Drunk Canadian Pilot Passes Out in Cockpit; Second Drunk Pilot Caught This Week

Sputniknews ^ | 1.1.2017 | Staff

[Eddie01]

Police arrested a drunk Sunwing pilot as he prepared to take a planeload of people into the air December 31, the second drunk pilot arrested this week.

The most recent incident occurred shortly before 7 a.m. Saturday morning, when passengers and crew on a Sunwing flight bound for Cancun noticed the pilot behaving oddly as he boarded.

When he was then found passed out in the cockpit, he was arrested and charged with having care and control of an aircraft while impaired and having care and control of an aircraft [while] exceeding 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood), according to a report by the Calgary police.

The suspect was the flight captain, Sunwings spokeswoman Janine Massey told media in an email. She commended the crew for their handling of the "very unfortunate matter."

"We can confirm that shortly before 7 a.m. local time, the gate agents, first officer and crew of Sunwing flight 595, departing from Calgary and destined for Cancun, determined that the captain was unfit to fly and reported this accordingly," Massey stated, Canada's National Post reports.

But the waning days if 2016 have gotten the best of more than one pilot. Earlier this week, passengers on an Indonesian Citilink flight became upset when the pilot's departure announcement was slurred and unclear. Some passengers left the plane and demanded a new pilot, NBC reports.

​The December 28 flight was headed from the city of Surabaya to Jakarta. A new pilot was assigned the flight, but many of the 154 passengers on board decided to cancel.

The president and the production director of the budget airline have stepped down as a result of the incident.

[Eddie01]

Stay off Canada's Sunwing Air.

[x1stcav]

I was always told you fly better with a few shots in you. Something about loosening things up, smoother handling of the controls, etc.

Maybe he had more than a few shots?

[jerod]

Denzel Washington flew better drunk than he did when he was sober.... Or was just a movie?

[Eddie01]

No. That was real.

[odds]

There is random drug and alcohol tests for drivers of cars and even trains in many western countries. For pilots, there should be a mandatory/compulsory drug and alcohol test EVERY TIME, before they’re permitted to fly a plane - obviously, we can’t rely on a sense of responsibility.

[UCANSEE2]

What happens when passed out pilots land at airports where the ATC guys are passed out as well ?

[A Formerly Proud Canadian]

You have heard the phrase 'a wing and a prayer', have you not? 😉

[Gay State Conservative]

I've seen mentions made more than once of airline pilots falling asleep "at the wheel".Having worked the night shift I can see this happening...particularly with pilots on long haul east/west routes.The biological clock in your head gets all fouled crossing lots of time zones.

So it's not just booze we have to worry about.

[Chode]

and the co-pilot???

[cardinal4]

For pilots, there should be a mandatory/compulsory drug and alcohol test EVERY TIME, before they’re permitted to fly a plane - obviously, we can’t rely on a sense of responsibility

*rolls eyes* yeah, Okay..

[Jack Hydrazine]

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

During World War II, my father was a passenger on an Army Air Force plane, where the pilot was arrested for drunkenness when they landed. The passengers caught on that he was drunk sometime during the flight and were scared witless.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Twelves hours between throttle and bottle.

[dragnet2]

[odds]

Yes, only time will ensure the slow and full exit of alcohol and drugs from bloodstream - and that'd depend on how much you been drinking or what drugs you've been taking in a given period of time. Food, sleep, a shower, etc.. won't speed up the process.

There should be 0 (ZERO) tolerance for drugs and alcohol for pilots - anything that " makes them drowsy and impairs their judgement and performance.", while operating & flying a plane.

[x1stcav]

I'd heard that too but Foster Brooks on the Dean Martin show convinced me it was all a lot of hyper-nanny-ism.

[odds]

>>>”I was always told you fly better with a few shots in you. Something about loosening things up, smoother handling of the controls, etc.”<<<

If a pilot has to rely on “a few shots of alcohol in you” to “loosen up” before flying and operating a plane, then he/she shouldn’t be a pilot for starters.

That really isn’t about “nanny-ism”, it is about safety of passengers the pilot(s) is responsible for.

Alcohol and many drugs impair sound judgement by your brain, hence ability to physically perform at an optimal level. One may feel “good or relaxed” but that’s a false sense - much like Dutch courage.

[B4Ranch]

The pilot — a 37-year-old foreign national from Slovakia in Canada on a work visa — was taken into custody.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/impaired-pilot-sunwings-airlines-arrest-1.3917757

[x1stcav]

Speaking of lightening up, you ought to try it.

You apparently can’t recognize sarcasm when you see it.

I agree with you completely but I thought this was still a forum where we could have a little fun.

Happy New Year.

[musicman]

Dean Martin, Ken Lane & Foster Brooks - The Bar/Airline PIlot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XC3Hc-rAkk