PLT503: Alcohol And Flight
What code PLT503 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Alcohol And Flight before your checkride.
Recall use of narcotics / drugs / intoxicating liquor
What this means for your checkride
Alcohol consumed in beer and mixed drinks is ethyl alcohol, a central nervous system depressant, and consuming it is closely linked to performance deterioration. A pilot with a blood alcohol level of .04 percent or greater after 8 hours cannot fly until the level falls below that amount. Even below .04 percent, impairment can remain.
Alcohol degrades the judgment and decision making a flight requires, so pilots must know the limits and lingering effects.
Feeling sober is not proof of fitness; effects and a measurable blood alcohol level can persist well beyond the last drink.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.