Hello APC,

My name is Paul and I am currently a CFI. I am also a flight engineer on the C-5M. As of this posting I have about 400 hours TT. I have been applying to a few regionals hoping to take advantage of the tuition reimbursement program offered through my employer and the regionals. What concerns me is my driving record. I have a total of 7 speeding tickets, two of which were in the last 7 years. I feel this is the main reason I have not been invited to interview. What can I do to increase my chances? I am not ready to give up on my dream and passion of becoming a professional pilot. I am currently trying to get letters of recommendations from my unit and was also looking into taking a defensive driving course to show them I have learned my lesson and that this has served as a wake up call for me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Your low TT is a much bigger problem.

GF

 

Your driving record is not the issue.

Low flight time is. Keep flying.

 

400 hours?!
Are they taking people before the 1500 and waiting for them to get there or something?
I've got seven total tickets over 20 years and I am managing to make a career of this.
Don't get more.

 

Two tickets in seven years is irrelevant (except maybe for one or two legacies). Just try not to get any more until you get to your career-destination airline.

But you need to be much closer to 1500 hours to get any interest from regionals. Don't sweat it, you'll have your pick when you get there.

 

I think he may be talking about the cadet programs at the AA WO'd regionals (Piedmont, Envoy, PSA). As long as you have at least 400 hours, they will "hire" you and will pay you $500 stipends for every 100 hours of flight time that you build until you get to 1500 hours. The only catch is that you need to be a flight instructor at one of their partner flight schools.

So hopefully the regionals aren't disqualifying you for some speeding tickets because I have way worse in my background.

 

I got lots of speeding tickets back in the 80s. Does this matter today? I had a couple in 2000s of which I fought and got dismissed or did the driver education course.

I really cannot remember any dates or particulars. What do I list in Airline Apps?

Also got a "Wet Reckless" reckless driving with presence of alcohol in 1989. I mighta been drunk, but my Attorney worked it down. Did the alcohol class and paid a $500 fine to CA. How do I address this or disregard as it is 28 years ago?

Asking for a friend...

 

Tell your friend to truthfully disclose it. If it was 28 years ago no issues in the last ten years, you (oops your friend) are hireable at regionals when you attain at least the ATP mins.
Most regionals won't hire someone with anything newer due to existing Canadian immigration/visitation laws.

 

That's not correct... at least not anymore.

There are only a few show stoppers for Canadian immigration and certain timelines for those few things (5 years is where the forgiveness window starts in certain circumstances). Unless you have one of those convictions on your record during the PNG window when you're applying, a regional usually won't hold it against you. They can't afford to be that picky.

 

Otterbox, you are correct.