Ask The Pilot

[QF029]

Do pilots have any alcohol restriction while on duty ?

Like 0.05 ... ?

This has got to be the worst question I've ever seen on AFF.

 

[jb747]

This has got to be the worst question I've ever seen on AFF.

I considered answering with "no smoking within 24 hours, and no drinking within 50 feet"....

 

[Major]

Years ago RAAF pilots told me it was 12 hours "bottle to throttle"

 

[mjt57]

But, for most, we have access to the real thing, so there are many other things to do in time off.

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Like, who takes their job home with them?

As for alcohol restrictions, if there is an effective "0.02" limit, wouldn't the guys rather be 0.00? After all, you can go in with a bit of a hangover, read zero, but feel like cough for 12 hrs stuck in a coughpit.

When I was younger, I would often rock up to work with a whopping hangover, usually after "after work drinks" with the lads. These days, I don't drink that much, and only on days off. It's miserable having a hangover to begin with, and worse if you're stuck at work...

 

[markis10]

Interesting update report on the investigation involving the UK MRTT - the camera did it!

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ata/file/293230/interim_si_voyager_report.pdf

I wonder if they are the next thing to be banned? They certainly seem to be a common thing to have, noting the P3 images of the RAAF Pilot flying whilst using a Video Camera.

 

[QF WP]

This has got to be the worst question I've ever seen on AFF.

Don't forget not all of us have the same level of knowledge about flying...as jb747 has said previously:

Firstly, no question is dumb.

Let's give everyone some latitude here (pun intended). A person who asks the same question twice, or repeats a questions recently put by somebody else and answered by jb747...well, that's different

 

[jb747]

Interesting update report on the investigation involving the UK MRTT - the camera did it!

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ata/file/293230/interim_si_voyager_report.pdf

I wonder if they are the next thing to be banned? They certainly seem to be a common thing to have, noting the P3 images of the RAAF Pilot flying whilst using a Video Camera.

One could also say that the arm rest or electric seat did it.....

 

[jb747]

Yeah, I was wondering about that. Like, who takes their job home with them?

As for alcohol restrictions, if there is an effective "0.02" limit, wouldn't the guys rather be 0.00? After all, you can go in with a bit of a hangover, read zero, but feel like cough for 12 hrs stuck in a coughpit.

When I was younger, I would often rock up to work with a whopping hangover, usually after "after work drinks" with the lads. These days, I don't drink that much, and only on days off. It's miserable having a hangover to begin with, and worse if you're stuck at work...

Without being a lawyer, I think that the only reason .02 would be mentioned in any laws at all would be because of the difficulty of measuring 0.0, given that even some foods can give a small reading. It should be zero in a coughpit, and that's what the company rules say. As for a hangover...well that is the same as being sick, and you have no place in a coughpit.

 

[legroom]

This has got to be the worst question I've ever seen on AFF.

May I ask why you formed that view ?

Have you read any policy / manual about piloting & alcohol ?

FAA does have a regulation on this topic "8 hrs from bottle to throttle"

If it is important enough for the FAA to issue a regulation, why is it a stupid idea to raise in a public forum for discussion & information ?

Further, PPRuNe had some discussion between pilots on this issue, too.

They must be all stupid according to your logic - the FAA and the PPRuNe pilots - for raising the issue.

Best regards

 

[legroom]

......Supposed to be zero, but I think that legally ends up at .02....

Thanks, JB

It appears that while you could be removed from duty, no "action" should be taken against you if the reading is < 0.04 (as per the FAA).

...... (2) Except as provided in paragraph (f)(1) of this section, no employer shall take any action under this rule against an employee based solely on test results showing an alcohol concentration less than 0.04. This does not prohibit an employer with authority independent of this rule from taking any action otherwise consistent with law....

Could we assume QF has the same policy there or it is harsher ?

It seems this is not an uncommon problem for some pilots, esp. those who had a history of drug +/- alcohol history (away from the coughpit) but on the whole, it is an uncommon issue.

Thanks again

 

[RooFlyer]

Hi JB

I came across from LAX last night and was lucky to score a points upgrade to F. At the stage when most F pax were on board and at the stage of settling down, I was surprised to have what turned out to be the Captain at my seat extending his hand, welcoming me etc etc. He circulated the whole cabin. (He introduced himself of course, I just didn't know if he would be sitting left or right until the general announcement for the flight deck a bit later).

I've done a handful of TPAC trips in F (all points ) but never had this experience before. Although I'm a bit cynical about on-board greetings (old codger syndrome), I must say this impressed me a great deal; the welcome was very warm and no doubt genuine and was worth 1000x more than QF sloganeering "You are the reason we fly". I saw one lady, who was sitting apart from her husband, go over to the hubby and effuse "Did you meet the captain? He came over and said hello!".

Is this common amongst QFi pilots that you know of?

 

[jb747]

May I ask why you formed that view ?

