A more conservative approach is to wait 24 hours from the last use of alcohol before flying. This is especially true if intoxication occurred or if you plan to fly IFR. Cold showers, drinking black coffee, or breathing 100% oxygen cannot speed up the elimination of alcohol from the body.
The FAA prohibits the ingestion of any alcohol within 8 hours of flying as a pilot crew member, be it general or commercial aviation. For most of us who are not heavy and regular drinkers, if we follow the 8 hours rule, we would assume that we should not generally be busting the 0.04% rule.
Hangover symptoms can last for as much as 48 hours, and the FAA is looking to regulate any situation in which a pilot's mental or visual acuity is compromised. Being hungover definitely qualifies as one of those situations.
Specifically, the Federal Aviation Administration rulebook states that a pilot may not use alcohol within 8 hours of a flight and cannot have a blood alcohol content above 0.04%.
Liquids, gels, and aerosols in carry-on baggage are further limited to 100-ml (3.4 oz) containers at the TSA security checkpoint. FAA regulations prohibit passengers from drinking alcohol on board the aircraft unless it is served by the air carrier.
The routine FAA medical examination does not test for alcohol use and it does not include a blood test. The urine test, which is performed by Aviation Medical Examiner's, is a screening test for diabetes and kidney disease and normally does not include a drug test.
One of the first steps the FAA and the airline will take against a pilot accused of intoxication is to temporarily suspend the pilot's license and flying privileges. While there is no automatic revocation of a pilot's license in these cases, the FAA will suspend a pilot pending the outcome of the investigation.
While cigarette smoking is not prohibited by the FAA, it has several hazardous side effects and many health conditions caused by smoking are medically disqualifying. A smoker typically carries a carbon monoxide blood level of about five percent.
These medical conditions include a personality disorder manifested by overt acts, a psychosis, alcoholism, drug dependence, epilepsy, an unexplained disturbance of consciousness, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and diabetes requiring medication for its control.
It is not illegal, but you are unlikely to fool or impress anyone. A real pilot will be carrying an ID badge with their picture, they will be wearing some insignia jewelry from the airline, they will have a metal plate with their name on it visible.
Due to the risks to flight safety posed by ADHD, regulatory authorities worldwide consider ADHD a disqualifying condition for pilots. Unfortunately, pilots sometimes fail to disclose ADHD to their Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).
Between 2010 and 2018, nearly 117,000 U.S. pilots were tested for alcohol, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Of those, 99 were found above the legal limit. When those violations are discovered, the consequences can be severe.
Airline pilots, in particular, often experience circadian desynchronization and other types of sleep disorders.
(7) A person who is on duty in either air traffic control or Flight Service shall not consume any alcoholic liquor. Penalty for a contravention of this subregulation: 50 penalty units.
The Federal Aviation Administration does not permit pilots to fly if their blood alcohol level is 0.04 or higher.
The stress of a pilot's job is a major contributor to a pilot's potential addiction to drugs or alcohol. Trying to stay awake during long flights or trying to sleep in between flights, a pilot may turn to stimulants or sedatives. These drugs, including amphetamines, can cause a dependency that turns into an addiction.
1) Aircraft Systems
One of the toughest topics for private pilot students is aircraft systems. Want to know more about the systems and equipment in your aircraft? Dig into your POH and read section 7. Better yet, find a local A&P at your airport and have them walk you through a few systems with the cowling off.
One statistic commonly quoted is based on a 2011 study by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which found only 20% of flight school students achieve their private pilot certification.
Most airlines have a similar policy when it comes to tattoos. They allow pilot tattoos as long as they are not visible while on duty and do not contain any offensive content. This means that any tattoos on the hands, neck, or face must be covered up while on duty.
“Only a relatively small number of pilots are identified with an alcohol or drug problem,” says Dr. David Prewett, an aeromedical neuropsychologist in Atlanta. In 2018, the FAA issued about 1,200 special medical certificates for recovering pilots—roughly 0.2 percent of all active U.S. pilots.
If you've ever wondered why you don't see too many bearded airline pilots, there's a reason for that. Some airlines have rules in place that prohibit pilots from having beards. There are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, if you want to be an airline pilot, you'll need to be clean-shaven.
In the U.S., there are no FAA age limits for pilots except for commercial airline pilots employed by airlines certificated under 14 CFR Part 121. These airlines cannot employ pilots after they reach the age of 65. However, these pilots may stay on with a Part 121 carrier in some other role, such as flight engineer.
As with most safety-related jobs, professional pilots get drug tested for employment. Airline and charter pilots are also subject to the same Department of Transportation random drug testing programs that other industries have.
It is possible that pilots may consume Red Bull or other energy drinks, however, it is generally recommended that pilots avoid consuming caffeine or any stimulants before or during a flight due to their potential effects on alertness and performance.
You're best off to sip a little at a time. So bring a couple of water bottles into the cockpit and drink regularly while you're flying, and keep safe!