My son is 18 and got a pretty bad ticket last summer that was just adjudicated. I’m concerned it may affect his ability to get licensed by the FAA and/or hired by an airline. I’ve looked around on this forum and the info I’ve been able to gather is inconclusive for his situation. Everyone seems to recommend doing the FAA AME, but he did that prior to the ticket adjudication. Wondering if he should redo the AME. He already has a start date in the coming months with ATP.
The original charges were “Speeding” 91/60 and “Careless and Reckless Driving” in North Carolina. This would’ve been a mandatory license suspension. The speeding was dismissed and he pled guilty to “Careless and Reckless Driving.” This is still considered a traffic offense in NC, but we live in South Carolina and would be a misdemeanor in SC. I’m therefore not certain what his criminal record will show, but either way I understand from other forum posts he’ll need to fully disclose what happened to the FAA and any airline he interviews with. He was also in a minor “at fault” collision with no injuries a few months prior to his ticket.
He did really well in high school and graduated with over a 4.0 due to his AP classes and in seems more mature than most of society his age. Best I can tell he seems to have taken the severity of his potential consequences to heart and be wising up, but time will tell.
I’d really appreciate any advise (and prayers if you’re inclined) prior to finalizing my co-signature for his loan. I wouldn’t want him to finish school and not be able to get hired.
Some airlines ask for all driving history infractions of any kind, and others may ask for a shorter period (e.g. 5 years). It wasn’t a DUI, so that’s good. You can do a state criminal records request to see if it actually was registered as a criminal offense. Otherwise, it’s a motor vehicle violation he will have to often report (when asked on a job application). This should not prevent him from getting a student pilot license and proceeding with training. The medical certificate does not ask about motor vehicle violations. It asks about DUI and other related drug/alcohol issues. But they do pull your motor vehicle report (mainly looking for DUI/drug related driving offenses).
The FAA will ask have you ever been arrested, convicted or had administrative action (which a ticket is). They don’t ask if it was adjudicated, expunged, etc. so the answer is YES. IF this was his only offense and IF remains squeaky clean he should be fine. IF however this is the first of many offenses to come then it’s a “pattern” and he won’t be.
Good way to see if it’s really worth an investment of $100k if he can’t be responsible.
FAA form 8710 (the pilot application) has no questions about driving infractions.
FAA form 8500-8 (the medical application) clearly states in the instructions for section 18: Individual traffic arrests and/or convictions are not required to be reported if they did not involve: alcohol or a drug; suspension, revocation, cancellation, or denial of driving privileges; or attendance at an education or rehabilitation program
If I’m understanding the OP correctly, the violation was reduced to careless and reckless driving that did not involve a suspension or loss of driving privileges. I’m also going on the assumption that drugs or alcohol were not involved in the case. So, no, you don’t list a driving infraction on the medical form.
Alot of assumptions there but the form question 18 goes on to state: OR a history of ANY arrests, convictions or administrative actions which resulted in the denial, suspension, cancelation or revocation of driving privileges or which resulted in attendance at an educational or rehabilitation program. Further AOPA legal states:
"You MUST answer “Yes” if any of the following has EVER occurred in your life:
You were arrested for, convicted of, or subject to an administrative action based on any offense that resulted in the denial, suspension, cancellation, or revocation of your driver’s license or driving privileges in any state or country (even if the offense had nothing to do with alcohol or drugs).
You were arrested for, convicted of, or subject to an administrative action based on any offense that resulted in attendance at an educational or rehabilitation program (even if the offense had nothing to do with alcohol or drugs). Examples cited by the FAA include, but are not limited to, anger management programs, drug or alcohol treatment programs, safe driving courses, etc.
As for the 8710 you’re correct, the FAA doesn’t ask but EVERY airline application asks about ALL traffic violations and they will run a 10yr MV check.
Now if you want to roll the dice on a technicality that’s fine. But I’ve seen pilots yanked from newhire training for not reporting an offense.
Agree, as you basically repeated what I said. In the context of the OP, none of those apply. His son has a traffic violation that has nothing to do with drugs, alcohol, license suspension/revocation or mandatory classes. So he’s clear on FAA reporting as he climbs up the ladder of ratings.
As for future job applications - I also mentioned upthread that airlines that subscribe to airlineapps ask for all traffic violations. Individual airlines/carriers may also ask for all, past 10 years, past 5 years, etc. By the time his 18 year old is ATP ready in 4-5 years, as long as his record is clean and this traffic offense is the only skeleton in his closet, I don’t see it as being any issue (and yes, he still has to report it on any job application that asks about motor vehicle violation history). This applies to any job, not just airlines.
But his scenario does not require him to report anything on the 8710 or 8500-8 so he should be cleared to proceed with his dream.
Not really. It goes beyond drugs and alcohol and without knowing all the details neither you nor I know what he’s responsible to report. Better he has all the information and the FULL language from the medical questionnaire.