Pilot with 6 minor moving violations
 

I've been reading through many of these forums on pilots with bad driving records. The airlines seem not to want a pilot with a bad driving record. So here's my question. What effect will this have on me getting hired by airline. Will I still be able to get a job instructing ? or with a part 91 operation ? Should I move on to another career choice ? I think that I am at a critical point where I need to decide if this is something I should continue to pursue as a career, especially if no one will hire me cause of my driving record. I am 22. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

List of Violations:
1 Speeding -Nov. 2006 135 $ Florida Volusia County
2 Speeding- May. 2007 135$ Florida Suwanee County
3 Following To Close -May. 2007 185$ Louisiana, New Orleans
4 Seat Belt -July 2008 50$ District of Columbia (yep, at our nation's capital)
5 Speeding -Oct 2008 70$ Louisiana, New Orleans(photo enforcement)
6 Red Light -Nov 2008 115$ Louisiana, New Orleans (photo enforcement)

Needless to say five of these could have been avoided by slowing down. I have made a extremely conscious effort to drive only the speed limit. I get teased by my brother who now says, "I drive like a old lady." Doesn't help my cause very much.

I'm currently working on my Multi-Engine Commercial License. I already have a ASEL plus Instrument Rating. I have 182.2 TT. I plan to get CFII and MEI. So I'm still a long way away from the point where I would start applying for jobs.

I've really learned my lesson and I really make sure I follow all of the laws, I never speed anymore it just to expensive. I even have my Fiancee' drive me around to preclude the risk of me getting another citation. I walk and ride a bike now, but I heard you can also gt tickets for improperly riding a bicycle( would that effect it ?)

I don't know about the airlines, but that would be enough for us to pass on.

Step One: Stop breaking the law
Step Two: Keep flying if you want
Step Three: wait five years until interviewing with an airline

Most airlines would ask, "how many moving violations in the last five years?"

I've never been asked about it for CFI or corporate jobs, but every job is different so find out.

If you can't handle a car properly, why should they trust you with a plane? That is their thinking with the traffic violations.

Good luck.

dude 6 moving is alot- if you come clean, tell them what happen the circumstances, there might be a chance youll get hire. heck I know a few pilots out there with DUI. but if they had to pick you vs someone else that didnt have the violations well you get the point.. g'luck

You are an idiot for not getting a lawyer and paying to have them turned into non-moving violations. I used to get tickets all the time in my teenage years, and not one of them went on my record.

Nolakh86,
I posted a response in the other thread.
As far as your five year history goes, the reality is this:
Most airlines ask if you have ever had a moving violation. There is no statute of limitations on the application. It is up to you whether you want to list them all or not.
Then, after you are hired (and you've quit your previous job), your new company runs a complete background check and finds that you have not been completely honest with them.
I'm not saying that they will always be able to uncover your driving history, but do you really want to take the chance? Certainly if your state keeps records for longer than five years, a quick check will uncover your violations.
That walk out of ground school would probably be a long one.
But what do I know? Lori will give you some better advise.
Cheers,
Hog

[QUOTE=Ottopilot;614213], but every job is different so find out.
QUOTE]

Like I said.

A little similar to mine, but I've had mine spread over the years and don't have seatbelt or red light on my record. http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/as...t-include.html

Companies offering Part 91/CFI jobs don't care about traffic violations. None of the flight schools that I have worked for have asked me about my driving record.

What state are you in? Pull a history of your DL record and see what's on it. Why didn't you go to traffic school and have it taken off your record?

Try NASCAR Driving Schools
 

Having been a part of the interview process for a large Part 121 carrier, this type of driving record is going to get you put into the "Not unless we're REALLY desperate pile".

I would s-l-o-w down, learn to accept the responsibility of a drivers license and wait before I applied anywhere. At some carriers, United for example,they used to check your driving record from the date you got a license...not just the past five years. It may have changed but the advice to get a lawyer and see what, if anything, can be done isn't bad advice. There are too many job applicants in the market today to take a chance on someone with 6 moving violations in two years.

Nothing personal....just the truth.

G'Luck and slow down Mate:eek:

What State is your DL in?
A lot of States do not share traffic ticket info with each other.
Did you pay a lawyer to get out of the tickets?

I would not even consider that. By the small chance you think it isn't and it actually is, the airline will find out and can your a** so fast...

You need to consider another line of work.

it aint over till the fat lady sinks, but it will take alot in your part to stay ticket free for a good amount of years, its like your credit score it sticks with you for a longggg timeee..

Nobody needs to tell you what you did was idiotic, you probably already know this. At the age of 22 and 6 traffic violations is really bad. Like most people have told you, put the airlines on hold for a while. Your best bet is to get a cfi gig and stay "clean" for the rest of your life if possible. Keep in mind that with the Colgan 3407 crash airlines might make their background checks more thorough. I know the crash had nothing to do with traffic violations but you never know.

But if you have a degree in anything other than aviation, you should be good.

