Drunk Pilots

[67november]

here's the news report

 

A Sun Country pilot was set for a long night of flying Friday night from Minneapolis/St. Paul International to the west coast and back.

 

But Pilot Michael Schuster showed up at the airport with alcohol on his breath and bloodshot eyes, according to police reports and the airline.

 

Schuster was suppose to fly Sun Country Flight 397 to San Francisco then back to the Twin Cities at the controls of the red-eye flight.

 

But when Schuster showed up at the airport to report for work, a TSA screener noticed Schuster's red-eyes and alerted airport police.

 

"Our screeners are trained to report any suspicious activities," said a representative of the TSA.

 

Schuster's blood alcohol level was .041, which is just above the legal limit to fly. But he won't face any federal charges because he was stopped before he got to the plane.

 

"I believe there is no profession in which you use more of your brain at a single time than when you are flying an aircraft," said Dr. Warren Jensen, a flight surgeon at the University of North Dakota’s Center for Aerospace Sciences. "And because that demand and susceptibility is great, the ability to perform to your peak is critical to flying."

 

The Federal Aviation Administration has determined any alcohol in a pilot’s system can affect the way they perform. Research shows drunk or even hung over pilots miss air traffic control commands, are slow to react, and often over compensate while flying.

 

Sun Country officials say Schuster has been suspended, and the FAA continues its investigation.

 

Schuster lives down in Florida, according to police reports, and did not return phone calls to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.

 

Sun Country said it is cooperating with federal investigators and added that the airline has a zero alcohol policy.

[transquebecniece]

Surely you jest, Mags. So what if it's a news story? The BAL speaks for itself as does the fact that he showed up to fly with it. Grandma died? That's what Bereavement Leave is for. Puh-lease. You were kidding, right?