When we watch the Evening News on TV, we see serious road accidents due to alcohol use almost every day. This situation, which also has examples in aviation, is also of great importance among pilots.
Why Are Pilots Not Allowed To Fly Alcoholic?
Piloting, although good in terms of conditions and career opportunities today, is a job that requires serious responsibility. Given that some flights are conducted with 300 – 400-seat planes, pilots must always know that in order for these people to reach their destinations safely, they must always keep themselves fit. At this point, alcohol consumption was banned from pilots due to lack of concentration, insomnia, feeling tired, slurred speech, decreased hearing and many other harms. In short, we need to put the words alcohol and aviation side by side. Most airlines are asking their pilots to stop drinking alcohol 8 or 12 hours in advance. In aviation, this situation is referred to as ‘’bottle to throttle’’.
Inspections Are Being Carried Out For Pilots
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), issued by 2018 on alcohol and Psychoactive Substances Control instructions for flight personnel before the flight, during the flight and after the flight no later than 1 hour was decided to conduct checks. It was decided that the pilots would not continue flying if their alcohol levels were above 0.2 PROMIL after the test. If the pilots ‘ tests are positive, it is decided to terminate the duty of the pilot concerned and impose an administrative fine. In the world, this can go as far as prison sentences. 2 pilots of American company United Airlines has been arrested on the grounds of excessive alcohol they took before the Glasgow-New Jersey flight. The flight was cancelled at 07: 35 when the pilots were spotted by police unconscious when they arrived at the airport. Finally, the two pilots were sentenced to up to 2 years in prison.
Alcoholic Pilot Cases
Delta Airlines was expected to operate flight DL47 from Amsterdam to New York when checks found that the pilot of the plane was drunk and the company had to cancel the flight. Legal action has been launched against the pilot, who is said to be 51 years old, and a fine of 3400 euros has been reduced. A Turkish pilot assigned to make a Mangalore – Dubai flight on Indian airline SpiceJet has been removed from his post as a result of his high level of alcohol tests, which are routine before the flight.
