Originally Posted by
Russellm73
Hello my name is Russell I have been taking flying lessons at my local airport, I have always wanted to be a pilot and I have been looking at small airplanes piper 140etc. My flight instructor told me to start setting up ground school and medical. I have been in trouble when I was a young man and everything was over 15 years ago. I have had dui and been to prison for aggravated battery . I have turned my life around and I try to help people now . I have realized that my past is probably going to come back to haunt me again as far as getting a license to fly a plane for my enjoyment I really love it. Is it possible for me to get a license to fly my own airplane. I'm now in a position in my life where I am able to do this but I have been discouraged when I found out that I could be intelligible to get the certification. I don't drink or do drugs anymore but I have abused them in my past. The family I grew up in drugs and alcohol where accepted and quite prevalent in every function. I have my own family now and I don't have the same morals or lack of you could say. I don't think that I was addicted but I was abusive with alcohol. I have not been intoxicated in 20 years.. I have not been arrested or anything for years either. Is it a pipedream for me to get a certification to fly my own plane. I realize that there will be some hoops to jump through but I would rather mot if I'm just going to be wasting time and money for something that is not going to happen. I appreciate if anyone has any opinions about this or any information that could help me. Thanks for your help or response I appreciate it. Please feel free to comment on this. I've read some other threads from people who have had issues in their past and 10 years seems to be the time they are looking at and my issues are 15-20 years ago. I was very immature and I have made bad choices but I can say that my children have been raised in a opposite way than my life. To me to let an adolescent have alcohol or drugs is absolutely crazy but I was raised in a different time. Thanks again for your Information
You will have to jump through some hoops to get an FAA medical certificate with that background. But I'd think it should be possible given that it's old history and that you were young.
I'd strongly recommend consulting aviation medical professionals BEFORE you fill out the FAA medical application form. AOPA has such a service, AMAS is well regarded (airline pilot unions use them), and there are others.
You might need psych or addiction screening, and will almost certainly need to provide records related to your history.
It will probably be easier to get a third class medical for recreational flying, as opposed to a first or second for commercial.