People with substance abuse problems usually rationalize. When substance abuse affects relationships or jeopardizes your employment, there is a problem. The rules for airline pilots are realistic. The only practical way to exceed .04 is to either violate the 8 hour rule or drink to excess outside of it. Either way, as a pilot, if you cannot manage alcohol consumption so as not to place yourself in jeopardy via the above two methods, you have a problem. If anyone should know the consequences of "overdoing it", it should be pilots as the limits and restrictions placed upon them are far more stringent than most other professions.

If it's true this pilot not only exceeded the .04 limit, but was legally intoxicated, there is a problem. It seems obvious his condition was noticeable enough to alert those "passing by", so it must have been a significant lapse and another aspect of those with a problem is their inability to judge exactly how they appear to others, by sight , smell or actions. The result here should be a lesson to all of the consequences of not managing your alcohol intake responsibly. Unfortunately, for this pilot to have a chance of getting back to the night before this occured (if he does), it will almost certainly result in revocation of all certificates, tens of thousands of dollars in legal expenses, a possible criminal record, a 2-year rehabilitation program, thousands of dollars to re qualify up to ATP standards beginning with Private Pilot onward and re qualification with his airline along with close substance abuse monitoring for the remainder of his career.

One can only wonder if it will cost him a marriage or worse. Truly an unfortunate situation, but one we all should use to remind us of our necessity to manage our lives properly and confront ourselves if we think we have a problem BEFORE something like this happens to us.