Pilots' attitudes toward alcohol use and flying.
Questionnaires were sent to a national sample of licensed pilots. Respondents reported their flying experience and their drinking behavior. They also indicated the number of drinks that they believed could be safely consumed 3 hours (h) before flying or driving, and estimated the numbers of hours a person should wait, after drinking, before attempting to fly or drive. Similar questions were included regarding marijuana use. Respondents were much more conservative in their attitudes toward the use of alcohol prior to flying than prior to driving. This relationship held both for the number of drinks judged safe 3 h prior to flying or driving and for estimates of the waiting interval that would be appropriate following alcohol consumption. In addition, attitudes toward alcohol use were related to respondents' own drinking behavior, with moderate and heavy drinkers more tolerant of alcohol use in flying and driving situations than abstainers.
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Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706.
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D000328:Adult; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008385:Marijuana Smoking; D008875:Middle Aged; D012449:Safety