SAFE WINGS
Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and Alliance Air

ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION IN
AVIATION INDUSTRY

HIGH & DRY
* For Internal Circulation Only
This issue…
Issue 52, SEPTEMBER 2016
SAFE WINGS
September Edition 52
EDITORIAL
BA checks for Alcohol are conducted for aircrew prior to every flight in India and
upon landing in India after every layover abroad. BA checks are also conducted at
random for equipment operators and key personnel on the airport ramp. The DGCA
imposed penalties for reporting on duty with even traces of alcohol in the body are
very severe. A post flight BA positive can even lead to legal action and jail. Repeat
instances can lead to extended grounding or even loss of license. Inspite of these
penalties we continue to have incidents of crew being detected positive during BA
checks. Hangovers and dehydration also result from Alcohol consumption. We have
featured these topics in this issue.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The posting of stories, reports and documents in this magazine does not in any way,
imply or necessarily express or suggest that all the information is correct. It is based
on details gathered from various sources and is for information purpose only. The
Flight Safety Department is making this material available in its efforts to advance the
understanding of safety. It is in no way responsible for any errors, omissions or
deletions in the reports.
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Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
Alliance Air
September Edition 52
SAFE WINGS
ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION IN
AVIATION INDUSTRY
Alcoholic beverages, used by many to
“unwind” or relax, act as a social
“ice-breaker,” is a way to alter one’s
mood by decreasing inhibitions.
Alcohol
consumption
is
widely
accepted,
often
providing
the
cornerstone of social gatherings and
celebrations. Along with cigarettes,
many adolescents associate the use
of alcohol as a rite of passage into
adulthood.
While its use is prevalent and
acceptable in our society, it should
not come as a surprise that problems
arise in the use of alcohol and the
performance
of
safety-related
activities, such as driving an automobile or flying an aircraft. These problems are
made worse by the common belief that accidents happen “to other people, but not
to me.” There is a tendency to forget that flying an aircraft is a highly demanding
cognitive and psychomotor task that takes place in an inhospitable environment
where pilots are exposed to various sources of stress.
Hard facts about alcohol:
 It’s a sedative, hypnotic, and addicting drug.
 Alcohol quickly impairs judgment and leads to behaviour that can easily
contribute to, or cause accidents.
The erratic effects of alcohol
 Alcohol is rapidly absorbed from the stomach and small intestine, and
transported by the blood throughout the body. Its toxic effects vary
considerably from person to person, and are influenced by variables such as
gender, body weight, rate of consumption (time), and total amount
consumed. Alcohol enters the bloodstream by simple diffusion, and does not
have to be digested. The presence of food in the stomach slows the rate of
alcohol absorption, but absorption is also influenced by other factors
including the type of alcoholic beverage, the drinker's gender, body
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September Edition 52
temperature, the presence of certain medications in the body, and the types
of spices in the food. Distribution to various parts of the body then occurs.
An identical quantity of alcohol per unit of body weight will induce a higher
BAC in women than in men because of differences in body constitution.
The average, healthy person eliminates pure alcohol at a fairly constant rate
- about 7.5 ml of pure alcohol per hour, which means that it will take about
2 hours to metabolize one typical serving of any alcoholic beverage. Mind
you the servings mentioned here are as per the volume given in table 1
below and not the typical “Patialla peg”.
The amount of pure alcohol contained in any of the popular drinks per unit
volume is listed in Table 1. This rate of elimination of alcohol is relatively
constant, regardless of the total amount of alcohol consumed. In other
words, whether a person consumes a few or many drinks, the rate of alcohol
elimination from the body is essentially the same. Therefore, the more
alcohol an individual consumes, the longer it takes his/her body to get rid of
it.
Even after complete elimination of all of the alcohol in the body, there are
undesirable effects-hangover-that can last 48 to 72 hours following the last
drink.
