Alcohol - Beechcraft Musketeer Sport III A23-19 Pilot Operating Handbook

Sectlon X
Oeemcraft
Safety lnformatlon
Single Englne (Piston)
• lncreased susceptibility to fatigue and decreased atten-
tion span.
• Decreased relevance of response.
• lncreased self confidence with decreased insight into
immediate capabilities.
Tests have shown that pilols commit major errors of judg-
ment and procedura at blood alcehol levels substantially
less than the minimum legal levels of intoxication for most
states. These tests furthar show a continuation of impair-
ment from alcehol up to as many as 14 hours after con-
sumption, with no appreciable diminution of impairment. The
body metabolizes ingested alcehol at a rate of about one-
third of an ounce per hour. Even after the body completely
destroys a moderate amount of alcohol, a pilot can still be
severely impaired for many hours by hangover. The effects
ot
alcehol on the body are magnified at altitudes, as 2 oz. of
alcehol at 18,000 feet produce the same adverse effects as
6 oz. at sea level.
Federal Aviation Regulations have been amended to reflect
the FAA's growing concern with the effects of alcehol impair-
ment. FAR 91 states:
"Aicohol or drugs.
1D-44
(a) No person may act or attempt to act as a crew-
member ot a civil aircraft -
( 1) Within 8 hours after the consumption o f any
aleoholic beverage;
(2) While under the influence
ot
alcohol;
(3) While using any drug that affects the
per~
son's faculties in any way contraryto
sałaty;
or
(4) While having .04 percent by weight or more
alcehol in the blood.
May, 1994