This past weekend FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt was arrested for DUI in Fairfax, Virginia, after being stopped reportedly driving on the wrong side of Old Lee Road, a boulevard in Fairfax. Babbitt was reportedly alone and wasn't involved in an accident. Fairfax doesn't release blood alcohol content test results on those arrested for DUI; the maximum legal blood alcohol level in Virginia is .08. Depending on which report you read, Babbitt has either been placed on administrative leave or he has asked to be placed on administrative leave, a request, which if made, was granted. A new interim head, Michael Huerta, is in place.
If Babbitt was indeed driving impaired, there's no answer for him except to step down. The administration will surely ask him to do just that, perhaps very soon, perhaps even before his day in court, which is scheduled a few months down the road from now. It's not the kind of distraction the administration needs during an election year.
Moreover, the FAA is all about safety. It is part of the Department of Transportation, which oversees highway safety and which every year spends millions of dollars to try to get people not to drive under the influence of alcohol.
The FAA takes drunk driving very seriously, as it should. Get arrested for drunk driving twice within three years, and you lose your certificate. You can get it back in some instances, but it's not an easy process.
And it shouldn't be. Drunk driving is a scourge on our society. In 2009, there were more than 10,000 fatalities in alcohol related accidents, which represents a third of all traffic fatalities. As pilots we are held to a higher standard than the rest of society. We are required to pass medical certification to fly commercially or, for most of us, to even pilot a private aircraft. We need to set a standard for ourselves that is above reproach.
The FAA administrator should hold himself to even higher standards. Like any American, Babbitt is entitled to a presumption of innocence. But public officials should be held to a loftier standard. They should be expected to behave in a way that rises above even the appearance of impropriety. In a position as head of the agency that oversees aviation safety, it can be no other way. I believe, based on my conversations with Mr. Babbitt in which he has stressed personal accountability for pilots, that he would agree with me on this point. If he is indeed found guilty of DUI, or if he takes a plea or any kind of deal to avoid a conviction, he should resign.
My guess, as I said, is that this choice will be made for him, if it hasn't been already.
It's a shame. While Administrator Babbitt is the head of a huge government agency, which means he has many masters, he has been nevertheless a friend to pilots. That is because he is a pilot. He understands what we do and why we do it. Moreover, he listens to what we say, he takes our concerns and our grievances seriously, and when he can, he does something about them. All of these are rare traits in an administrator.
And I fear that for all his strengths and all of his talents, Administrator Babbitt, regardless of how his arrest plays out, will soon be gone from the FAA.
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Submitted by psyfly on December 06, 2011.
Well said. I would add the following:
A peer-reviewed article (I believe it was in Aviation, Space & Environmental Science) published a year or two ago demonstrated that GA pilots who had a history of even one (1) DUI/DWI were 3.5 times more likely than pilots without a history of DUI/DWI to be involved in a GA accident, whether or not alcohol was involved in the GA accident. Think about that for a minute: 3 1/2 times more likely! The underlying lack of judgment, overestimation of ability, willingness to disregard rules, and so forth account for the fact that the likelihood is there whether or not alcohol was involved in the GA accident.
So, it isn't only about holding ourselves to a higher standard.
Those who drink and drive are either: a) demonstrating poor judgment and decision making or b) demonstrating impaired control of their alcohol use and related behavior, which is evidence that they have a treatable illness (i.e., Alcohol Dependence) that still needs to be treated. Either way, it's a negative indicator for flight safety.
Submitted by mtnpilot on December 06, 2011.
I thought the rules for driving impairment were only for safety? To hold others to a loftier standard seems hypocritical unless you also apply those same lofty standards to yourself and the staff of Flying Magazine?
Submitted by iused2fly on December 06, 2011.
Sad to see this happen. Babbitt seemed like a reasonable Administrator who was sensitive to GA issues. I agree with Goyer that he is untenable as far as remaining in his current job. But someone that capable will probably reemerge in another leadership position, whether in or out of Government.
So Mr. Babbitt is human, with human frailties. If the truth be told, how many of at one time in our lives —or more— were guilty of getting into a car after having a few too many drinks? This merely proves that anyone is capable of displaying very poor judgement when under the effects of alcohol. You'd think that Babbitt would have known better and asked for ride home, got a limo or hailed a taxi. One thing is for sure; it won't be much of a holiday season at the Babbitt's house this year.
And now the speculation begins on his replacement. Perhaps the FAA should pick a teetotaler.
Douglas M
Surrey, BC Canada
Submitted by bbouquet on December 06, 2011.
There, but for the grace of God, go I ~ however, Mr. Babbitt will be missed.