The majority of adverse effects produced by alcohol relate to the brain, the
eyes, and the inner ear-three crucial organs to a pilot.
Brain effects include impaired reaction time, reasoning, judgment, and
memory. Alcohol decreases the ability of the brain to make use of oxygen.
This adverse effect can be magnified as a result of simultaneous exposure to
altitude, characterized by a decreased partial pressure of oxygen.
Visual symptoms include eye muscle imbalance, which leads to impaired
vision.
Inner ear effects include dizziness, and decreased hearing perception.
If other variables are added, such as sleep deprivation, fatigue, medication
use, altitude hypoxia, or flying at night or in bad weather, the negative
effects are significantly magnified.
ALTHOUGH THIS ARTICLE HAS FOCUSSED ON PILOTS, IT MUST BE BORNE
IN MIND THAT IT ALSO APPLIES TO ALL PERSONNEL WHO OPERATE ANY
TYPE OF EQUIPMENT LIKE AIRCRAFT TOWING TRACTORS, PASSENGER
COACHES OR AIRCRAFT SERVICING EQUIPMENT.
ALCOHOL CONTENT IN BEVERAGES: Table 1
Type Beverage
Wine
Light Beer
Champagne
Vodka /Rum/Gin
Whiskey
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Typical Serving (ml)
125
330
125
35
35
Pure Alcohol (ml)
15
15
15
15
15
Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
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September Edition 52
SAFE WINGS
Table 2. Some of the effects of various blood alcohol concentrations:
Table 2: summarizes some of the effects of various blood alcohol concentrations.
The blood alcohol content values in the table overlap because of the wide variation
in alcohol tolerance among individuals.
BAC
0.01-0.05
(10-50 mg%)
EFFECT
average individual appears normal
0.03-0.12
(30-120 mg%)
mild euphoria, talkativeness, decreased
inhibitions, decreased attention, impaired
judgment, increased reaction time
0.09-0.25
(90-250 mg%)
emotional instability, loss of critical
judgment, impairment of memory and
comprehension, decreased sensory
response, mild muscular in coordination
0.18-0.30
(180-300 mg%)
confusion, dizziness, exaggerated emotions
(anger, fear, grief) impaired visual
perception, decreased pain sensation,
impaired balance, staggering gait, slurred
speech, moderate muscular in coordination
0.27-0.40
(270-400 mg%)
apathy, impaired consciousness, stupor,
significantly decreased response to
stimulation, severe muscular in coordination,
inability to stand or walk, vomiting,
incontinence of urine and feces
0.35-0.50
350-500 mg%
unconsciousness, depressed or abolished
reflexes, (abnormal body temperature,
coma; possible death from respiratory
paralysis (450 mg% or above)
Studies of how alcohol affects pilot performance:
 Studies of performance in Simulations
have shown that Pilots have shown
impairment in their ability to fly an ILS
approach or to fly IFR, and even to
perform routine VFR flight tasks while
under the influence of alcohol, regardless
of individual flying experience.
 The number of serious errors committed
by pilots dramatically increases at or
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SAFE WINGS
September Edition 52
above concentrations of 0.04% blood alcohol. This is not to say that
problems don’t occur below this value. Some studies have shown
decrements in pilot performance with blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) as
low as the 0.02%.
Hangovers are dangerous:
A hangover effect, produced by alcoholic beverages after the acute intoxication has
worn off, may be just as dangerous as the intoxication itself. Symptoms commonly
associated with a hangover are headache, dizziness, dry mouth, stuffy nose,
fatigue, upset stomach, irritability, impaired judgment, and increased sensitivity to
bright light. A pilot with these symptoms would certainly not be fit to safely
operate an aircraft. In addition, such a pilot could readily be perceived as being
“under the influence of alcohol.”
You are in control
Flying, while fun and exciting, is a
precise, demanding, and unforgiving
endeavor. Any factor that impairs the
pilot’s ability to perform the required
tasks during the operation of an aircraft is
an invitation for disaster.
