Energy Drinks have become popular in many parts of society across a wide range of age groups, and certainly among pilots. This popularity raises the need to discuss pilot responsibility for what they put into their bodies.
Energy drinks can now be bought just about anywhere, from grocery stores to convenience stores to vending machines in airports and FBOs. They are unregulated and contain many ingredients that I have never heard of. But rather than praise or disapprove of their consumption, instead, my focus is on reminding pilots that there may be dangers in doing so. A pilot needs to be responsible for anything consumed, as the ethics of FAR 61.53 require a pilot to understand whether he/she is fit to fly at any given time, and to self-ground if there are any concerns about personal airworthiness.
Dr. Robert Sancetta is a former DC-10 captain with 11,000 flight hours. He has worked as a Senior AME since 1993 and is appointed as AME Consultant to the FAA Federal Air Surgeon.
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