sealandair

I was reading a post from another person in the Career section. He was worried about his chances at a regional because one of his former CFI jobs had reported they "wouldn't hire him back". Apparently, the responses he was given were pretty grim. I believe he wasn't even fired... he and his boss had some kind of a rift.

The only prior flying experience I have is with Part 91, and a Part 135 op that went out of business some 12 years ago. I don't have a history of trouble with management. My question is about "what ifs" that might affect me in the future. Say I come back to aviation and work as a freight dog and the DOO is cranky or decides he doesn't like me, regardless of me being a decent employee and otherwise a safe, competent pilot with no record. Maybe I turned down a flight due to weather or being too fatigued. I would like to believe that most competent management people don't just fly off the handle and fire someone or decide you've burnt the bridge over something minor, but it does happen. So would a potential jerk DOO actually wield my entire career fate in his hands? Are 121 operators so incredibly anal, cynical, and judgmental that one whiff of trouble with a past employer, substantiated or not, is enough to kill your career?

Beech90

There was a guy at my 135 company, that left and broke his contact, and the company wrote "failure to complete probation period". He's at XJT now.

sevenforseven

Absolutely not. At the Major level, this might require some additional explaining and maybe at Compass. However, most regionals will simply ask you to disclose that you were fired (if you were fired) and give a reason for it. Don't go into a ton of detail - keep it short, sweet and to the point. Do not assign blame, do not say it was all your fault. Keep your explanation objective and pithy.

The important thing is that you disclose it. Legally, your prior employers are not really supposed to say ANYTHING (good or bad) about you, and doing the latter can get them in a lot of trouble if someone were to pursue it. They are supposed to just verify that you worked there during the time that you say you did.

CaptainNameless

The worst thing about PRIA is there is no requirement that any of the stuff reported about you be verified in any way. The reporting company could goof up your records (unintentionally or otherwise) or send another pilots record by mistake with your name on the file, and there is no law that says anything they send be correct.

spaaks

i thought only 121/135 carriers could add things to your PRIA. Can flight schools and others add things to your pria too?

eman

Something similar to this happened to me at a 135... Had a legal dispute with the company once I had to collect unemployment benefits and they claimed I was fired after they had furloughed me because I didn't show up for a flight after I started scrounging for work and they suddenly needed me. At the end of the court proceedings, their hr person made a veiled threat that she could make sure my file stated I was fired and not furloughed if that's what it took for me to collect unemployment benefits!

Luckily, I had documentation and I was in the right; the court sided with me. The lawyer advised to document everything and obtain transcripts of the hearings in case I ever had to explain myself.

Honestly, I worry about it, but I've held two jobs since then and nothing was ever brought up...but then again I'm not sure these companies have given much thought to anything other than my safety record.

So as the others have said, work on documentation and a short explanation to not sound like you're crying out the world is against you but neither placing blame. Just the facts. If you ever have worries about PRIA records...

rickair7777

Wrong. The law protects employers who respond to PRIA requests in accordance with said law. The law does not allow them to send bad data, or someone else's data under your name...that would open them up to civil liability.

Jvw700

The PRIA portion is pretty specific. From the FAA website
Pilot Records Improvement Act of 1996 (PRIA)
"PRIA requires that a hiring air carrier under 14 CFR parts 121 and 135, or a hiring air operator under 14 CFR part 125, request, receive, and evaluate certain information concerning a pilot/applicant’s training, experience, qualification, and safety background, before allowing that individual to begin service as a pilot with their company."
The company can contact your previous employer for other information but that stuff generally doesn't fall under PRIA.

BrasiliaDriver

As far as I remember (it has been about 3 years since I made a PRIA request), PRIA requests should only be sent to the FAA, former 121, 135, and 125 employers. Flight schools and Part 91 operators are not required to maintain training records and therefore are not required to provide your records to a potential employer.

I could be wrong...

Flyhayes

The 135 outfit I moonlighted for required PRIA from the former flight school I instructed for and from the aviation co I own and operate.