The use of alcohol is a significant selfimposed stress factor that should be
eliminated from the cockpit. The ability to
do so is strictly within the pilot’s control.
Regulations:
Whilst the DGCA has a stringent CAR on the subject, keep in mind that regulations
alone are no guarantee that problems won’t occur. It is far more important for
pilots to understand the negative effects of alcohol and its deadly impact on flight
safety.
General Recommendations:
1) As a minimum, adhere to all the guidelines of the DGCA CAR.
2) Keep a gap of at least 18 hrs after consuming alcohol.
3) Do not fly while under the effects or even the after effects of alcohol.
4) Do not fly while using any drug that may adversely affect safety
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Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
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September Edition 52
SAFE WINGS
5) A more conservative approach is to wait 24 hours from the last use of alcohol
before flying. Cold showers, drinking
black coffee, or breathing 100%
oxygen cannot speed up the
elimination of alcohol from the body.
6) Consider the effects of a hangover.
The minimum DGCA prescribed hours
from “bottle to throttle” does not
mean you are in the best physical
condition to fly, or that your blood
alcohol concentration is below the
legal limit which is a BAC of Zero.
7) Recognize the risk of combining
alcohol consumption and flying.
8) Use good judgment. Your life and the lives of your passengers are at stake.
Alcohol avoidance before flight is as critical as a flight
plan, a good preflight inspection, obeying ATC procedures,
and avoiding severe weather.
ALCOHOL USE AND SALE:
Alcoholic beverages are marketed in a variety of forms, whisky, rum, vodka, wine
and beer being the common ones.
Different
alcoholic
beverages have different
concentrations of alcohol;
however, the total alcohol
content in a typical serving
can be the same. For
example, a small can of
beer contains as much
alcohol as a 125 ml glass of
wine or 35 ml of “hard
liquor” like whisky, Vodka,
Rum. Therefore, the notion
that
drinking
lowconcentration
alcoholic
beverages like wine or beer
is safer than drinking hard
liquor is erroneous.
Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
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SAFE WINGS
September Edition 52
The total alcohol content of any alcoholic beverage can be easily calculated using
the following: “proof” divided by 2 = percent pure alcohol. Some beverages are
marked “under proof” or UP such as UP 25 which means 75 proof. 80 proof means
Alcohol of 40%. Many bottles have the pure alcohol content marked on the label
itself, eg Alcohol 42 %, or Alcohol not exceeding 5%.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
HAZARDS OF CONSUMING MEDICATIONS CONTAINING ALCOHOL
Recently a Positive Breath Analyzer case was reported during PFMC. The crew
stated that s,/he had not consumed any alcoholic drink, sedative, narcotic,
etc., but had consumed a prescribed Ayurvedic medicine. However the Alco
sensor detected the breath as positive for alcohol. As per prevailing
Regulations under Civil Aviation Requirement Section 5 -Air Safety Series F Part
III, 4th, August 2015, any intoxicant detected by Alco Sensor producing any
reading other that 0.000 will be treated as BA positive case and strict action
shall be taken as per Para 8 of CAR Section 5 -Air Safety Series F Part III.
OPERATING INSTRUNCTIONS:
It is advised to all crew member/maintenance personnel who are reporting for
duty to strictly refrain from consuming any medication, syrup, etc. whether
Allopathic, Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, Unani, etc. which may contain Alcohol.
Many Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, and alternate medicine preparation do not
specify the contents. Sometimes such medication may not have added
alcohol but the ingredients may interact with each other and self-generate
alcohol due to fermentation. The Doctor prescribing the drug may not know
your nature of duties or may not be aware of DGCA CAR on the subject and
therefore may not tell you about this fact. Many preparations of mouth wash or
tooth gels also have alcohol content and may produce a positive BA reading.
Any crew prescribed any medication must consult the company Doctor
before undertaking any flying assignment.
BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION:
Disclaimer: The following values are in no way purported to be a guideline for
how much you can drink The best policy is don’t drink. There is no Blood Alcohol
chart or formula which is 100% accurate because of a number of factors like age,
weight, sex,, different metabolism rates, amount of food in the stomach, drinking
frequency, etc. The following tables give only a rough estimate. A healthy
metabolism rate will eliminate alcohol at the rate of .01 BAC per 40 mins after
drinking.
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Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
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September Edition 52
Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
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SAFE WINGS
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September Edition 52
HIGH & DRY
Dehydration causes a
degradation of pilot
performance that
must not be lightly
regarded.
Excessive loss of water from the
human body can lead to
dehydration, marked by fatigue
and a deterioration of mental and
physical performance that can have
serious consequences for pilots.
Dehydration occurs when water
consumption is inadequate or when
the human body loses an excessive
amount of water — through heavy
perspiration, exposure to hot
weather,
fever,
vomiting
or
diarrhea, use of diuretics to
increase urine excretion, and some
diseases. The low humidity in
pressurized aircraft also is a
contributing factor. In addition,
alcoholic beverages — such as
those consumed a day before a
flight — and caffeine have diuretic
effects.
Water accounts for about twothirds of body weight and is an
essential component of the human
body, needed for replicating cells,
moving
nutrients
and
waste
products, and regulating body
temperature. The kidneys excrete
between 1.5 to 2 Litres; in
addition, varying amounts of water
are lost to perspiration. To stay
healthy,
an
individual
must
consume enough water to offset
these losses.
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Recommendations for
Preventing Dehydration
T
he following are recommendations for
preventing dehydration and other
heat-related problems:
 Drink about 2 L of water every 24 hours,
although the exact amount varies
widely. Drink before you become thirsty,
and drink from a container that allows
you
to
measure
daily
water
consumption;
 Limit consumption of alcohol and
caffeine. Both are diuretics, which
increase the excretion of urine;
 Monitor work and recreational activities,
and stop what you are doing if you feel
light-headed or dizzy. Exercise can
result in water loss that is difficult to
overcome quickly;
 Be aware of your physical condition,
especially if you have recently been ill;
and,
 Remember that your body’s adjustment
to a major change in weather, such as
the sudden onset of hot weather, can
take one to two weeks.
Flight Safety Magazine of Air India, Air India Express and
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September Edition 52
SAFE WINGS
Aeromedical specialists say that failing to drink an adequate amount of water can
result in an increased susceptibility to fatigue. Medical specialists attribute their
formation to a concentration of mineral salts in the urine or to the absence from
the urine of substances that inhibit formation of the stones. Although smaller
kidney stones may be asymptomatic, larger ones can cause abdominal pain,
nausea and vomiting, fever and blood in the urine. The amount of fluid should be
enough to keep their urine clear and light in colour.
Water vs. Sports Drinks
Under
normal
circumstances,
medical authorities suggest that
water is usually the best drink for a
pilot to consume, although there is
a place for rehydration drinks,
including so-called sports drinks,
that have been formulated not only
to replenish lost fluids but also to
restore the proper concentration of
electrolytes — dissolved minerals
such as sodium and potassium —
in the blood. The electrolytes are
electrically charged molecules that
are key to many essential bodily
functions.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Amount of Water Lost
Symptoms
1.5 L
Thirst
3.0 L
Sluggishness, fatigue, nausea, emotional instability
4.0 L
Clumsiness, headache, elevated body temperature,
elevated pulse, elevated respiratory rate
5.0 L
Dizziness, slurred speech, weakness, confusion
6.0 L
Delirium, swollen tongue, circulatory problems,
decreased blood volume, kidney failure
9.0 L
Inability to swallow, painful urination, cracked skin
12.0 L
Imminent death
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Editorial: Capt V Kulkarni, Bhavish B S
Designed by Bhavish BS