And what do you do if he refuses? Who do you call and how do you go about doing it? There's really no wrong answer here (other than to let him fly), but how you answer this question can provide some good insight to an interviewer about your personality...

I'm astounded you would let him fly intoxicated... unless maybe I misread your post. If the captain doesn't call sick, you tell him you're calling the company right then and there and advise them of the entire situation. And you, as FO, absolutely refuse to fly with him under any circumstances.

Maybe the answer is different at another airline, but I did a year's worth of interviews with AA and that was one of our questions we'd ask among a few others posted here on this thread.

I'm simply telling you what AA wanted you to do. I have a hard time thinking it would be any different for any other US carrier.

K

Where exactly did I say let him fly?

I'm saying, that you can learn a lot about a candidate by following up with "he refuses to call in sick, what do you do?"

You say call the company. Who are you going to call? The answer you give can give good insight into the type of personality you have.

Simple...

Call the chief pilot of your base.

K

Tell the CA I won't let him get on the plane drunk. He needs to call in sick. If he won't call in sick then I'm calling the chief pilot at the base / outstation.

Bottom line - the CA is not leaving the hotel / getting on the plane. Situation is bad but no need to make it a 6PM news item.

-LAFF

OMG I guess I'm such a sexist I didn't get it right hahahhaa damn!

Here's the list of folks to call /things to do as I've heard them in interviews:

System/Domicile Chief Pilot
Captain's Friends (other captains) to encourage him to call sick
Professional Standards
Company Safety Manager / Director of Safety
Crew Scheduling
Drug / Alcohol Manager
Call in sick yourself
Offer to call in sick with the CA (bad food the night before perhaps?)

There were some other creative answers, but I can't remember them all. The big thing is don't let the Captain leave the hotel. But some interviewers might think higher/lower of you depending on their personal beliefs and experiences.

(For instance, I was more impressed by the people that not only protected the company, but also genuinely sought to get the CA help and not end his career by flat out calling the CP as the immediate first step).

Another good question
 

Here's another good question I heard...

"When was the last time you broke an FAR?"

-If you say no, they know that you are lying, sort of a leading question.

-Same as, "So sir, is it true that you have stopped beating your wife?"

um maybe it's just me but that makes no sense. the first question is not a YES or NO question like the second one.

If you have never broken an FAR why wouldn't you just say , " I have never brroken an FAR "

That in itself means you probably don't have enough experience. Everyone violates one at some time, for example, accidentally off altitude, speed, etc... usually corrected by a nudge from the controller and nothing comes of it.