Aspiring pilot looking for info

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privatepilotrdam@reddit

Try escobar airlines, you have the perfect cv for this. All jokes aside truly difficult, but you can always try and if its not working out you can always look outside of the US where this might be less strict. Go to Asia, South America etc and then you can come back and youll not be the guy with the same qualifications as everyone else with a felony weapons charge, but a guy with a lot of experience and a felony weapons charge with even more time between that and the shitton of flying experience

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Cascadeflyer61@reddit

Have you considered floatplane flying, crop dusting, and maybe corporate flying? I know pilots that have enjoyed this type of career. I’m an airline pilot and I think it would be cool as hell to fly floats. My friend’s son only works maybe 6 months a year as a crop duster pilot, and he makes really good money.

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Environmental_Log792@reddit

Basically any airline that has international routes (this includes cargo carriers) are effectively out of the picture. What you might still be in the picture for you is stuff like air ambulance, part 135 carriers that primarily do domestic operations, ag spraying, flying corporate or fractionally owned operation, and flight instructing. However, with a weapons conviction on your record, it’s going to be significantly tougher to land a job.

As much as I want to say “follow your dreams” or “you could be the one exception to the rule”, the reality is that right now the hiring market isn’t great for people with 0 failures and 0 convictions. Will it be that way in the next 2-5 years? Nobody knows and anyone claiming to know is lying to you. If flying is something that you really want to do, I would suggest trying to get in to a feild that gives you enough disposable income to fly as a hobby.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Why do you want people to down vote it tho? Can I not ask questions?

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ndem763@reddit

If you’re referring to the comment saying “downvote this”, it’s a bot referring to its own comment (a copy of your own text). Not your post. People like to downvote things here but we’re not that blatant about it lol

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Oh OK. Yeah I'm still new to reddit lol. Thanks for the insight

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Barbell_Baker@reddit

Somw of the folks here view this inquiry as having a very obvious answer, so my assumption is that they believe you haven't seriously considered things enough otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question.

However, it is my personal belief that you shouldn't be faulted for asking a question especially to those within the field.

Anyways I gave you an upvote cause I can relate, had some schmucks in the grilling subreddit down vote me cause I asked a question too 😂

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Lol appreciate u for that

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Guysmiley777@reddit

felony weapon charge

My goal is the airlines

Almost certainly not. Maybe a part 91 or part 135 company, but part 121 (airlines) are not going to be interested. You're competing for highly sought after jobs with countless other qualified people who don't have a weapons felony on their record.

There was that one Learjet that crashed a while back where it came out that both pilots had prior criminal records (one pilot had IIRC assault with a deadly weapon and the other one had reckless driving/fleeing and assault on a police officer). So it's not impossible to get a job, just don't expect to make it to airlines.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

So if this career really worth pursuing?

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NoGuidance8609@reddit

There are an unbelievable number of paths in an aviation career other than the airlines. If you are solely focused on a name brand airline then probably not. If aviation is what you want though there are lots of career options that your past is just a bump in the road.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Really? So basically just the airlines are out? I've looked into a few others, CFI, CARGO, and maybe DPE was a few things I was looking at that might be available. What are your thoughts?

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NoGuidance8609@reddit

Part 91, corporate, 135, contract work, spraying, instructing, instructing at one of the large simulator schools, Alaska bush operations, Medevac, domestic cargo. Not sure what the moral character clause for DPE might be but I wouldn’t even consider that until you’re much further down the career path. Yes, you’ll have to answer and explain your past more than you want to but who you are now and who you want to be will carry a larger weight.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Let me start off by saying I appreciate u taking the time in the first place cuz u didn't have to. And I have no problem explaining my situation to anybody. I know I was dumb for what I did. I'm just looking for a chance. But I appreciate u a lot for this insight. And being straight forward with me

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NoGuidance8609@reddit

Wishing you the best at whatever path you choose

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Appreciate u for that

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

*is

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PferdBerfl@reddit

I’m a former 121 interview committee member here.

The first rule in aviation is “Never bring a known problem up in the air with you; there will be plenty that come naturally.”

Hiring is no different: “There will be plenty of hires that will be problematic. Don’t hire those that can/could/have been a problem. There will be enough the way it is.”

