Originally Posted by
rickair7777
The "Good Moral Character" clause does not mean what most people think it means. The FAA has no mandate, ability or authority to pass moral judgments on things like adultery, homosexuality, unofficial lying, etc..
What it really means is that convicted criminals cannot hold an ATP. They have some leeway as to what crimes, parking tickets won't do it but convictions for drug dealing, violence, theft, etc will be a problem for you. I think they also have the leeway to decide that you are reformed eventually
Several years ago at another carrier I interviewed a prospective new hire that (as we found out during the interview process) had gone to jail for running drugs. At the time of his arrest he was also an airline pilot for a major. In addition to jail the time his certificates had been revoked and he had later earned each one back. I asked him how he was able to hold an ATP due to the moral character statement in the FARs. He said that there is another law that supercedes that. It says that if someone has gone to jail for a crime he cannot be restricted from working in his chosen profession. I feel confident that someone who was previously convicted of drug trafficking would have some problems becoming a pilot, however, someone that was a pilot prior to the arrest may have a way back into the ranks.
