abc@brl-tgr.UUCP (07/07/84)
Does anyone know what sort of "restrictions" and "denials of freedom" are placed upon pilots of airplanes? I wonder if these aren't more "unreasonable" than roadblocks to detect drunk drivers. I wonder if th"free spirits" on this net would like airplane pilots to have the same "rights" which they claim for automobile motorists?
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (07/09/84)
Actually, there are fewer restrictions on flying and less enforcement. Probably this is because pilots who drink, etc...kill themselves but don't run into other people. The rules were especially lax when you aren't carrying passengers. The problem with FAA regulations is that when you violate them, and the FAA does decide to prosecute, due process is thrown to the wind. There is no trial in the conventional sense and you are not entitled to lawyers at the hearings. It's a farce. -Ron
bcn@mit-eddie.UUCP (Clifford Neuman) (07/12/84)
There is not an implied consent rule associated with receiving a
pilots license. There is a rule stating that one can not pilot
an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming any alcohol, but no way
to force a pilot to submit to a test. I believe there is
legislation pending to add the implied consent rule. This in
no way effects rules that airlines may have for their own pilots
however.
~ Cliff {decvax!genrad,ihnp4}!mit-eddie!bcnjudy@ism780.UUCP (07/13/84)
#R:brl-tgr:-310800:ism780:18300006:000:537 ism780!judy Jul 10 17:29:00 1984 From my experience with private planes, there are no sobriety tests before you take off. However, there is an axiom which is used by all pilots I know: 24 hours from bottle to throttle Unlike driving a car, flying an airplane demands concentration. Pilots put in a lot more hours learning to fly and are under much more stringent licensing agreements than drivers. And their attitude is usually one of respect for the dangerousness of making a mistake. After all, do you check all the instruments in your car before leaving home?
nathanm@hp-pcd.UUCP (07/13/84)
Comparing restrictions on pilots to restrictions on drivers is not particularly valid, although I hasten to add that I am rabidly totalitarian on the drunk driving issue. Obtaining flying priveleges is considerably more difficult than obtaining driving priveleges. On the other hand, enforcement of the myriad regulations is a lot tougher. The fact is, there is no foolproof way to keep idiots out of the sky. By and large, the system works. But I would like to cite a couple of instances illustrating the system and its problems/benefits. At a fly-in at the Lebanon, Oregon airport a couple of years ago, some of the attendees at the party went flying around in a four-seater belonging to another attendee (who was not on board). They tried some low-altitude maneuvers, crashed and were all killed. None aboard was wearing seat belts and tests showed that all had been drinking. Naturally, the owner of the aircraft denies lending out his keys, claiming that the use of the aircraft was unauthorized. The old rule, "eight hours from bottle to throttle", was obviously not observed and there was no "roadblock" to the commission of an act of incredible stupidity. (Lebanon, like many small airports, has no airline service or control tower. Having a control tower would have added the minor stumbling block of having to sound coherent on the radio to be cleared for takeoff.) Airline pilots are subject to much more stringent rules than are private pilots. Among these are the requirements for a physical exam every six months. One pilot I heard of obtained his physical at an airport between flights. The doctor grounded him right there and then because he failed the blood pressure test. I have no conclusions or important points to share beyond the mere mention of these instances to supplement the point made by brl-tgr!abc. ---------- Nathan Meyers hplabs!hp-pcd!nathanm
ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (07/16/84)
Actually, I think it's No Smoking within eight hours and No Drinking within 50 feet. Be serious. What you have to do to get a pilots license is not any worse than what you have to do to get a driver's license. You take a written test, you take a practical test, and instead of just an eye test, you have to get a quick physical. Big deal. -Ron