Sunwing pilot to appear in court on charge of being impaired in cockpit
Posted Jan 5, 2017 2:20 am.
Last Updated Jan 5, 2017 5:14 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
CALGARY – The case of a Sunwing Airlines pilot charged with being impaired in the cockpit of his plane is scheduled to come before a judge in a Calgary court Thursday.
Miroslav Gronych, a 37-year-old Slovakian national, is accused of having care and control of an aircraft while impaired and with a blood alcohol level above .08.
It’s not clear if Gronych himself would appear in court or whether the case would be addressed by lawyers on his behalf.
The Sunwing flight was scheduled to leave Calgary early Saturday with stops in Regina and Winnipeg before continuing on to Cancun, Mexico.
Police allege Gronych, the captain, was found slumped over in his seat and then escorted off the plane.
Gronych was released on $1,000 bail and was ordered to turn in his passport.
He was also prohibited from flying a plane in Canada while on bail.
The allegations against Gronych have not been tested in court.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for federal Transport Minister Marc Garneau said he is asking airlines to confirm their measures for assessing pilots’ fitness to fly, and to ensure they are strictly enforced.