The FAA and as someone pointed out, "that their company would pass on someone like you", because you're perceived not to be willing to follow accepted social rules. They would then determine that you may have a personality disorder. May be far from the truth and unfair to characterize you as such....but that's the way they see it.


atp

You can always try law enforcement.:D

Well you can always work at a 135 and clean up your act. Get some turbine time, and you're good to go. I know guys who had accidents on their records, worked at a 135 and then went on to 121 without a problem. I would go to DMV and ask them to give you a print out of your driving record. This will be the same record that the airline pull when they do your background check. Don't let the people on this forums tell you that it's the end of the world. You never know until you try.

Maybe not the end of the world, but I'm not sure continuing to throw money at this "dream" is the way to go. 6 tickets by 22 years old is gonna be tough to convince anyone at an interview that you're ready to borrow the keys to the jet.

3 of those are within the last year. Dude, SLOW DOWN!

I wouldn't want you at the controls of an aircraft with my family on board. Your driving record displays quite a bit of wrecklessness and refusal to follow the rules from my perspective.

You're young. Slow down, follow the law. This career is about following the rules and being responsible. 6 violations in 3 years is stupid. You won't be able to afford car insurance premiums on regional pay let alone get the job in the first place if you continue on this path.

BTW, speeding doesn't get you there any faster than the speed limit when you get pulled over ;)

When you say you know guys who had accidents, what kind of accidents do you mean? Aircraft or auto?

Best,

First of all, to the people suggesting that you should lie and/or misrepresent your driving history, that is completely the WRONG answer. Background checks can and will search back farther than what your local DMV keeps on
record.

Second, don't lie to the HR people. They are experts in sizing up people and they'll know if you are telling the truth. Sure, you could fake it and pass the interview. But anytime during your employment, if they find out that you lied, and some employers do keep checking your background after you've been employed, you'll be terminated on the spot. And it will be very unlikely that you'll be hired by another company. HR people talk to one another.

This is only more important given the findings of the Colgan crash and the fact that the CA wasn't very honest on his applications. You can bet the HR departments at the regionals / small companies are going to be more diligent in their background checks.

Third, STOP BREAKING THE LAW. How can the HR people trust you with the lives of their passengers and their equipment if you can't follow simple driving laws? Yes, we all have broken the law at some point, but some of us never got caught. Unfortunately for you, you have built quite a record in a very short period of time

Fourth, be honest to yourself and your application. An employer is more likely to higher you if you say, "Yes, I do have some motor vehicle violations. I got them for blah blah blah. I now realize how wrong of me it was to drive that way and knowing that it can affect future employment, I am ashamed of it. I did go to driving school and I have not received any infractions since my last ticket." In other words, tell the HR you made some mistakes and that you've learned from them. DO NOT tell the HR person "everyone gets tickets" "I was stupid, I didn't know any better". No, everybody doesn't get tickets and never call yourself bad names during an interview. Always keep it positive, only talk about the negative if they ask about such things ... and always turn the negative into a positive (talk about what learned from your mistakes).

Finally, like the others have said, NEVER give up. There were several times during my flying career where I was told I would never fly again. Additionally, and probably more relevant to the thread, I had four tickets on my record. Three were for speeding, one was for driving too close (thank you Lowndes County, GA). Every interviewer asked me about the driving too close ticket. And so I told my story and I admitted my fault. But I quickly explained to them, after realizing the dangers of following too close, I always TRY to keep the proper distance.

So, in short, yes it will affect your chances of being asked into an interview and thus hired; however, it is very very doable.

Good luck.

Here's my situation...

1 - Speeding (by 5 mph... it's noted on the ticket) - Late 2007
2 - Failure to Yield (resulted in mine being crashed into cop said 50-50 split on fault), - mid 2008.
3 - Running a Red (on a bicycle) - mid 2009.

I'm deciding what I want to do with the last one still, its a $40 fine, and the judges in Hawaii go straight by the book, regardless of circumstances.

Am I hosed... or not hosed?

I have done a little recruiting at a small regional in the past and maybe it's not the end of the world for you - yet.. You need to slow down for sure but it sounds like you're just now starting out your flying career... Several of the offenses you mentioned expire after 3 years, some after 5 years (depending on the state you live in)...

I'd lay low, keep working on your licenses, make sure you get NO MORE TICKETS! and in 2-3 years when you're trying to move on to a regional run a nationwide search on yourself first... Then you'll know what’s on your record...

You don't need to lie but instead can mention that in the past you had a speeding ticket or two but since they'd been expunged from your record you do not recollect exactly when they were issued...

Good luck and be safe...


aviatorhi - the same applies to you... but did you go to court for crashing into the police car? If so, what's on your record?

Isn't that how it usually goes? :D

You have made yourself extremely non-competitive in the job market you have selected. You display a blatant disregard of the rules and lack of maturity. If you were to get hired & be involved in an incident/accident the lawyers would have a field day with your employer. As the "bosses" at the end of the movie "Casino" debate what to do with the character played by Joe Pesci one says "Why take the chance"? Is the risk of hiring you worth the reward? As long as there are better candidates to select, you will be bypassed. It is all about money & assuming liability. You have shown yourself to be high risk material.