Does this mean it’s impossible? No. But getting hired with a clean record is already challenging and is a financial gamble. The odds of getting a decent job with such a record will be epic, assuming you can even get a medical. (The FAA doesn’t want the potential liability either.)

As an interview member, I’m going to ask myself the following questions:

1) The average kid does not brandish firearms toward other people. What kind of a childhood does this person come from where that would be OK? What other baggage does this candidate bring?

2) if this candidate is not so socially and emotionally damaged by the childhood that led him to armed assault, what kind of anger issues exist that would explain it? what kind of anger issues would cause armed assault? Does this person have a short fuse?

3) What type of social/antisocial mechanisms has this person learned in prison that would conflict with the type of social environment we are championing in our cockpit? Did he learn how to communicate in a calm, mature, rational way, or did he learn how to be territorial, defensive, and reactive?

4) If this person did pop a cork at work and someone was egregiously injured physically or emotionally where a report is filed, would the company be exposed legally by having hired someone with a known violent history? Is bringing this one person on board worth the risk?

For a while there, anyone with a pulse was hired. But that was a one-off in aviation history. Hiring has gone back to its more normal condition of companies still being able to be somewhat selective. And, even if someone were to argue that that is not entirely the case, I would still make the argument that they don’t have to take any great risks with the majority of people that are applying, and telling one person “Thanks but no thanks.” is not going to make a huge difference to their hiring goals.

I actually feel very sad for you. I have friends that have made some pretty big mistakes in their lives that have cost them dearly. It’s a dreadful burden to carry. But I would suggest you receive a great amount of counsel before spending a lot of money on something that most likely will not pay off. ($0.02)

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Appreciate your real take. But I didn't brandish it, it was a simple possession charge. And if we were interviewing I would explain the situation in more detail. Prison, believe it or not, actually matured me a lot. In the same breath, I can not, and will not, feel bad about an interviewer feeling and assuming the things you've laid out. Appreciate ur input

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PferdBerfl@reddit

Okay. Well, if you can make it to the interview itself, there is certainly the opportunity to explain it well. To a certain extent, someone who can confidently and articulately explain something like this may actually garner some sympathy (i.e. feeling good about giving someone a second chance). But, you’ll have to convince enough people up the food chain to finally get the job that will pay the bills. Still, everyone loves a Hail Mary success story. Best of luck.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

First off I wanna say I appreciate you taking the time out to break this down for me. I hope I'm not coming across in any negative way cuz that's not my intention. And I can explain my situation to you I just don't think I have enough space in here lol. I know I was dumb then, and can own my mistakes. And I have no problem explaining my situation to anybody. And thanks for the well wishes. I'm gonna need it lol.

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ApprehensiveVirus217@reddit

I’m a firm believer in “nothing is impossible” and everyone should get a second chance. Most folks do stupid shit when they’re younger, a lot just don’t get caught.

I have no idea if you’ll be able to get a medical at some point. That’s best left to an AME or lawyer.

What I do know is your odds of getting hired at an airline are probably as close to nil as can be.

From the airline POV, there’s simply no reason to hire you. They’ve got a bunch of other folks with the exact same qualifications AND they don’t have a felony conviction on their record.

Maybe if it was a long time ago, plus you had it expunged (would still likely show up on a background check though), plus you had a character reference at the company in a top tier position, then… maybe?

Godspeed brother.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Appreciate the real. Appreciate the good luck as well

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skele651@reddit

A felony conviction is likely the end of the line. Even if you somehow got a medical the airlines have a line of people a mile long with no felonies to hire before you

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Appreciate the real

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X-T3PO@reddit

You cannot enter Canada, nor some other countries. You are useless to any commercial operator. A question that any commercial operator will ask when hiring is "do you have any DUI, felony, or other reason that would prevent you from travelling to Canada?"

Find another way to spend your life. This isn't going to be it.

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Illustrious-Ask2879@reddit (OP)

Appreciate the real

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rFlyingTower@reddit

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

In 2016 I was charged with a felony weapon charge. Went to prison, did my time, put it all behind me. Went and got my first class medical done, AME told me she would've given me the green light, as my health is in good standings, but she couldn't because of the felony. My goal is the airlines, but I wanna know an I wasting my time and potential money chasing this dream with this felony on my record? What's my chances. No sugar coating needed. Give me the truth direct.

Edit: have not gotten so much as a seat belt ticket since. Talk to me.

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