Can I still be an airline pilot with a misdemeanor in my record?
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Baltimore Maryland USA
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Can I still be an airline pilot with a misdemeanor in my record?
Hello pprune crew,
My name is Marcson. Let me start by saying I appreciate all you do to inform and educate this community.
Would be honored to hear the anyone's thoughts on my subject.
I started flight training in March 2017 and on August, 24th 2017 I passed my Private pilot check right. Am currently working on both instruments and commercial with the same part 141 school here in Baltimore, Maryland where I had my PPL. Paying out of pocket (hoping I can get it all done with no debt to CPL).
So I saw something somewhere about a pilot being rejected few years ago for having a misdemeanor on his record for shoplifting. That got me thinking hard and honestly, kind of discouraging when I read articles about the subject.
In October 2016 I was charged for driving without a license. Technically I had a license; (A license from my country and an International drivers license) but was told by the police officer they were not valid licenses in the state of MD(learnt my lesson). When to court and the judge put me on a 6 months Probation Before Judgment (PBJ). Which I have done and gotten my drivers license from the MVA here.
I consulted a lawyer who said it can get expunged after 3 years. That will be October 2019.
With this in my record and considering that I might get done with my ratings to commercial in less than a year if all goes well money wise, will I be able to have a job starting out for time building, like banner towing, jump pilot, flight instructing (if I go that route)? Further more will I be able to get an ATP license in future and will this hinder me in anyway when I start applying for the regionals and eventually the majors.
Or is there any regulation(s) that states that having misdemeanors or felonies will prevent prospective aviators from being hired. Can I have the reference please if there's any of such regulation (s).
I don't want to spend all this money and can't use my ratings.
I current hold a Bachelor degree in management and a first class medical certificate from the FAA.
I apologize for the lengthy email. Accept in advance my appreciation for your response and wish you all endless visibility and tail winds up there.
Thanks
My name is Marcson. Let me start by saying I appreciate all you do to inform and educate this community.
Would be honored to hear the anyone's thoughts on my subject.
I started flight training in March 2017 and on August, 24th 2017 I passed my Private pilot check right. Am currently working on both instruments and commercial with the same part 141 school here in Baltimore, Maryland where I had my PPL. Paying out of pocket (hoping I can get it all done with no debt to CPL).
So I saw something somewhere about a pilot being rejected few years ago for having a misdemeanor on his record for shoplifting. That got me thinking hard and honestly, kind of discouraging when I read articles about the subject.
In October 2016 I was charged for driving without a license. Technically I had a license; (A license from my country and an International drivers license) but was told by the police officer they were not valid licenses in the state of MD(learnt my lesson). When to court and the judge put me on a 6 months Probation Before Judgment (PBJ). Which I have done and gotten my drivers license from the MVA here.
I consulted a lawyer who said it can get expunged after 3 years. That will be October 2019.
With this in my record and considering that I might get done with my ratings to commercial in less than a year if all goes well money wise, will I be able to have a job starting out for time building, like banner towing, jump pilot, flight instructing (if I go that route)? Further more will I be able to get an ATP license in future and will this hinder me in anyway when I start applying for the regionals and eventually the majors.
Or is there any regulation(s) that states that having misdemeanors or felonies will prevent prospective aviators from being hired. Can I have the reference please if there's any of such regulation (s).
I don't want to spend all this money and can't use my ratings.
I current hold a Bachelor degree in management and a first class medical certificate from the FAA.
I apologize for the lengthy email. Accept in advance my appreciation for your response and wish you all endless visibility and tail winds up there.
Thanks
Well done with the private pilots license and keep going for the CPL Marcson. I am neither a lawyer or a US citizen but I would imagine you will be fine. Many organizations do not consider a driving violation as a criminal offense (except DUIs), you are seeking it to be expunged and I might get your lawyer to check if it was even an offense as US states have to accept overseas licenses by treaty. It seems like a very minor mater and a lot of people have minor bleamishes in their lives. Don't worry and good luck!
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Rockytop, Tennessee, USA
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If you had Probation Before Judgment and successfully completed the requirements of the Court, you were never convicted of anything. 
From a Maryland lawyer's website:
https://www.enlawyers.com/1554/attor...ore-judgement/
These 'I admit I did it but I'm not guilty of the crime' pleas are available in many states with various names like accelerated rehabilitation and deferred judgement.
I think you are in the clear. But I'm not a lawyer...
From a Maryland lawyer's website:
Probation before Judgment is essentially being placed on probation BEFORE THE JUDGMENT IS ENTERED. That means you have not been found guilty of the crime. This may not seem like a big benefit, but it is. You can truthfully answer you have not been convicted of a crime on job applications, your car insurance does not go through the roof (if its a DUI), and (for certain crimes) you can get the matter expunged after successfully completing probation.
These 'I admit I did it but I'm not guilty of the crime' pleas are available in many states with various names like accelerated rehabilitation and deferred judgement.
I think you are in the clear. But I'm not a lawyer...
Marcson15,
Not being a lawyer, my advice is likely worth what you paid for it. But as far as your future in aviation, your event is small stuff and more of an administrative oversight (which you promptly corrected) than a "crime" in practical terms.
Having followed this pilot application process stuff for a while, the theme regarding these kinds of mistakes seems to be: admit the error was yours and yours alone...and not the fault of the "system". Never blame someone else.
Take full responsibility and be ready to explain what it taught you and how it made you a better person, and therefore a better employee, for the experience. Maybe you're now more attentive to details and the small print than you were before ?
It's not like you held up a liquor store and shot the clerk !
Not being a lawyer, my advice is likely worth what you paid for it. But as far as your future in aviation, your event is small stuff and more of an administrative oversight (which you promptly corrected) than a "crime" in practical terms.
Having followed this pilot application process stuff for a while, the theme regarding these kinds of mistakes seems to be: admit the error was yours and yours alone...and not the fault of the "system". Never blame someone else.
Take full responsibility and be ready to explain what it taught you and how it made you a better person, and therefore a better employee, for the experience. Maybe you're now more attentive to details and the small print than you were before ?
It's not like you held up a liquor store and shot the clerk !
I am curious as to why the International Drivers License was considered invalid in the State of Maryland.
Or had it expired or had you otherwise violated the privileges of the license? Could you have reasonably known or was it one of these how the hell am I supposed to know?
I am guessing it had something to do with your immigration status change?
Or had it expired or had you otherwise violated the privileges of the license? Could you have reasonably known or was it one of these how the hell am I supposed to know?
I am guessing it had something to do with your immigration status change?
I am curious as to why the International Drivers License was considered invalid in the State of Maryland.
Or had it expired or had you otherwise violated the privileges of the license? Could you have reasonably known or was it one of these how the hell am I supposed to know?
I am guessing it had something to do with your immigration status change?
Or had it expired or had you otherwise violated the privileges of the license? Could you have reasonably known or was it one of these how the hell am I supposed to know?
I am guessing it had something to do with your immigration status change?
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Telfer - we are discussing an FAA certificate and the AME/medical exam is the place requiring disclosure of such matters. The form 8500 to be completed, usually on line has questions about offences and administrative actions. Here are the guidance notes, for the benefit of the OP which suggests that this requres disclosure as an administrative action.
18.v. Conviction and/or Administrative Acti
on History. The events to be reported are
specifically identified in Item 18.v. of FAA Form 8500-8.
If "yes" is checked, the applicant must describe the conviction(s)
and/or administrative action(s) in the
EXPLANATIONS box. The description must include:
The alcohol or drug offense for which t
he applicant was convic
ted or the type of administrative action involved (e.g., attendance at an educationa
l or rehabilitation program in lieu of conviction;license denial, suspension, c
ancellation, or revocation for refusal to be tested; educational safe
driving program for multiple speeding convictions
; etc.);
The name of the state or other jurisdiction involved; and
The date of the conviction and/or administrative action
If there have been no new convictions or administrative actions since the last application,
the applicant may enter "PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, NO CHANGE."
Convictions and/or administrative actions
affecting driving privileges may raise questions about the applicant's fitness
for certification and may be cause for disqualification. (See Items 18.n.and
47, page 115)
also :
NOTE: The Examiner should advise the applicant that the reporting of alcohol or drug offenses (i.e., motor vehicle violat
ion) on the history part of the medical application does not relieve the air
man of responsibility to report each motor vehicle action to the FAA within 60 days of the occurrence to the Security and Investigations Division, AMC-700; P.O. Box 25810;
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0810.
18.v. Conviction and/or Administrative Acti
on History. The events to be reported are
specifically identified in Item 18.v. of FAA Form 8500-8.
If "yes" is checked, the applicant must describe the conviction(s)
and/or administrative action(s) in the
EXPLANATIONS box. The description must include:
The alcohol or drug offense for which t
he applicant was convic
ted or the type of administrative action involved (e.g., attendance at an educationa
l or rehabilitation program in lieu of conviction;license denial, suspension, c
ancellation, or revocation for refusal to be tested; educational safe
driving program for multiple speeding convictions
; etc.);
The name of the state or other jurisdiction involved; and
The date of the conviction and/or administrative action
If there have been no new convictions or administrative actions since the last application,
the applicant may enter "PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, NO CHANGE."
Convictions and/or administrative actions
affecting driving privileges may raise questions about the applicant's fitness
for certification and may be cause for disqualification. (See Items 18.n.and
47, page 115)
also :
NOTE: The Examiner should advise the applicant that the reporting of alcohol or drug offenses (i.e., motor vehicle violat
ion) on the history part of the medical application does not relieve the air
man of responsibility to report each motor vehicle action to the FAA within 60 days of the occurrence to the Security and Investigations Division, AMC-700; P.O. Box 25810;
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0810.
Last edited by custardpsc; 15th Dec 2017 at 14:40. Reason: edited to add disclosure to faa NOTES
