Last Updated on May 4, 2013 by

Spoiler Alert: This article is about the movie, Flight. Please forgive us for spoiling the movie if you haven’t seen it yet.

The movie Flight, starring Denzel Washington, is a great depiction and real-life example that highlights the dangers, risks and consequences of driving (and in this case, flying) while impaired. We won’t go into too much detail for those of you who still want to see what we think is a great movie, however, we do want to point out a few things that shed some light on this relevant issue of alcohol and substance abuse and how it affects more than just your typical driver. The main plot of the movie illustrated how pilots are also held to the same of DUI/DWI laws of the land as Denzel Washington’s character, Whip Whitaker, became somewhat of a poster child for pilots who struggle with alcohol and substance abuse.

Though the movie depicts Whitaker as a hero for landing a “broken” plane with only a few casualties, it also calls attention to the fact that he is an alcoholic and rarely ever flies without being drunk or high from the cocaine he uses to bring himself out of an alcoholic slump. Even though his impairment is not what caused the accident, the investigators could not ignore the fact that Whitaker was flying under the influence of drugs and alcohol, with a blood alcohol concentration of .24 – that is 8 times what is allowed in Georgia, Whitaker’s home state where the accident took place. And without continuing to give away the entire story, let’s just say that the weight of the deeper struggle with substance abuse finally took its toll on Whitaker and he ultimately got the help he needed in the end.

Pilots and DWI Laws

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regulate pilots and enforce drug and alcohol laws concerning the operation of commercial airplanes. Pilots are also subject to state DWI/DUI laws.

The FAA prohibits a pilot or crew member from flying or operating an aircraft if:

• he or she has consumed alcohol within eight hours of a flight or is under the influence of alcohol
• he or she is using any drug that affects the person’s faculties in any way contrary to safety; or
• he or she has a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .04 percent or greater.

Any pilot or crew member found to have violated any of these provisions faces imprisonment, fines, and revocation of his or her pilot’s license.

See Section 3 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations for more information

Substance Abuse Is Real

As we help clients who are dealing with DWI charges and in some cases, substance abuse, we realize the seriousness of kicking a bad habit. We don’t have all the answers, but we do have caring and concerned people who sincerely want to help. This movie made us appreciate the role we play in helping people get their lives back on track after a DWI. To some, this role may seem insignificant. To us, substance abuse education, prevention and treatment is nothing to take lightly.

Please don’t let this article alarm you and keep you from flying. We simply want to share a relevant point of view on the matter of DWI and substance abuse and how it can and does hit home for many people.