Breath Analyzer on Civil Aircrafts

Responsibility cuts both ways.

Suppose that a medical emergency case needs air evacuation to a hospital, but a breath analyzer malfunctions and stops a nonintoxicated pilot from flying....

Be careful of what you wish for.

Each individual should be evaluated for the maximum alcohol level he can withstand as some can drink more and still be in good shape. A medical evaluation is better.

None of these people crashed?

So, you seem to be implying that it would be OK for commercial pilots to fly drunk? I'd be far more concerned about the pilot with 125 passengers flying drunk than Joe-six-pack, who will only kill two or three people when he augers in.

There are regulations in place regarding consumption of alcohol within 8 hours (I think) of flying, already.

The cost to equip civil aircraft with breath analyzers would be staggering, and not woth the return.

If they're going to install breath analyzers to check for alcohol impairment it would be best to install several of the units in a central airline pilot's reporting station rather in the aircraft itself.....just may sure that they are frequently calibrated and manned by people making more than the Minimum Wage who also are well trained in their use!

Doubt that it'll happen anytime soon because the Airline Pilot's unions and their talking head attorneys will fight this idea tooth and nail....you can bet your last Dollar on that one!

The FAA would have a very hard time issuing such regulations. It'd probably take an Act of Congress (or God) to pass such legislation...and we all know whose pockets and wallets that they're picking at any given time and place....the PACs!!!!!!

Can you say "FREE AIRFARE & LUXEURIOUS CONGRESSIONAL JUNKET/EXCURSION"??? LOL

What responsible, sober commercial transport pilot would be opposed to a breath test before taking off with up to 300 people on board? I like the idea of a central testing station. _{It'll never happen.}

Civilian aircraft are a completly different subject.

"best to install several of the units in a central airline pilot's reporting station"

I would go with this more practical solution.

May be the regulations will be mandated after an tipsy pilot crash an aircraft causing deaths!

The use of breath tests to enforce penalties on someone who likes to drink alcohol to a generalised standard is a nonsense- yet the authorities do it!. They assume a partition rate of 2100 to 1- yet one could have a p/r of 1300 or 3300!. As a long term beer drinker(mostly home brew these days)- I can be at 0.2 or more yet feel perfectly ok!. And yes the cops got me 5 weeks ago for excess 0.05-(only takes 2 standard drinks in 1 hour!)- For anyone who has an occasional drink- buy a good breath tester & use it- but most of all do not drive etc where there is a good chance of being intercepted by do-gooders who have the powers to accost one in the name safety(in reality revenue raising)!. So I am saying another parameter should be used- the question-"how much alcohol do you drink each day & how long have you been doing so?" - if over 40 years & you have survived- it must be obvious to anyone with 1/4 brain(most cops!) that your body has adapted to a deadly poison to an extent that you are not impaired as the arbitrary level says you must be!.

What will happen if they drink during flying?.

Of course they should breathalyse all pilots before take off, there are laws about how much alcohol a pilot is permitted to have in his blood, just like us motorists, so any pilot refusing to be breathalysed should be sacked, they are not above the law!

Xanasax

Just like everything else, it seems, that upon reports like this, that everyone has a knee-jerk reaction and wants to penalize everyone involved. Installing breath test instruments will not solve the problem. There's lots of ways around that.

Also, you report 57 pilots.

What is 57 a percentage of all pilots in India? What are the permissible limits in India? Do they comply with ICAO? What was the time period involved? Is that one year when you say 09-10? What was the penalty paid by the pilots found to be beyond permissible limits? If they didn't have their licenses pulled permanently, then shame on the Indian authorities?

Lastly, what do you mean by "civil aircrafts"? When I fly a "civil" aircraft, not for hire and with no paying passengers on my private license, would you have me use the breath analyzer to start the airplane as well?

Why do people want to impose extreme sanctions with so little information at hand?<rhetorical question>

Hooker

Anyone who knows how to 'circle breathe' can circumvent it ... reducing the true level by half or more. Police know this ... that is why they also do the coordination test.

How's that for a "horn blower".

What you are suggesting will take out 90% of all Pilots. The Sober 10% are sober only because their wives just dropped them off at the Airport for work. I know Commerical Airline Pilots that I would never fly with Sober.