AN ACR FO SUSPECTED THAT HIS CAPT HAD BEEN DRINKING.

Narrative

CAPT WAS LATE BY A 1/2 HR FOR OUR SHOW TIME OF XA30 DUE TO A RECENT SCHEDULE CHANGE. ACFT WAS TOTALLY READY BY ME FOR OUR RELOCATION FROM THE N RAMP TO OUR USUAL GATE. I FIRST NOTICED ODOR OF OLD BOOZE WHEN HE SAT DOWN. I HAVE FLOWN WITH THIS GUY BEFORE AND HE IS IS OK TO FLY WITH AND A NICE GUY. ON TAXI OVER; I MENTIONED TO HIM 'WHOA; CAPT HAD A LATE NIGHT.' I WAS MAD THAT HE WOULD EVEN ACTUALLY PUT ME INTO THIS POS. HE RESPONDED IT WAS 'AFTER SHAVE;' AND NOT BOOZE I SMELLED. HE KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING AT. THIS TIME I SAID; 'CAPT; YOU REEK! WHAT TIME DID YOU QUIT LAST NIGHT?'; AND HE SAID XB00 PM. HE LATER CHKED WITH CREW SCHEDULING TO VERIFY WHAT TIME THEY NOTIFIED HIM OF HIS TRIP; WHICH WAS WHEN HE QUIT DRINKING. NOW HE BEGAN TO CHEW GUM. CAPT WAS NOT UNDER THE INFLUENCE; HE JUST SMELLED OF BOOZE. I DECIDED (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE) TO HAVE THE DTW STATION MGR CONFRONT HIM AND HAVE A SNIFF. HE ALSO AGREED THAT HE 'STANK;' BUT APPEARED OK. HE ALSO INFORMED HIM TO GO FRESHEN UP. HE ALSO SAID IF THIS WERE JANUARY 1ST; HE WOULD HAVE TESTED HIM. CAPT REASSURED ME THAT HE QUIT WITH PLENTY OF TIME. TO BE LEGAL. FLT WENT OFF FINE AND HE WAS HIS SAME OLD SELF. I ALWAYS SAID I WOULD JUST GET OFF IF THIS EVER HAPPENED TO ME; BUT IT'S HARD TO BE DIPLOMATIC AND NOT CONVICT THE GUY RIGHT THERE. I KNOW CAPT AND GAVE HIM A BIG BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT. I ALSO TOLD STATION MGR; 1 FALSE MOVE AND I WAS OFF ACFT. I HOPE I DID THE RIGHT THING. I DID TRY AND MAKE INTELLIGENT DECISIONS AND TO MAINTAIN A PROFESSIONAL ATTITUDE AND I BELIEVE I WAS RESPECTED FOR THAT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WAS FLYING THE DC-9 FOR AN UPSTART ACR. HE HAS SINCE BEEN FIRED FROM THIS ACR FOR THIS INCIDENT AND FOR CALLING IN SICK IN DECEMBER. HE IS NOT SORRY TO HAVE LEFT THIS COMPANY AND HAS FOUND ANOTHER AIRLINE POS. THE DIRECTOR OF OPS FOR THE ORIGINAL ACR PROMISED TO TALK TO THE DRINKING CAPT ABOUT THIS INCIDENT; BUT APPARENTLY NEVER DID. THE RPTR DID NOT HAVE ANOTHER CONFRONTATION WITH THE CAPT BEFORE HIS FIRING. THE RPTR KNOWS THAT OTHER FO'S NOTICED ALCOHOL ON THE CAPT'S BREATH. THE RPTR IS STILL CONCERNED OVER WHETHER HE DID THE RIGHT THING IN FLYING THE TRIP.