Whatever
Happened To...
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Aloha fired pilot smelling
of alcohol before flightQuestion: What ever happened to the Aloha Airlines co-pilot who was cited by Oakland, Calif., police in March with the intent to operate an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol?
Answer: The 39-year-old man was terminated for cause from Aloha Airlines in April after the company finished its own investigation.
Spokesman Stu Glauberman said the co-pilot had violated several company regulations related to the March 27 incident.
The co-pilot was removed from flight duty after he was cited by police at the Oakland airport.
He had been employed with Aloha Airlines since April 2001.
He and other crew members were on a two-day layover in the San Francisco Bay area when the co-pilot reported to Oakland Airport on that Saturday morning to head to Hawaii on Flight 441 with 120 passengers.
Airport personnel smelled alcohol as the pilot passed through the security checkpoint. A security agent went down to the tarmac where the co-pilot was administering a pre-flight inspection.
Oakland police said he had "red, glassy eyes and a strong order of alcohol emanating from his breath." Police further said his appearance was flushed and his hair was a mess. The 39-year-old man was detained by police at the jetway.
A breathalyzer test indicated that the co-pilot had a blood-alcohol level of 0.182, more than four times the Federal Aviation Administration's legal limit. No pilot may operate an aircraft with a blood-alcohol level of 0.04 or greater, according to the FAA.
The Air Line Pilots Association is appealing the termination.
Union officials could not be reached for comment.
This update was written by Rosemarie Bernardo.
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