Thursday, 4 July, 2002, 21:35 GMT 22:35 UK
‘Drunk’ pilots lose licences
Two US pilots accused of getting drunk before climbing to the cockpit of a Miami-to-Phoenix flight have had their licences suspended.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revoked the two pilots’ licences on Thursday, “effective immediately”.
On Monday, the two men aroused suspicions when they arrived for security clearance at Miami airport, reportedly carrying coffees but smelling of alcohol.
Police were called, and the two pilots were forced to return to the gate after starting to taxi toward the runway with 124 passengers on board.
The co-pilot later told police the smell was “merely mouthwash”, according to police reports.
Police say the two men failed a breathalyzer test administered later in a police substation at the airport, registering over the legal limit to drive a car in Florida, let alone a jet.
Police said the pilot’s blood-alcohol level was 0.091%, and the co-pilot’s was 0.084%. Florida law won’t let you drive a car past 0.08%.
And the FAA’s rules for pilots are, naturally, much stricter.
To fly, you are not allowed to have had a drop for eight hours, or have an alcohol blood count of 0.04% or higher.
The two men were arrested, but released on $7,000 bail and will now face charges of operating a vehicle under the influence.
‘Bottle to throttle’ rule
The pilot, Thomas Porter Cloyd, 44, and co-pilot Christopher Hughes, 41, both of Arizona will appear in a Miami court on 22 July and could face five years in prison if convicted.
America West, the pilots’ airline, fired the two men on Wednesday for allegedly violating the company’s strict 12-hour “bottle to throttle” rule.
The pair will be able to challenge their dismissal under union rules.
They can also appeal the revoking of their licences before the US National Transportation Safety Board.
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By: T5 - 7th July 2002 at 19:54
RE: Drunk America West pilots sacked.
Shocking stuff! I actually watched a documentary a couple of years back which focused on a few pilots of BA who were breaking rules and drinking just a few hours before flying a plane. I can’t remember the outcome of it.
It’s a disgrace.
By: keltic - 7th July 2002 at 11:27
RE: Drunk America West pilots sacked.
The bad thing of this event is that probably it wasn´t their first time. This time they were caught. These affairs happen too often in many other airlines. Most of the times, this is not made public or the media isn´t aware of these incidents. Scarry indeed.
By: greekdude1 - 5th July 2002 at 08:41
RE: Drunk America West pilots sacked.
That airline isn’t called “America’s Worst” for nothing. My parents just flew them to Acapulco, they arrived 9 hours late.
GD1
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July 5, 2002 at 12:47 am