Have you read any policy / manual about piloting & alcohol ?

FAA does have a regulation on this topic "8 hrs from bottle to throttle"

If it is important enough for the FAA to issue a regulation, why is it a stupid idea to raise in a public forum for discussion & information ?

Further, PPRuNe had some discussion between pilots on this issue, too.

They must be all stupid according to your logic - the FAA and the PPRuNe pilots - for raising the issue.

Best regards

Here is some FAA discussion on the matter: Chapter 8.

And some from CASA: Civil Aviation Safety Authority - Testing of safety-sensitive personnel for alcohol and other drugs

CASA has been actively random testing for a number of years now. Whilst their limit is .02, the company does not accept any level, and may, of course, run their own testing any time they like.

PPRUNE is a terrible source. Sadly the vast majority of posters are anything but the professional pilots that the forum name implies. The good comments are covered in a sea of dross.

BTW, I didn't say your comment was stupid, I answered the question.

 

[jb747]

Hi JB

I came across from LAX last night and was lucky to score a points upgrade to F. At the stage when most F pax were on board and at the stage of settling down, I was surprised to have what turned out to be the Captain at my seat extending his hand, welcoming me etc etc. He circulated the whole cabin. (He introduced himself of course, I just didn't know if he would be sitting left or right until the general announcement for the flight deck a bit later).

I've done a handful of TPAC trips in F (all points ) but never had this experience before. Although I'm a bit cynical about on-board greetings (old codger syndrome), I must say this impressed me a great deal; the welcome was very warm and no doubt genuine and was worth 1000x more than QF sloganeering "You are the reason we fly". I saw one lady, who was sitting apart from her husband, go over to the hubby and effuse "Did you meet the captain? He came over and said hello!".

Is this common amongst QFi pilots that you know of?

I don't know how common it is, and often we are a bit time constrained prior to departure, but at any reasonable time of day I try to (at least) say hello to everyone in F once we reach the cruise. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Departing Melbourne (because I normally have more time there), I try to do a walk through of the first class lounge before boarding too.

You meet a lot of interesting people (and I don't mean famous ones, just interesting).

 

[legroom]

Hi JB

I came across from LAX last night and was lucky to score a points upgrade to F. At the stage when most F pax were on board and at the stage of settling down, I was surprised to have what turned out to be the Captain at my seat extending his hand, welcoming me etc etc. He circulated the whole cabin. (He introduced himself of course, I just didn't know if he would be sitting left or right until the general announcement for the flight deck a bit later).

I've done a handful of TPAC trips in F (all points ) but never had this experience before. Although I'm a bit cynical about on-board greetings (old codger syndrome), I must say this impressed me a great deal; the welcome was very warm and no doubt genuine and was worth 1000x more than QF sloganeering "You are the reason we fly". I saw one lady, who was sitting apart from her husband, go over to the hubby and effuse "Did you meet the captain? He came over and said hello!".

Is this common amongst QFi pilots that you know of?

I happened to me (on QF12, F) last year, too.

Not only he came to every F pax saying hello and shaking hands, he invited everyone to come and have a look at the coughpit - before pushback, of course.

I did take up that opportunity to have a photo with him and actually sat in the coughpit for 5 seconds as well.

Have to say I was very happy !

 

[jb747]

Carl. Nice bloke...even if he does fly helicopters in his time off.

 

[QF WP]

Watch out jb747, you'll upset straitman (even though he's retired now) .

Are you going to watch (with feigned interest) the Ch7 Air Crash Investigation on QF32 tonight (assuming you're in Australia)?

 

[jb747]

Watch out jb747, you'll upset straitman (even though he's retired now) .

Are you going to watch (with feigned interest) the Ch7 Air Crash Investigation on QF32 tonight (assuming you're in Australia)?

Probably not. I can't stand Australian broadcast TV, and virtually never watch it.

 

[mjt57]

Probably not. I can't stand Australian broadcast TV, and virtually never watch it.

Don't blame you.

How many "specials" are they going to do on this? There was the first one on 42 Mins, then the (much better) one on 4 Corners, the one on Nein more recently, and now this???

I hope that RdC and the lads get royalties for them...

As for the chap who flies air thrashing machines as a hobby, I wonder how easy it is to transition from an A380 into a small rotary wing aircraft.

 

[jb747]

As for the chap who flies air thrashing machines as a hobby, I wonder how easy it is to transition from an A380 into a small rotary wing aircraft.

It's not a hobby. He owns a substantial business. I don't think its an issue if you've been flying multiple types all along. I'd hate to do it, but then I think the same about small fixed wing aircraft too.

 

[petercr]

I didn't see the Packer Network version but the Aircrash Investigations ep (recently shown on Murdoch pay TV) was of the usual format for that show but there was as much of RdC and the other pilots (my apologies for forgetting names) explaining what had happened as there was of the dramatisations. For an occasional flyer with a technical bent, it was definitely interesting viewing...