Drug test

mbav8r · Post by **mbav8r** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:23 am

When I first got into aviation, I remember someone telling me about a buddy who went through the interview and was selected. Then went through the medical and the drug screen came back positive. As I remember the guy had only tried it the one time about 6 months before, but guess what, that didn't matter he lost the airline job he had dreamt about and was blacklisted from that part of the industry.

I also flew with a guy who smoked quite regularly, I understand. I didn't know at the time but found out after the fact that my captain, someone you rely on to keep you alive the first while, was probably stoned half the time. As I looked back, things made sense. I remember many times where he would just sit there quite like in a vegetative state and I thought well he's kinda quiet tonight, makes you think though.

Is one night of indecretion really worth what you could be risking, I think NO!

Phillip Banks · Post by **Phillip Banks** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:51 am

mbav8r wrote: the guy had only tried it the one time about 6 months before,

Wow thats a scary thought.

What drug did he try, I didn't think that MJ stayed in your system that long...I may be wrong tho, what do I know haha

Lommer · Post by **Lommer** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 11:30 am

MJ can stay in your system for months, and if they do hair follicle testing it can be several months. Since THC is stored in fat cells, people who are overweight will retain traces for longer than active low-body-fat people. I have heard (but have no evidence) that high performance athletes will only retain evidence THC for a couple weeks, which does throw Mr. Regabliati's story into serious question.

I believe that smoking dope on your time off is very unlikely to affect your skills as a pilot. However, I would be extremely concerned that the police pay a surprise visit to your party, and suddently you have a criminal record for posession --- No more flights to the states, and a very high percentage of pilot employment opportunities just dried up.

heavymetal · Post by **heavymetal** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 2:58 pm

Crazymax wrote:What kind of image are you going to give your friends?

As if a little weed smoking is going to tarnish the great image of the drunk, womanizing, soul selling pilot. We've worked to long and too hard giving away self respect and dignity for shister operators and less than apealing woman to let a little reefer destroy the auroa that has been created in 100 years of pilots doing what they know best when they aren't flying.

Crazymax · Post by **Crazymax** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 3:03 pm

heavymetal wrote:
Crazymax wrote:What kind of image are you going to give your friends?
As if a little weed smoking is going to tarnish the great image of the drunk, womanizing, soul selling pilot. We've worked to long and too hard giving away self respect and dignity for shister operators and less than apealing woman to let a little reefer destroy the auroa that has been created in 100 years of pilots doing what they know best when they aren't flying.

I never said I agreed with the other great images of the pilot you are describing eighter. If you work at McDonalds, I don,t care what you smoke/sniff/drink in your off time. However, I expect any professional to stand up to their expectations. I don't think the lady buying a ticket to go from A to B expects or accepts the fact that the pilots to do drugs during their off times. There are rules in place... Respect them!

Max

confused · Post by **confused** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:24 am

I am interested in central mountain and wondering if they do drug testing on initial hireing.

Phillip Banks · Post by **Phillip Banks** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:05 am

Crazymax wrote:
There are rules in place... Respect them!

Max

The only rule I have ever read on the issue is that you can not fly while suffering the affects of drugs... I will not be suffering any ill affects of weed a week after smoking it. Seriously is there any other rule here that I haven't read?

BTW Heavymetal I nearly had milk coming out my nose after reading that...very funny and well said. haha

Crazymax · Post by **Crazymax** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:22 am

I think the federal legislation is clear enough on illegal drug use...

Max

the_professor · Post by **the_professor** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:43 pm

Lurch wrote:I fully agree and also believe in yearly drug testing. Pilots should never use illigal drugs even if you are not flying for a month.

Why?

There is a widely held misconception that because the byproducts of THC are detectable for some time after consumption of MJ, that the person is impaired for an extended period of time. This false. THC metabolizes fast enough that the effects wear off relatively quickly -- hours, not days or weeks.

There is no difference in impairment between someone who goes to work 16 hours after a beer bender and someone who goes to work 16 hours after a little MJ. The THC byproducts will be detecable for a longer period of time than the alcohol (from days to weeks, depending on frequency of usage and metabolism), but you are not impaired for that length of time.

So a few hoots at a party are not going to impair you for long, nor will it be detecable for very long.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:34 pm

The problem for a pilot is you need only " one " conviction for using it and you ain't going to be flying international as a pilot.

Especially into the USA.

twinpratts · Post by **twinpratts** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:53 pm

Here fishy fishy...