TFR Violator
 

Okay, so I am one of those nasty pilots that have busted the Crawford, TX TFR. It happened shortly after I received my ticket about 4 yrs. ago. That's not an excuse at all and I won't even go into it, it was a big mistake that I have learned from in a big way. So my question is, should I even bother continuing to pursue a career as a pilot? I really have wanted to be an airline pilot as long as I can remember but I know there are tons of applicants with squeaky clean records. I've barely flown since the violation because I am assuming it was a career ender. What do you all think? Also, thanks for all your past posts I've enjoyed reading them.:)

Oh please....... don't be a pansy :)

People make mistakes. People learn from mistakes. You probably got lost, that's a mistake. You probably learned from it. If you decide to pursue a flying career, you should not have any trouble.......

When they ask you about it during the interview, and they will, just tell them the story and how you learned from it. Throw in a "Lets just say my students were the best 20 hours of flight time navigators in the country."

Were you out at TSTC? What ratings did you have? How much TT do you have? What disciplinary actions were taken against you? details.

Na, I wish I was going to TSTC. The details: Got the breifing off DUATS the previous day from Grand Prairie to Stephenville nothing about the TFR expanding, so I thought. I did a touch and go at Stephenville figured I would get some practice with ATC getting flight following. I tried to contact DFW meanwhile I was flying the runway heading south just didn't know how far south I had gotten. Couldn't get DFW because of it, I was in Waco's area. Turned East, and as Quagmire said, got lost, thought Lake whitney was Granbury (just about the same shape) just as I figured that Granbury should be on my left side, an F-16 was there shorlty thereafter. Bearcat something or the other telling me to take a heading of North immediately! I complied with a quickness and a phone call plus a week later I had myself a 90 day suspension. I hadn't flown much since, Im at about 85tt.

Don't let it stop you. Go for the career.

i don't think it should be a career ender, it might make you have to work a little harder to get a job, but it won't stop you from getting one. From the way you stated it, it definitely sounds as if you've learned your lesson, and if you can convey that to the interview board, i don't see why they wouldn't hire you. While your record isn't clean, you might not have the "it can't happen to me" attitude that many other applicants might have, and that could help you out.

And while being a new pilot 4 years ago isn't an excuse, it is a heck of a good reason. I know plenty of CFI's who've forgotten when the president was coming to town and were saved by 121.5 and about an extra 5 miles of airspace.

You're fine! It's a great lesson and your interviewer will enjoy hearing about it. Anyone could have made that mistake with your experience. We're all human, we all make mistakes. Everyday, every airline pilot makes a mistake; it's how we handle it that sets us apart. We don’t back down, we learn and proceed with that lesson guiding us, humbled of course.

....................................

Two important points you make: It was your fault and you learned from it.

The deal breakers in an interview is when you try to place blame elsewhere and/or show that you didn't change your behavior. Your fine, don't let that incident stop you from flying if that's what you want to do.

I have to ask, the most powerful man in the world, the one airspace you absolutely cannot bust, other than his other place of residence (The White House)......HOW? WHY?

The pre-flight is the golden rule. I learned that lesson , but not the hard way like you. It was a great day, and i thought some flying was in order, but neglegted to get the briefing. I decided against going and later found out that if i had, i would have interupted a Blue Angels show!!

I think I have explained my ordeal pretty thoroughly.

Just one more question. Given my record, and besides the usual ratings required to get hired on a regional, if you were doing the hiring what kind of mins and additional training would you like to see on my resume before considering giving me a call?
I would like to get an idea of what to shoot for. There is nothing on the internet that answers these kinds of questions, besides the one that said a violation will kill your prospects of ever becoming an airline pilot.

I wasn't getting on you, people make mistakes. I once came within 30 miles of China's airspace due to a training exercise and we lost sight of the situation, but I knew China was there, just like you should know the president's house is there, or the Space Shuttle is there, or the Super Bowl is there, or Disney World is there, or wherever. My only advice which I am not sure if it was said is Always, Always, Always file a flight plan.

No offense taken at all, those were legit questions and maby a low timer as myself will stumble upon this and learn by my mistake, and since then I have filed anytime I go anywhere out of the immediate area. Lessons have definately been learned.
I should probably get back on the regional subject. Can anybody answer my previous question?

I dont think you would need anything other than their minimum requirements. Obviously dont list the busted TFR in your resume, but when asked it on an interview, just do as your doing here....be honest, and don't place blame.

Showing that your humble, admitted a mistake was made (by you), have since learned from it and take corrective action, and all that jazz will most likely have it be disregarded. Not to mention you were such low time when the incident happened.

Just my $0.02

well said, and the truth..:) :)

One violation together with accepting responsibility and showing you learnt from it will not affect your chances much. Particularly given the limited experience you had at the time.

Add multiple violations, and/or a number or busted checkrides, and you may start to look bad.

I don't think this will have an adverse affect on you, for several reasons:

1) It was years ago.
2) You were VERY inexperienced
3) You were not operating as a professional pilot.
4) You recognize what went wrong and learned from it.

By the time you get all your ratings and get some cfi time, this will all be just water under the bridge that will get a brief discussion at an interview. American Airlines/Eagle might possibly hold it against you, but they are pretty uptight...I wouldn't want to work there anyway.

you got to see an F-16 up close... awsome

Not necessarily when he is thinking of you as an agressor and you know he is thinking of you as an agressor. The TFR thing was still getting the rust knocked off of it at that time, procedurly wise. Seriously, alot of things flash through your head when you get intercepted. Like how do I keep from having a flare shot over my bow, should I turn slowly to the north or make it quick, should I turn north now or after I switch over to 121.5 and talk to him, am I going to hit his jet wash, how much trouble am I in ect. ect. all in a matter of a minute. Not like an airshow. You actually see him pull up beside you, bobble there for a little bit and zoom around to come back on you afterburners blaring. Im not easily intimidated but that was intimidation.

Thanks to all who have responded to my questions. I guess I thought it was worse than it was given that it doesn't happen to many people. Not to say it wasn't bad but maby it was a good thing so that I don't get the "it can't happen to me" attitude later on, because I know it can.

Fighter pukes live for that kind of thing. Chasing Cessna's away from Bobblehead's ranch is a favorite pasttime. Makes them feel all superior.

You'll be fine. You crossed some invisible line years ago and you owned up to crossing it; convicted and punished. It'll be a good story to tell in an interview.

I flew CAP support for a lot of these things as a tanker pilot. All we had to do between refueling the fighters was to listen to the incessant calls from the ground radar folks. This happens a lot more than most people think. You were not a professional pilot when this happened and had minimal experience. A lot of folks with a lot worse skeletons have been hired.

That sucks for you but I wish you had a video of that!!

In all seriousness, When i was instructing at TSTC i had a student who busted the same TFR but he did so prior to attending TSTC. Well he went through the same thing you did, FAA letter and all. However he was working on getting it absolved off his record with Lawyers I believe. He is also still working on his ratings as far as I know. If you go through the proper channels you can get it wiped from your record. You have to go in and admit you screwed up as a Pilot who was in training and that you have learned from that mistake, etc. Its not the end of a career. Dont give up because of that. Good luck.

Yeah I definately knew that, which added to the pucker factor. I was active duty Marine so i'm fully aware of the mindset, and also know that it's even more fun when you can put some ordinance down range and "get some"!:eek:

You guys are pretty cool I gotta get on here more often. Disclaimer: No i'm not tryin to kiss your virtual behinds. I have read enough on the forum to know to throw in some disclaimers. I'll keep it to a min. though.