AA Pilot Arrested

TWAnr

Veteran
Aug 19, 2002
1,003
0
www.usaviation.com
Pilot Arrested, Suspected of Being Drunk

An American Airlines pilot was arrested at Manchester Airport on suspicion of being drunk Saturday shortly before his flight was due to take off, police and the airline said.

One of three pilots on Flight 55 to Chicago had been arrested before the flight boarded on suspicion of being intoxicated, airline spokesman Tim Wagner said.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a crew member, a 45-year-old man from Ohio, had been arrested. He was released on bail pending the results of tests and was due to report to a Manchester police station Tuesday, a police spokesman said.

The flight, scheduled to depart at 10:30 a.m. local time, left the northwestern English city about an hour late and was due to stop in New York to pick up a new pilot before continuing to Chicago. Three pilots are required on flights lasting longer than eight hours.

The plane was expected to land in Chicago at 3:50 p.m. CST.

Wagner said the airline had begin an internal investigation into the arrest, which he called an "isolated incident."

There have been a number of cases of pilots and co-pilots being arrested for allegedly trying to fly planes while drunk.

In 2002, a drunk America West pilot and co-pilot were arrested at Miami International Airport as they boarded a flight. A judge sentenced them in July to prison terms of five years and 2 1/2 years, respectively.

A pilot with the Finnish national airline Finnair was jailed for six months after an August 2004 incident in which he tried to fly a packed passenger jet drunk. When he was arrested, he had almost 2 1/2 times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood, prosecutors said.

In June, a Norwegian court sentenced the pilot of a British Airways jet to six months in prison for preparing to fly in November 2003 even though his co-pilot and members of his crew were drunk.

In October, a United Airlines pilot was removed from the cockpit and questioned by police in October after security screeners at Miami's airport reported smelling alcohol. The pilot was not arrested and no breath test was done, but the airline suspended him pending an ongoing internal investigation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060211/ap_on_..._pilot_arrested
 
It doesn't hold true for England but I was told by a 777 Captain that the TSA gets bonuses for catching drunken pilots.

He told me that they come up really close and grab their hands and say something along the lines of " how are you today sir?". After he told me that I realized I had seen it many times before. Apparently they get close to look in their eyes and smell their breath.

Next time you are waiting to go through security and see a pilot go through watch and see if they do it. Either you get the guys that barely look at them or you get the in their face ones.
 
I wonder if that AA pilot hangs out with the pilots from America West? :blink:
 
It doesn't hold true for England but I was told by a 777 Captain that the TSA gets bonuses for catching drunken pilots.

He told me that they come up really close and grab their hands and say something along the lines of " how are you today sir?". After he told me that I realized I had seen it many times before. Apparently they get close to look in their eyes and smell their breath.

Next time you are waiting to go through security and see a pilot go through watch and see if they do it. Either you get the guys that barely look at them or you get the in their face ones.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mabey after a pilot or two gives them a "blast" of raunchy Buffalo breath,with a strong "GARLIC on the side", TSA will think twice . :shock: :down: :shock:

The Pilot could always "Deutche his breath up" with a good quick cleansing, INSIDE of security !!

NH/BB's
 
story here

An American Airlines pilot was arrested at Manchester Airport on suspicion of being drunk Saturday shortly before his flight was due to take off, police and the airline said.

One of three pilots on Flight 55 to Chicago had been arrested before the flight boarded on suspicion of being intoxicated, airline spokesman Tim Wagner said.


story here

Can only hope the police were wrong, and that this pilot wasnt about to do something so stupid
 
It doesn't hold true for England but I was told by a 777 Captain that the TSA gets bonuses for catching drunken pilots.

He told me that they come up really close and grab their hands and say something along the lines of " how are you today sir?". After he told me that I realized I had seen it many times before. Apparently they get close to look in their eyes and smell their breath.

Next time you are waiting to go through security and see a pilot go through watch and see if they do it. Either you get the guys that barely look at them or you get the in their face ones.
Perhaps a few pilots have received this treatment but I've never had a TSA person stick their nose in my face. (I know, it's just not a good story if I can't claim to be a victim of overzealous inspectors so I suspect some embellishment is in play.)

I don't know who your source talked to but the TSA checkpoint supervisor I know has denied any "bonuses" regardless of the item found or conduct identified. They're just professionals (the vast majority at least) who have taken positions the average joe simply doesn't understand. Human nature being what it is, however, harrassing a TSA inspector only invites their implementing as much invasiveness and inconvenience as they can impose within the guidelines of "confirming compliance".

Could it be that American pilots are more likely to undergo such scruitny for drunkeness by having the prominent letters "AA" on their hats?
 
Wow em-der pilots drank an wuk lik scabs. I shud fel rite et-home wid-dem. :D
What the heck is that, somekind of redneck jargon?

If the pilot was indeed enebriated he should be terminated and most likely spend some time in jail. this kind of behavior is reckless and deserves the stiffest penalties the Law will provide.

It is no laughing matter when hundreds of lives are at stake PTO, I realize that aviation to you simply means earning a quick buck and safety probably takes a back seat, but your ego is going to bite you square in the A$$ someday and that will be poetic justice. I just hope you don't kill someone before your humbled!
 
I'm sure he's an expert in the area of drinking on duty...

Any word on the outcome of the pilot's blood alcohol test?
 
I agree with you 100% local it is a very serious offence and action is taken when it is a legitimate charge instead of some flaky rumor being passed around by union propagandist. I am glad to see that union people have their flaws also, for a while there I thought you guys were the saviors of the world. That is the way you guys like to make it sound anyway. To think this also happened to the almighty AA.
 
I agree with you 100% local it is a very serious offence and action is taken when it is a legitimate charge instead of some flaky rumor being passed around by union propagandist. I am glad to see that union people have their flaws also, for a while there I thought you guys were the saviors of the world. That is the way you guys like to make it sound anyway. To think this also happened to the almighty AA.
More blather from the Scab Air mouthpiece, PlaytheCods. Are you again denying the fact that a scab was witnessed drinking a Bud before his scab bus ride this past summer? Not rumor, or propaganda... fact. Its looks like the boozin' tradition has continued 6 months later, as Scab Air is still in last place in dependability. Consider, Scab Air only has about 800 flights a day, AA has that out of DFW.

I thought the cowardly SUPERscabs with big dreams like you were saviors of the world? (Well, your Dougie Stealin's hero... for a little while).

Now run on back to your sadly hollow wrench gypsy life, and wish you had a career Scab Air you could look forward to....it might be the end real soon.

:huh: