need some help!!
06-04-2006 | 11:25 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Line Holder
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: CFII, MEI, AGI
need some help!!
Well im a 19 year old CFI working my way towards the airlines. I was wondering how a driving record could hurt you at the airlines. I have a ticket and an accident from when i was 17. Then recently i had another accident and got a ticket for following to close. Besides thats i dont have any DWI, and my criminal record is clean, just 2 tickets and 2 accidents. Could that really hurt me at the airlines? Some feed back would be great. Thanks!
06-04-2006 | 11:33 AM
#3
Chief Jeppesen Updater
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,080
Likes: 0
From: Executive Transport Driver
Driving records are part of what the airlines look at. Numerous tickets WILL hurt you (numerous accidents/tickets show a lack of responsibility/maturity). The important thing is to PREVENT ANY OTHER TICKETS/ACCIDENTS that are your fault!
KiloAlpha is correct in saying that it's important to be upfront about it, but I do know that two of my previous employers eliminated applicants that had more than 3 infractions in the past 5 years. The fact is that there are just too many appplicants out there, so employers/recruiters can be picky.
The issue at hand is not that your human (everybody gets a ticket or has an accident now and then), but whether you learn from your mistakes or not. Drive safe and it shouldn't be a problem once you establish a few years of safe/incident free driving.
KiloAlpha is correct in saying that it's important to be upfront about it, but I do know that two of my previous employers eliminated applicants that had more than 3 infractions in the past 5 years. The fact is that there are just too many appplicants out there, so employers/recruiters can be picky.
The issue at hand is not that your human (everybody gets a ticket or has an accident now and then), but whether you learn from your mistakes or not. Drive safe and it shouldn't be a problem once you establish a few years of safe/incident free driving.
06-04-2006 | 11:37 AM
#4
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 45,149
Likes: 802
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
An occasional traffic ticket is not too big a deal for a pilot, but your record might raise an eyebrow.
The good news is that airlines will forgive you for being young and stupid, but they might want to see a year or two go by with no traffic incidents. Long term you should be fine if you try to drive a little better from here on out. A 30 year old pilot with a lot of recent traffic issues would likely be considered unsuitable for airlines due to lack of judgement and impulse control.
DUI and reckless driving are much more serious problems, but it sounds like you don't have that.
When I anticipate that I'm a year or so away from a job change, I ease up on the gas to avoid getting traffic tickets too close to interview time.
The good news is that airlines will forgive you for being young and stupid, but they might want to see a year or two go by with no traffic incidents. Long term you should be fine if you try to drive a little better from here on out. A 30 year old pilot with a lot of recent traffic issues would likely be considered unsuitable for airlines due to lack of judgement and impulse control.
DUI and reckless driving are much more serious problems, but it sounds like you don't have that.
When I anticipate that I'm a year or so away from a job change, I ease up on the gas to avoid getting traffic tickets too close to interview time.
06-04-2006 | 12:19 PM
#5
APC co-founder
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,853
Likes: 0
From: B777
Originally Posted by everett_cessna_pilot
Well im a 19 year old CFI working my way towards the airlines. I was wondering how a driving record could hurt you at the airlines.
As other posters have mentioned, repeated tickets will show a habit pattern that airlines may not be interested in. If on the other hand you can go into an interview and talk about the tickets as a learning opportunity - AND - that you stopped getting tickets, you'll be fine. Take responsibility, talk about changing your habit of driving as a deliberate decision, and highlite that it's no longer a problem by evidence of your clean driving record.
If you walk in and place blame on the cops, a speedtrap, the system, or the fact that "man" is holding you down - airlines will most certainly pass.
06-04-2006 | 02:27 PM
#6
On Reserve
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Hey, try expressjet, they seem to like to hire guys with low time and fresh dui's. Not saying you have a dui, just doing research preparing for an interview and was shocked at how many people they hired who said they only had around 850 total time, recent dui's, bad records, violations, and accidents. But they wont even interview guys with 1000+ total and clean everything. Worth a shot.
06-04-2006 | 03:11 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Line Holder
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: CFII, MEI, AGI
Hey thanks for the replies! I pretty much am going to just go the speed limit, and keep my distance from other cars, and be an ideal driver. Thanks once again for the fast replies! Hope to see you all one day at the regionals!
