I'm 20 years old and currently attending Arizona State University as a business major & have attained my PPL. Last week I was at a local college party and was busted by undercover cops with 2grams of marijuana and a pipe. I was charged with a misdemeanor. This was the first time that i have ever had a run in with the law. I would like to know how this will effect my future career as a Commercial Pilot... If i get this misdemeanor expunged off my record would a Airliner still be able to find this in my record?
Last edited by Mongoloid : 09-12-2009 at 04:08 AM.
Reason: forgot to add extra information
Try real hard to beat the rap, spending money on a top lawyer might pay off in the long run. If you are convicted, get it expunged. I assume it's not intent to sell? If so you are hosed.
You will have to report a conviction to the FAA when you renew your medical.
A misdemeanor should not be a problem for the TSA background check, but the airlines may ask about it. The airlines also have some access to FBI records. The FBI will probably not expunge anything from their records, they are not subject to local law, so assume that the airlines might find out about it anyway. If you lie and they find out later, you will be fired and will be finished in the airline industry.
Assuming you have a couple years of college, and then flight instruction, it may be five years before you apply to a regional. That is probably about how long they would like to see elapsed. DO NOT get in any more trouble, not even a speeding ticket. The fact taht you are young and have time on your hands will help, but do not establish a trend.
Be aware that when hiring resumes, they will have a long list of qualified applicants with a clean record, so you will probably be at a disadvantage until they use up the waiting list.
In the past this would not have hurt in the long run, airline people understand youthful indiscretions (once). But due to the colgan accident congress has told the airlines to crack down on their hiring standards. Nobody knows exactly what this means yet, congress left the details up to the airlines. Maybe they will focus on pilot qualifications and experience, but they might also look more closely at criminal and financial records. Since you have not invested much in flight training, you might want to pay attention to the industry and the new rules before you commit a bunch of time and money. Nobody knows where this is headed just yet.
If you really want to be a pro pilot, stay away from drugs and drug users...they just do not mix at all. You're going to get tested regularly as a pilot, so you may as well start practicing now.
Thank you Rickair777 for the useful information I will take it to heart. It was not intent to sell, more like being in the wrong place at the wrong time type of deal. I haven't been convicted of the crime yet because my court hearing is in one month. I will contact a attorney for sure to see if they can do anything to make this go away, i.e Drug classes. If this misdemeanor sticks, is there anything you can recommend i do to make myself look better in the eyes of a recruiter?
Thank you Rickair777 for the useful information I will take it to heart. It was not intent to sell, more like being in the wrong place at the wrong time type of deal. I haven't been convicted of the crime yet because my court hearing is in one month. I will contact a attorney for sure to see if they can do anything to make this go away, i.e Drug classes. If this misdemeanor sticks, is there anything you can recommend i do to make myself look better in the eyes of a recruiter?
I think once you have over a certain amount of narcotics on you it is then considered drug possession with the intent to sell. What that number is I am not sure, it may vary from state to state, either way though I don't think 2 grams qualifies.
I'm no law expert by any means, but if you hire a good attorney he may be able to cut you a good break with the prosecutor. I think it depends a lot on the county laws and ordinances for where you were. I would think that since it was such a small amount that they found on you then you might be able to keep it off your record, depending on how good and knowledgeable your attorney is.
On the other hand, if you are currently smoking marijuana, or have so in the past 6-8 months, it really can be a severe detriment in this career. If you do have misdemeanor drug charges on your record, it will be difficult to get on with most airlines. Pilots are some of the most scrutinized and judged individuals out there. Anytime an incident or accident occurs every single skeleton in your closet is exposed, and most hiring boards know that those skeletons will trace back to the company and them.
My advice is that if you seriously want to pursue this field as a career, hire a good attorney and keep your recreational habits limited to alcohol indefinitely. Good Luck.
Thank you Rickair777 for the useful information I will take it to heart. It was not intent to sell, more like being in the wrong place at the wrong time type of deal.
Not to bust your balls, but if you are smoking it, and had it on you it wasn't "wrong place/wrong time". You made a decision to have that crap and you got busted. It was a choice.
Seriously, hire a VERY good lawyer. If it costs a small fortune to beat this rap, do it. If you apply for a position with any airline and they find a drug conviction on your record, you're going to be hard pressed to get hired. I won't say it can't happen but in today's environment, you just chucked about 45% of your chances out the window.
My suggestion is write a letter to the D.A. they may not even prosecute. If you write a very nice letter your goal should be to plead guilty to a INFRACTION in some states weed is an infraction, seems like AZ is a tough state. Its not as bad as it seems DONT GET INTO ANY MORE TROUBLE! this means YOU and it means from now on.
GL
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T.J.
I'm 20 years old and ......was busted by undercover cops with 2grams of marijuana and a pipe.......
Being a politically correct and sensitive 21st Century kind of guy, I will sugar coat this a bit for you and anyone else to whom it might apply. Aviation doesn't need dope smokers amongst its ranks. Whatever might happen with your legal case, you need to knock it off right now, or plan on going into another line of work........ like, maybe a defense lawyer or a politician.
Being a politically correct and sensitive 21st Century kind of guy, I will sugar coat this a bit for you and anyone else to whom it might apply. Aviation doesn't need dope smokers amongst its ranks. Whatever might happen with your legal case, you need to knock it off right now, or plan on going into another line of work........ like, maybe a defense lawyer or a politician.
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