The Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) drug and alcohol testing regulation (14 CFR part 120) requires that each covered employee has an equal chance of being tested each time selections are made.
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A routine part of the FAA medical exam is a urinalysis to check for sugar or protein, indicators of possible diabetes or kidney disease. Even as a commercial pilot participating in the DOT/FAA drug testing program, a drug test is done independent of an aviation medical examination.
These medical conditions include a personality disorder manifested by overt acts, a psychosis, alcoholism, drug dependence, epilepsy, an unexplained disturbance of consciousness, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and diabetes requiring medication for its control.
How many pilots fail drug tests? The FAA has found that about 0.06 percent of pilots and air traffic controllers have a confirmed positive drug test, which works out to a cost of about $45,000 per positive result.
Employer Response to a Failed Drug TestThe employer is required to immediately remove the pilot from safety sensitive duties, provide a list of Substance Abuse Professionals (SAP), and report the failed test to the FAA within 2 working days. Unfortunately, the employer can also terminate the pilot's job at this time.
And because drug tests can't tell the difference between THC and CBD, pilots who are suspected of using THC, accidentally through CBD or otherwise, can be subject to certificate revocation while a positive drug test following an accident could even jeopardize insurance coverage.
In 2021, FAA data showed that 78% of all PPL pilots passed on their first attempt. In that same year, 79.5% of pilots passed their commercial pilot checkride, and the pass rate for CFI checkrides was 77.9%. Although these numbers are high, it is evident that many pilots failed on the first try.
Positive tests are taken very seriously and are grounds for being suspended or fired from the job. But not all pilots are subject to drug tests. The FAA only mandates testing for employees working for certified air carriers (Part 121 or 135 operators).
That's the same limit as for other critical jobs, such as air traffic controllers, ambulance drivers, and some ship captains. But pilots aren't required to take a breathalyzer test before boarding their assigned plane each time. Instead, pilots are tested randomly or if there is reasonable suspicion.