Submitted by wooch58 on December 06, 2011.
I believe that Mr. Babbitt has been (up to this event) the best Administrator in history. He's made great strides in improving the image of pilots from the newest to the most seasoned professional. He's done this by holding the entire aviation community to high standards. Clearly he had a significant lapse in judgment.
As we talk about his future, I believe that nobody regrets this event more than Mr. Babbitt himself. Despite all of the good he's done for Aviation as a whole, this misdeed has cast a cloud upon his tenure.
We need to let the process follow it's intended path. Hopefully, Mr. Babbitt can get some help if he needs it and we can all understand that we are not infallible. Furthermore, we can all pay a heavy price for something that at the time seemed like a minor oversight.
Whatever the outcome, as a Pilot I appreciate the good that Mr. Babbitt has done for my chosen profession. Best of luck to him.
Jim W.
St. Cloud, MN
Submitted by N714JG on December 06, 2011.
Whatever positive he accomplished during his tenure as FAA admin. is down the chute.
There is zero tolerance for drunkenness in driving or flying or using any hazardous items.
He has ruined a decent record as a public official.
As the FAA usual ruling this is undoubtedly-PILOT ERROR.
Submitted by thans625 on December 06, 2011.
Its amazing how the media and in particular Flying Magazine and other pubications are quick to drop the qilatine. He made a terrible mistake but you cannot discount the good he has done as well.
Submitted by mam on December 06, 2011.
Let the facts come out before judging him so harshly. Virginia does not report the alcohol blood level so it's difficult to say how impaired he actually was. He's paying a heavy price for his lapse in judgement but this post seems especially harsh. No one would say that drinking and driving is good but is it " a scourge on our society"? Seems a bit of hyperbole....
Submitted by robert goyer on December 06, 2011.
You think that calling 10,000 deaths a year a "scourge" is hyperbole? How many would you suggest it would take before that would be a fair assessment? It's a very serious mistake, and it's lucky no one was injured or killed. Moreover, his boss, DoT Secretary Ray LaHood has made drunk driving reduction and traffic safety his signature initiatives.
And let me point out that Flying magazine was the first to point out the good that administrator Babbitt has done. If you look about four inches up there you can see me doing just that.
Submitted by wingking on December 07, 2011.
Robert is correct. Driving so intoxicated that you are on the wrong side of the road isnt just a bit tipsy and its not a big deal until your son or daughter or wife or mother is killed by a stranger who just wanted to have a few drinks and meant no harm to anyone. The saddest part is that Randy Babbit was a great administrator and this makes all pilots and the FAA look a little worse. Each little bit of "worse" eventually chips away at the freedoms we still enjoy. Bad for Babbit, Bad for the FAA, Bad for us.
Submitted by lmaynard on December 07, 2011.
Of course he will step down. Don't see where this is any big lose for us pilots. Here's a guy who whined and complained when a very small number of his employees were temporarily put out of work for a few days. This is a huge beaurcracy and you would have thought they were shutting down half of his employees. Too bad that didn't happen. If you have ever had to deal with these people you would know that it takes at least 100 of them to screw in the lightbulb in their office bathroom. He was just a cheerleader for his fellow union employees at the FAA. Can't gurantee that we will get someone better but this is certainly not a loss for anyone who doesn't work for the FAA.
Submitted by mam on December 07, 2011.
In 2007, guns took the lives of 31,224 Americans in homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings. That's a scourge on our society...
Submitted by AirFrank on December 10, 2011.
How many of the 31,224 gun related deaths were accidents? Less than 1,000. How many of the 31,224 gun related deaths were murder? Less than 10,000
How many of the 31,224 gun related deaths were suicide? Over 20,000.
How many times last year did a law abiding citizen use a gun in self defence? Over 2.2 MILLION.
Submitted by Don Parker Bazemore on December 11, 2011.
The FAA must do what is nessesary to maintain it's level
of seriousness for the aviation community. I have to say
that what has happened here with Mr. Babbitt truly saddens
me. I can only apply this incident to myself as a reinforcement
of my dedication and commitment to safety for aviation. I am
only at the beganing of my career in the field. I intend to
maintain my well kept levels of safety and performance as
I continue "down the road" and hop0efully soon to be "in the air".
As for Mr. Babbitt I can only hope he will come through this
error on his part a better man. He's come so far in his careers
only to cause such great dismay amoung pilots and motorist
alike. He must live from now on with the act he commited.
He must also acknowlege of possible dangers he has created
during the time of his actions. Again I say, there are truly hard
lesson to be learned here. Polits, motorists, aviation and motor
mechanics need to take this in deeply.
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