question about a D.U.I on record??

[Stdnt.Pilot]

Last January (2003), I made a very bad decision about driving when i shouldn't have, and received a D.U.I that night/early morning. And I have many questions about how to handle this situation and who I need to talk to about this.
I had started flying as a student pilot in May of 2000 and had stopped flying in June of 2001 due to a lack of money and working/school full time. With that, I was close but did not finish to complete my private pilot cert.
Now, I'm done with school and have a loan to complete my flying goals, to only find out I was supposed to notify the FAA about my incident (the DUI) within 6 months of receiving it.
Does that include me too, a student pilot?
If it does, can i now notify them being one year later, and will there be any repercussions?
And way further down the line, how will this affect my chances flying with the regionals, majors, corporate?
Or, if there's any difference, which will I have a better chance at getting a job with (corporate/regionals)?
I've already invested about $4,000, which isn't that much, but with my approved loan, it is a lot and is it worth the risk of investing all this money with a D.U.I on record?

All information will be greatly appreciated, and hope to receive a lot of feed back. I am using you all with the experience to guide me in the right path.

Thank You.

 

[mainah]

I know of someone at ACA with two DUI arrests so I think you're alright there. As far as corporate, it depends. The one I work at won't hire people with criminal backgrounds at all including a DUI. But I don't know about others. My advice is as follows. Just work towards your certificates and when it gets brought up in an interview be honest, tell them you fukked up and don't do it again.

 

[aeronautic1]

fkked up

mainah is right, don't sweat it (humans are infallable). go and achieve your goals. with the amount of time you will spend teaching flying to build your hours, you will still have a great time and will achieve personal satifaction (unfortunately no wealth. it's worse than cocaine). and when this thing is twenty or so years behind you, you can get it expunged from the national drivers record (and never do it again, it's dumb). but be ready to face the music if you don't dislose it on your applications. everyone who holds out for hire does a records check.

so, junior birdman... go out there and find your piece of the sky!! FLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"How do you make a million dollars in the aviation business? Start with two million."

 

[THE Flying Ace]

I didn't refresh myself with the reg. but I think you have 60 days from when you got your license pulled to notify the feds. And forever, you will be asked about it on every medical appilcation.

I would call Oklahoma and ask them what to do. Don't tell them your name, but get a feeling on what would happen. And don't forget about that question on the medical form.

Don't worry about your career. Keep clean, be honest, and work hard; I have made 2 stupid mistakes till I got straightened out, and I work for a great company.

 

[Pez D. Spencer]

I wouldn't call anyone. You only have a student pilot cert. You should go get a new one anyway. You will have to answer yes to the "History of ... section," but they won't do anything to you for not letting them know in 60 days - you were not flying (during that time period). And the limitation on denial of certificate is one year after the date of final conviction.

 

[flyingchicago]

you need to consult with AOPA on something like this, i believe that you must notify the FAA even with a student pilot certificate, and further i believe failure to notify can and will be prosecuted as a felony. you really need to check with an aviation lawyer for peace of mind, don't trust forum answers on something this serious.

as for working the future, i agree... if you dot your i's and cross your t's right now (if you hide it when you were supposed to tell your going to be out of luck) then as time passes you still have a good shot at airline employment.

call a lawyer, see what you really have to do. joining AOPA for a few bucks gets you a magazine and the right to talk to some people about this right away.

 

[aeronautic1]

Lawyer

Yes, absolutely. First, join AOPA. go to www.aopa.com and on the left panel click on Member Products. Pull down Pilot Services. When the new page opens, on the top blue AOPA Member Products you will find a tab that says Legal. Click here and read EVERYTHING available to the student/private pilot, commercial pilot and ATP. For the student/private pilot, the fee is $26 per year. This is VERY inexpensive legal representation.