Ticket mess

[imploded]

Very long, messy story short: I'm at risk of license suspension because I got 3 speeding tickets in a year. I'm new to flying, just in the past year, and I've decided that I'm going full bore for my CFI ratings, and the long charter / regional / major route.

Problem is, some of my friends have pointed out to me that if I do end up with a suspended license, it's all over. No regional or major would pick me up -- and that frightens me. I'm never going to stop flying; but I want to know, frankly, is this a death knell for my hopes?

I have no drinking offenses, nothing like that -- basically, a bad year of getting caught in a couple crappy situations. So....

Thoughts?

Thanks folks.

 

[Blueline]

1. Slow down. No more tickets. See if you can appeal to prevent the suspension. Might be too late for that.

2. Get competitive time/rating-wise. This will be difficult to do these days as the days of 1000hr new hires are gone (not forever, though).

3. Be honest when you fill out the applications. They will find out when they do your NDR background check.

4. Be honest when interview time comes. "It was a long time ago. I was not driving very responsibly, had my license suspended, and learned from that I needed to pay more attention when I was driving. Since then, I have had a spotless driving record." You need to show and prove that you are a responsible person. What did you learn from the experience?

Hope this helps.

BL

 

[troy]

How far back do the background checks go (for speeding tickets, etc.)?

 

[Saabslime]

3 in a year!? It may not necessarily preclude you from getting an airline job but the odds are defenitely stacked against you. What HR is going to see is someone who is reckless and doesn't learn from their mistakes. Tough case to defend during an interview but good luck anyway.

 

[ShawnC]

I believe that they stay for seven years.

My best advice for you is not to speed anywhere but the highway and there stay within a pack or stay within the limit.

But my the time that you would be able to apply for an airline job they would be old news though. So I really wouldn't worry about it.

 

[aero99]

I think that flying actually made me a better driver. You are young in your avaition days.....don't get any more tickets.

You have a bit of a long road to get to regionals or majors with only 100 hours, so keep your driving record clean from now on.

I would be ready for a good explaination for the reason and what you learned from it if it comes up in an interview. Accept the responsibility, admit the mistake and move on.

Fly by the book and drive by the book if you want a career in flying or any profession for that matter.

 

[FlyinBrian]

All good advice

Most of the airlines I submitted required that I submit a 5yr driving history report for any state that I've lived in. Best advice anyone could give you...

Slow the heck down!!!

As a passenger, do you really want a guy at the front who had his drivers license suspended? In addition to thinking about how your tickets are affecting your career, think about what getting three speeding tickets in a year says about what kind of pilot you'd be. I see a pilot who cares little about regs or safety, which can cost your airline big.

 

[flyby]

Driving History

3, 5 or 7 years... doesn't matter. I've been on 2 interviews and both of them asked if I had EVER had a speeding ticket or other moving violation and if so to document it on their app. They were not asking what COULD be found but wanted a history of my driving since I had been licensed. Personally, I don't do well looking people in the eye and lying to them.

If you find yourself far enough down the road where you think they're not going to show up on an app then roll the dice and hope they don't show up. If they do and you didn't disclose them then you're history.

The other posters are right on, disclose it all, be prepared to talk about it and don't get another one.

 

[j41driver]

Most airlines that I've heard about recently are requiring a 10 year driver record. What ever you do, don't lie about it on your application. Even a while after you get hired if they find out somehow, you could get fired immediately.

 

[generaltso]

If these occured recently, I would say you are screwed I would stop pursing the airlines for the time being. But if these occured years ago when you were just a stupid kid, I would say you could try but like others have said it may still be tough.

 

[TriStar_drvr]

Years ago (over 20) I had my driver license suspended for excessive speeding. Every time I renew my medical certificate I have to check that box stating that my driving privileges have been suspended. I have managed to keep my record clean since then. If anyone asks, confess. Tell them you were young and stupid and you've learned your lesson. Of course you better not have any more tickets to prove that you really have learned to be responsible. Good luck.

 

[chperplt]

If I'm not mistaken, you only have to check that box if your license was suspended due to an alcohol or drug offense.

