Practical Travel Safety Issues - What's up with Airline Pilots?

another one over the legal limit.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091111/NATION/911110334/1020/nation/United-Airlines-pilot-charged-with-being-over-alcohol-limit

I've worked for 4 major airlines and known a lot of crew personnel. Having said that, I am dazed and amazed with all the incidents in the last couple of years regarding pilots.

to paraphrase Dean Wormer; "Drunk and Distracted is no way to go thru life."

Pilots used to be considered at the pinnacle of the aviation world and they took their responsibilities seriously. Now it's just a job.

another one over the legal limit.

http://www.detnews.com/article/20091111/NATION/911110334/1020/nation/United-Airlines-pilot-charged-with-being-over-alcohol-limit

I've worked for 4 major airlines and known a lot of crew personnel. Having said that, I am dazed and amazed with all the incidents in the last couple of years regarding pilots.

to paraphrase Dean Wormer; "Drunk and Distracted is no way to go thru life."

Pilots used to be considered at the pinnacle of the aviation world and they took their responsibilities seriously. Now it's just a job.

Bolding mine.

Some pilots are still the pinnacle of aviation. Sully was definitely at the pinnacle when he managed a water landing after a dual bird strike and had everyone walk away from the landing. The increased issue with drunk pilots might have more to do with awareness on the part of the traveling public.

IOW are the recent news articles due to an actual increase in air crew drinking or are they doing a better job of catching it before they fly?

Every profession will have its share of workers that show up with alcohol in their system. The difference is CNN/Fox/MSNBC do not cover the lawyer, accountant or Starbucks cashier that show up for work drunk.

Nor will the lawyer etc be subject to the same blood alcohol level limit.

I think most pilots are on the ball and do a damn good job. Yes we have seen the ‘bad apple’ syndrome in the pilot profession.
Unfortunately the stakes are way too high when a pilot goes bad and these incidents are magnified to reflect this, rightfully so.

Bolding mine.

Some pilots are still the pinnacle of aviation. Sully was definitely at the pinnacle when he managed a water landing after a dual bird strike and had everyone walk away from the landing. The increased issue with drunk pilots might have more to do with awareness on the part of the traveling public.

IOW are the recent news articles due to an actual increase in air crew drinking or are they doing a better job of catching it before they fly?

The latter. If anything, I think pilots are probably less likely to drink these days than, let's say, 20 years ago - when alcohol didn't have the societal taboo it does now.

Nothing more than any other profession.

Have to agree with others. The bottle has been around for a very long time. It doesn't discriminate on who to attach to.

Also, like mentioned before, the BAC level is way lower to pilots than people driving (I think it's .02 for pilots in the UK, whereas it's commonly at .08 on US roads).

To be fair, we don't know if the UA pilot, Captain Washington, was "stinking drunk" or just registered above the very strict limit of .02.

The internet and the 24-hour cycle of cable news has changed everything in terms of what we know. Who would have ever thought there were so many shark attacks and missing teenage girls who just happen to be photogenic?

The latter. If anything, I think pilots are probably less likely to drink these days than, let's say, 20 years ago - when alcohol didn't have the societal taboo it does now.
It's not so much a societal taboo as it is research and education on the risks (in operating a vehicle, be it a plane, a train, or an automobile) associated with alcohol consumption.

Also, here is an article from the Chicago Tribune (http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-united-drinking-uaua-nov11,0,5435232.story) on this issue. It cites a .04 limit for the US and a 12 hour "bottle to throttle" rule at UA, but no mention of any possible differences in BAC in the UK.

The latter. If anything, I think pilots are probably less likely to drink these days than, let's say, 20 years ago - when alcohol didn't have the societal taboo it does now.

^^

Agree. Thirty years ago the USAF still had beer calls at the NCO Club. Today, I doubt they do that at all.

And yet another one (not drunk, just arrogant criminal):

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601209&sid=aRRs_mr0DO_A

I was just about to post that about the private airplane incident.