Ari707
2008-12-23, 03:48 PM
From the Sun UK
GUN cops swooped on a Heathrow airliner because the pilot reeked of BOOZE as he prepared to take off with 300 passengers.
Dad-of-two Michael Harr, 62 — who had been to a Christmas party the night before — was breath-tested and hauled out of the cockpit of the Boeing 777.
He was marched off the flight to Mumbai in India as colleagues preparing for the 4,400-mile, nine-hour trip watched in horror.
Police were tipped off when airport staff smelt alcohol on the veteran flier as he passed through routine security.
Former US marine Harr — the jet’s first officer — was taken to Heathrow police station for a blood test and bailed until next year.
Passengers on Sunday’s Jet Airways flight — which was delayed until a replacement pilot was found — included relatives of people killed and injured in the Mumbai massacre last month.
A source said last night: “Harr absolutely stank of booze.
Arrest
“Security were immediately suspicious about him and deemed that he wasn’t fit to fly.
“He was arrested and now faces losing his job. He is only a couple of years away from retirement and has blown everything.
“Apparently, he and some of his younger colleagues had been out on Saturday night and the drinking got out of hand.
“He thought he could keep up with the youngsters.” Airline pilots are meant to avoid alcohol for eight hours before flying.
A photo of tubby Harr posing in his cockpit and looking red-faced appears on the Facebook website.
The former Delta Airlines pilot, who lives in Griffin, Georgia, boasts in his profile: “This old marine is still flying for $$$ after over 40 + yrs.” He goes on to joke: “Do it till I get it right.”
A spokesman for Indian-based Jet Airways said of the drama on Flight 9W119: “The first pilot was replaced and passengers were only delayed by ten minutes.”
Beer
The scandal comes two months after Heathrow police held a fellow American aged 44 on suspicion of being over the limit minutes before he was due to fly a United Airlines jet to San Francisco.
In October last year, a Virgin Atlantic pilot aged 42 about to take off for Miami was also arrested at Heathrow.
The Civil Aviation Authority’s alcohol limit for pilots is 20mg per 100ml of blood — four times lower than the 80mg maximum for motorists. It is roughly equal to a quarter of a pint of strong beer.
A CAA spokesman said: “In 2003 new legislation was introduced to give the police powers to test pilots for drink or drugs where there is reasonable suspicion.
“The powers also cover air traffic controllers and aircraft maintenance engineers.”
A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed yesterday: “At 9.30am on Sunday officers attended an aircraft at Heathrow.
“A 62-year-old man was arrested for being over the limit.
“He has been bailed until February.”
GUN cops swooped on a Heathrow airliner because the pilot reeked of BOOZE as he prepared to take off with 300 passengers.
Dad-of-two Michael Harr, 62 — who had been to a Christmas party the night before — was breath-tested and hauled out of the cockpit of the Boeing 777.
He was marched off the flight to Mumbai in India as colleagues preparing for the 4,400-mile, nine-hour trip watched in horror.
Police were tipped off when airport staff smelt alcohol on the veteran flier as he passed through routine security.
Former US marine Harr — the jet’s first officer — was taken to Heathrow police station for a blood test and bailed until next year.
Passengers on Sunday’s Jet Airways flight — which was delayed until a replacement pilot was found — included relatives of people killed and injured in the Mumbai massacre last month.
A source said last night: “Harr absolutely stank of booze.
Arrest
“Security were immediately suspicious about him and deemed that he wasn’t fit to fly.
“He was arrested and now faces losing his job. He is only a couple of years away from retirement and has blown everything.
“Apparently, he and some of his younger colleagues had been out on Saturday night and the drinking got out of hand.
“He thought he could keep up with the youngsters.” Airline pilots are meant to avoid alcohol for eight hours before flying.
A photo of tubby Harr posing in his cockpit and looking red-faced appears on the Facebook website.
The former Delta Airlines pilot, who lives in Griffin, Georgia, boasts in his profile: “This old marine is still flying for $$$ after over 40 + yrs.” He goes on to joke: “Do it till I get it right.”
A spokesman for Indian-based Jet Airways said of the drama on Flight 9W119: “The first pilot was replaced and passengers were only delayed by ten minutes.”
Beer
The scandal comes two months after Heathrow police held a fellow American aged 44 on suspicion of being over the limit minutes before he was due to fly a United Airlines jet to San Francisco.
In October last year, a Virgin Atlantic pilot aged 42 about to take off for Miami was also arrested at Heathrow.
The Civil Aviation Authority’s alcohol limit for pilots is 20mg per 100ml of blood — four times lower than the 80mg maximum for motorists. It is roughly equal to a quarter of a pint of strong beer.
A CAA spokesman said: “In 2003 new legislation was introduced to give the police powers to test pilots for drink or drugs where there is reasonable suspicion.
“The powers also cover air traffic controllers and aircraft maintenance engineers.”
A Scotland Yard spokesman confirmed yesterday: “At 9.30am on Sunday officers attended an aircraft at Heathrow.
“A 62-year-old man was arrested for being over the limit.
“He has been bailed until February.”