 

[imploded]

I spoke with an aviation attorney *and* a local attorney.

I'm going to fight the tickets and see what falls out. Box 18V, on the medical, requires a "Yes" answer if:

+ You've been convicted of an alcohol / drug offense (61.15 violation to boot)
+ You've entered into a alcohol / drug treatment program in lieu of conviction
+ You've had your license suspended
+ You've taken a remedial course in lieu of license suspension

The attorney informed me that most people read the form wrong, send it in, and get nailed for lying on their medical application. I've been told by both a senior AME and the attorney that an application for medical CANNOT be denied based on having a license suspension / remedial training IF it had nothing to do with alcohol -- but make sure you go to a knowledgeable AME, some AME's deny on sight and let OKC figure it out.

What a mess.... but thanks for the replies guys! I'm still young, and I figure that I'll be able to put this behind me, CFI, maybe even fly frieght or charter. I've had a couple guys email me on the side and say that as long as I'm honest (which everyone advocated), upfront, and come clean, that I'm showing that I have the ability to shape and form my judgement -- critical to being an airline pilot.

Thanks again!

Cheers.

 

[bobbysamd]

Driving problems

Aside from keeping your pedal off the metal, you need to level the playing field. By that I mean that you should acquire all of your driving records so you know what others know about your driving history and through the same records they would obtain.

Order your driving records from each state in which you've held driver's licenses. Chances are, you can go to your local office of your state motor vehicle department and get them on the spot. The next thing you should do, pertinent to 14 CFR 61.15, is order your records from the National Driver Register. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/perform/driver . Read the FARs. They make a big deal about the NDR. Review your records. Although you might have convicted of three speeding tickets, your actual driving records may reflect lesser (or greater) actual convictions. In any event, you have a right to see these records.

You did a smart thing when you saw the two attorneys and got advice. Good luck with your plans.

 

[chperplt]

According to the people at AOPA, if you read the box carefully, it says a suspension due to an alcohol or drug offense.

 

[avbug]

Imploded,

Become familiar with 14 CFR 61.15.

Denial or suspension of a pilot or medical certificate based on motor vehicle actions refers specifically to a conviction for alcohol or drug offenses. It does NOT refer to speeding citations, yelling at cops, or having too many poodles in a volkswagen.

(I believe you'll find that poodles issues are covered by 91.13, careless and reckless operation).

I hope this helps you as much as it's helped me. Slow down, and steer clear of poodles.

 

[FlyinBrian]

I re-read my initial post, and I didn't mean for it to come across quite so scathing, but I do think I made a good point. You need to seriously evaluate your driving habits and realize that this behavior is truly unaccptable and that people with suspended licenses SHOULD have a hard time getting airline jobs.

The advice given is good advice. You absolutely must come clean and not lie in an interview. The deck is stacked against you since this is very recent. As an interviewer, I would not buy the "I've learned from my mistakes" argument unless you had a significant period (several years) of clean driving to prove that you've learned something. That really is your only option in an interview, but until you've proven that you actually can be safe and follow the rules, it's an uphill battle. They asked me about a citation that I had for expired tags. (couldn't afford new ones, being a CFI and all.) As petty as it might seem, it is so important that we follow rules in our profession, and I had done somthing that demonstrated that I find it acceptable to break rules. In the interview, I took full responsibility for my foolishness, and that was the end of it. Then again, I don't put a plane or my pax in danger by flying an unregistered aircraft. I could very well endanger folks by not observing airspeed regs.

 

[capt_zman]

Was on an interview a while back at a regional and while sitting in the tank waiting, I happened to strike up a conversation with the kid next to me. Turns out he had 500 TT, 50 ME, 2 speeding tickets, pilot license suspension for flying too low, and 2 busted checkrides (Instrument and CFI). No lie, he got the job.

Also have a buddy I use to fly with that has had a couple (yes, not 1 but 2) DUI's and a drug offense (troubled yute, I think that's what My Cousin Vinny called it). He now flies for a regional.

So keep your head up and take the foot off the gas. With a 100 hours in the logbook, you have plenty of time to show your strengths.