian Transport Agency allows this company to operate. Keep in mind that Canada is  the only G7 country where there are no passenger rights and the airlines can do as they please.

 

Draw a straight line between Calgary and Cancun.  I suspect the US FAA would have some say in the matter.

Witnesses say he was in the airport bar with the McKenzie Brothers.

Calgary to Cancun? He could've slept it off on the flight.

Edited January 2, 20179 yr by Sphere

1 minute ago, Shot said:

Witnesses say he was in the airport bar with the McKenzie Brothers.

 

Spudz?  Or those other guys?

i heard it was two scots guys,, Ben Doon and Phil Mccavity.

5 hours ago, impulse said:

(Edit:  or Ivanka?) was on that flight.

I think this has taught her not to mingle with the unwashed masses. First class only or as the last episode unraveled a private plane. Some bodies are just more precious than others. 

2 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

I think this has taught her not to mingle with the unwashed masses. First class only or as the last episode unraveled a private plane. Some bodies are just more precious than others. 

 

Well, given the leverage that a kidnapper would have over the POTUS, that's one first class ticket or private flight we shouldn't mind forking over tax dollars for.

 

My understanding is that she'd have to reimburse the gov't for the cost of a coach ticket if it's personal travel.  

 

Hardly seems fair, but Mel Brooks was right in The History of the World Part 1.  It's good to be king.

don't understand how for example Thai-Air (that I am quite happy to fly with) gets its license threatened while some strange Canadian outfit can have drunkards not only near, or even on the plane, but in the cockpit.

(Even) In Russia, intoxicated passengers are sometimes denied boarding, or taken (if necessary forcefully) off the plane

Two hours waiting time, given a standard half time of one hour, means by the way four times more Alcohol or TWELVE times the legal limit. 

Pilot Alcohol and Drug testing prohibited ? ? ?
Have these Unions, if they are involved at all, or Safety Regulators got a screw loose ?

Edited January 2, 20179 yr by KKr

The legal limit for piloting an aircraft? ?

Edited January 2, 20179 yr by Mak25

Just forgot the 8 hrs from bottle to throttle 

20 hours ago, Nasrullah said:

I'd say that's the end of this  pilots career.And rightly so!Whatever the reason,this act of stupidity and recklessness

put people not only in the air at risk,but those on the ground also.

 

I've always said,choose your airline carefully.The lesser known airlines pick up the scraps.It can be well worth it 

spending a coupla hundred  extra for peace of mind and reaching your destination.

So, coming to a budget carrier near you soon.......

20 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

 

Sunwing is a low budget junket airline with a very negative reputation. It specializes in low cost vacation packages and flights to sun destinations. The pilot was a Slovakian  national. Canadian pilots  avoid operations which do the bare minimum and offer  relatively poor remuneration and benefits.

 

I don't think there is a more hated  airline in Canada in terms of hatered per pax experience. And yet, the Canadian Transport Agency allows this company to operate. Keep in mind that Canada is  the only G7 country where there are no passenger rights and the airlines can do as they please.

Transport Canada, which is responsible for regulating, employs all ex-industry managers who are of the opinion that their's is a incestuous relationship and companies can do no wrong. 

20 hours ago, mikebike said:

Haha... you don't have to deal with pilots unions!

I worked many years for a transport union in Canada and fought daily with the industry lackeys at Transport Canada  to get them to enforce safety regulation. I find 

it very  bloody doubtful that a migrant foreign worker was a member of a union. Transport corporations base every operating decision on cost and speed over safety. I'm taking a wild guess but my money is on the drunk Slovak pilot worked for pennies on the dollar that of a unionized Canadian pilot would!

And still there are people who will argue that "flying, by airplane, is more safe than driving a car".

Not in my opinion, never did for that matter.