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Two former America West pilots were convicted Wednesday of operating an aircraft after an all-night drinking binge. They may face punishment ranging from probation to five years in prison. The panel of six men arrived at their decision after about six hours of deliberations, which began Tuesday afternoon in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. Former America West pilot Christopher Hughes (R) reacts after the verdict is read, in Miami, convicting him and fellow pilot Thomas Cloyd (not shown) of operating an aircraft while drunk. (AP) Pilot Thomas Cloyd, 47, and co-pilot Christopher Hughes, 44, were arrested July 1, 2002, as their Phoenix-bound jet was being pushed back from its gate at Miami International Airport. Police ordered the plane to turn back and arrested the pilots after security screeners smelled a strong odor of alcohol on Hughes. It is reported that the pilots had 14 beers at a bar roughly six hours before their flight. Police said Cloyd's blood-alcohol reading was 0.091 and Hughes' was 0.084 in tests given about three hours after they entered the ****pit. Florida law considers a vehicle operator drunk if his blood alcohol level is 0.08 or higher. The pilots maintained they were not operating the aircraft because it was being pushed by a runway tug and its steering was disengaged at the time it was ordered back to the terminal. They were fired by America West after their arrests and lost their commercial pilot's licenses. The trial will be held July 20. |