Becoming An Airline pilot With A Record

C

chris mcqueen

New Member
I’m interested in pursuing a career as a pilot and saw that Envoy has a great student cadet program that I’d be interested in pursuing through one of the partnered flight schools. But before I move forward I wanted to find out if my record would prohibit me from becoming an airline pilot. My record consists of a speeding ticket from 2010, a speed contest/unsafe speed charges from 2012 (both of the 2012 charges were given on the same incident), and a misdemeanor charge from 2013 that included a charge for prowling and resisting arrest but I was only charged for prowling and the resisting arrest charge was dismissed.
All charges were received when I was at the age of 20 or below. Since my last charge in 2013 five years have passed and I have had a no additional criminal or driving charges against me.

Do I stand a chance?
 
Envoy may. But certainly it's going to vary regional to regional.
 
chris mcqueen said:
I’m interested in pursuing a career as a pilot and saw that Envoy has a great student cadet program that I’d be interested in pursuing through one of the partnered flight schools. But before I move forward I wanted to find out if my record would prohibit me from becoming an airline pilot. My record consists of a speeding ticket from 2010, a speed contest/unsafe speed charges from 2012 (both of the 2012 charges were given on the same incident), and a misdemeanor charge from 2013 that included a charge for prowling and resisting arrest but I was only charged for prowling and the resisting arrest charge was dismissed.
All charges were received when I was at the age of 20 or below. Since my last charge in 2013 five years have passed and I have had a no additional criminal or driving charges against me.

Do I stand a chance?
Click to expand...

I had a run in with the man in blue a while back, and have always been worried about it but it hasn’t affected my career thus far. I was cited for an MIP and public intoxication. I have explained the situation and more importantly what I learned from that situation in every interview I’ve had. I have accepted the fact I may never make it to United or Delta because of that mark but I won’t let it stop me from trying. The important thing is to own your screw ups, don’t blame them on any one else and you should be okay. But I would make sure none of those prohibit you from flying into Canada as well, certain things will cause you to pop on their radar clearing customs.
 
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chris mcqueen said:
I’m interested in pursuing a career as a pilot and saw that Envoy has a great student cadet program that I’d be interested in pursuing through one of the partnered flight schools. But before I move forward I wanted to find out if my record would prohibit me from becoming an airline pilot. My record consists of a speeding ticket from 2010, a speed contest/unsafe speed charges from 2012 (both of the 2012 charges were given on the same incident), and a misdemeanor charge from 2013 that included a charge for prowling and resisting arrest but I was only charged for prowling and the resisting arrest charge was dismissed.
All charges were received when I was at the age of 20 or below. Since my last charge in 2013 five years have passed and I have had a no additional criminal or driving charges against me.

Do I stand a chance?
Click to expand...
If the charge of resisting arrest was dropped then that doesnt need to be brought up again, In my, non lawyer, opinion. The good thing is we are in a pilots market right now, the bad thing is you have to click the "have you been arrested before" box since you were arrested and convicted for your misdemeanor. You will be able to be an airline pilot, yes. For what type of airline is where the limitation could occur.
 
In today's hiring climate, I think you would probably stand a chance. The biggest issue might be the prowling charge, and possibly the speed contest/unsafe speed charge, if those charges would prevent you from entering Canada. As you may know, Canada denies foreigners entry for committing certain crimes in their home country within the last 10 years; but I don't know whether either of those charges would be enough for the CBSA/ASFC to deny you entry. Many companies will not hire pilots who are ineligible to enter Canada, but in today's job market it seems like it isn't as much of an issue as it used to be. I know my employer has hired pilots who are barred from Canada (although of course we don't currently serve Canada). So if it turns out to be an issue, you could apply to a regional that doesn't serve Canada. I've also heard of airlines keeping a list of pilots who can't enter Canada and just not assigning them to any Canada flights. The fact that you were under 20 when these incidents occurred and a few years have passed since then will likely help.

My advice would be to
1. Disclose everything the application asks for, even if the charges were dropped, as there may still be records of it that would show up in a background check (most applications ask for the disposition of the case anyway). Airlines are often willing to accept some pretty major black marks but lying on an application or in an interview is almost always grounds for termination. And because airlines are required to perform such extensive background checks, the chances of being caught in a lie are much greater than for most jobs. Be 100% honest about everything.
2. If asked about the charges in an interview, be honest and take responsibility for it; do not blame anyone but yourself for the charges. It may help to explain what you learned from the experience.

Best of luck with the situation. I think you'll probably be fine. My regional hired me after I washed out at a different one, and I'd also been in an airplane accident several years earlier.
 
You are likely criminally inadmissible to Canada. This will likely render you ineligible for employment as a pilot at SkyWest, at least, and other regional airlines may have similar restrictions.

The rehabilitation process for admission to Canada following a serious crime is unsurprisingly, serious business.
 
Prowler?

Prowler.jpg
 
Dangerous driving, it turns out (I actually read into this for you) is explicitly mentioned, front and center, as a disqualifying offence (ha) for entry into Canada. You'll need to get rehabilitated for at least that.
 
chris mcqueen said:
I’m interested in pursuing a career as a pilot and saw that Envoy has a great student cadet program that I’d be interested in pursuing through one of the partnered flight schools. But before I move forward I wanted to find out if my record would prohibit me from becoming an airline pilot. My record consists of a speeding ticket from 2010, a speed contest/unsafe speed charges from 2012 (both of the 2012 charges were given on the same incident), and a misdemeanor charge from 2013 that included a charge for prowling and resisting arrest but I was only charged for prowling and the resisting arrest charge was dismissed.
All charges were received when I was at the age of 20 or below. Since my last charge in 2013 five years have passed and I have had a no additional criminal or driving charges against me.

Do I stand a chance?
Click to expand...
Let me put it this way, anything is possible. We had a captain get popped for smoking weed. He was fired. Went to Betty Ford. Begged and pleaded the VP of Flt Ops. Got rehired from the bottom. Became a captain, then a checkairmen, then the HIMS coordinator(the irony) and now is at UAL. Don't listen to anyone that tells you you can't. Pursue your dream and keep showing examples of how you've changed. If I was an interviewer, I'd give anyone a chance if they could show me they learned from their mistakes because the interviewer him/herself can relate to you.

I interviewed (for a FO position)for one of the biggest private 135 operators on the west coast in 2013 and wasn't hired. They called me two weeks ago and offered me the chief pilot position. I turned them down. Don't give up.
 
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