A masters degree is not leverage. It's a credential, but it carries no weight in overcoming a conviction.

Community service is not leverage, either.

Airlines are a viable option, but if he's starting flight training presently, he's a long way from that option yet.

I worked with a captain once who was a convicted sex offender. I've worked with a lot of aviators who have things in their past.

The airlines are not the only route to take in aviation. There are many other avenues of employment aside from the airlines.

If one is seeking pilot training, why would one switch tracks and become a mechanic instead? Is the drive to remain in aviation so great?

I'm a pilot and mechanic, and work in both occupations. Both are honorable and respectable. From a maintenance point of view, I don't think anyone will care about his history. Some places may, but not many.

If he's making this a habit, he's going to do more than damage his reputation. The repercussions years down the line are only one thing he needs to consider. His judgement is seriously questionable presently, as is his behavior. That should be his immediate worry.

- CFI
- Anything low-end part 91, unless the company/employer does a criminal background check
- Low-end 135

Avoid all background issues, start your own flight school or small 135 operation.

There's no reason that the subject of the thread couldn't seek and find work with a major airline.

Airline pilots are common employees, not saints.

Tell your friend to check local/state laws (aka hire a lawyer)... Most misdemeanors not involving violent crimes or substance-related charges can be expunged after a certain period of time adn with a little bit of $$$. Just my .02 cents. Eveyone makes mistakes and does stupid things. Just some people get caught and others don't.

It might be safe to say that many people do something stupid at some point when they're young, but not very many people participate in illegal perv behavior.

That sort of thing might be indicative of some not quite normal attitudes about society and how one relates to other people.

To make a "mistake", there's a chain...

- You do not fully understand (youth or low IQ), or do not care (sociopath) how your actions affect others. This is the moral part. You might also be desperate for something low on the Maslow scale (like shelter or food)...this might override moral considerations.

- You decide to go ahead despite the known consequences of getting caught. This decision can be aided by youthful poor judgement or a sociopath's calculation of risk vs benefit. It can also be helped along by alcohol consumption...but it's expected that older people can manage alcohol better.

Bottom line this might have been youth and REALLY bad judgement because the social consequences of getting caught doing something like this are WAAAAY more severe than say shoplifting or DUI. Or it might be sociopathic tendencies, or possibly low IQ. Given a choice of these three, the correct answer for someone hiring airliner crews is going to be:

d) None of the above

Good points.

Tell your buddy to apply at Everts Air Cargo. Having a criminal record at Everts is almost a guaranteed promotion. They know that you wont be leaving anytime soon.

OK, gotta ask...how did THAT come out?

How did what come out? How did I know he's a convicted sex offender? Everyone there knew. Every pilot, all of management, even the mechanics. Everyone knew.

How did it work out for him? He's still a captain.

Waste of time. It never goes away. Airlines do a very thorough FBI check and the way the system works now post 9/11 is that no matter how expunged or whatever you did to stricken it, the misdemeanor will be there in the FBI data base for the rest of your life.

My philosophy is that it is better to be 100% honest and not get it than lie and wonder down the road.