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Can You Be a Pilot With DUI? FAA Reporting Requirements
Being hit with a DUI while you are off-duty and enjoying yourself can not only have criminal consequences, it can also have consequences for your licensing and certifications with the FAA. When you are charged with a DUI, you must file a report with the FAA within 60 days.
In addition to this requirement, in order to gain your medical certificate, you must be fully transparent about your past convictions–so if you have been convicted or arrested on DUI charges before and were not truthful about this on your application, there are real consequences to this decision.
There can be severe penalties (such as the total revocation of your medical certification, which would disqualify you from flying or obtaining your airmen’s certification) if you are found to be lying or misrepresenting the truth in this type of situation, so consult with an attorney who can help you figure this process out. Vangorodska’s experience stretches to both legal courtrooms and blue skies.
Whether by pleading to lesser crimes or fighting unjust charges with Yulia Vangorodska at your side, there are ways that you can get out of this pickle and ensure that your airman’s certificate is protected.
The consequences of not reporting a DUI or a DWI can be extremely severe and take you out of the air for a good while, so it’s wise to report these as soon as humanly possible to avoid these harsh enforcement actions.
The only way to get around these restrictions is if you are severely injured as a result of a crash and unable to report, but even this is a bit of a flimsy excuse that may not hold up in court or up to the FAA’s standards of reporting.
If you fail to report that your driver’s license has been suspended or revoked within 60 days from that date due to a conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, you may also face a 45-day suspension of your airman’s certificate from the FAA. Depending upon how severe the charges are, it can result in the full revocation of your certifications and make you ineligible for your dream career. This is why it’s important to have an attorney at your side with a specialty in this field–in order to comply with all regulations, it often helps to have a professional who can guide you through the process of correcting violations and reporting pertinent information to the FAA.
If you believe that there is an error on your medical certification application, there may still be time to amend it or to report your conviction without facing any severe penalties. But if you have already filed an erroneous application and have received notice from the FAA about it, the time to get in touch with a lawyer is now.
Aviation should be fun--not a stressor added into your life. When it becomes a chore or something you dread, call Vangorodska to schedule your appointment. There’s no time to delay when it comes to your freedom of flight - so so do not wait until it is too late to save your career and certifications.
Similarly, the time period after being convicted or arrested for a DUI is a bit of saving grace. Due to administration slowdowns due to a number of issues, there may still be time to ensure your certifications are safe if you have forgotten to report this conviction to the FAA. After being arrested due to driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, that 60-day window gives you plenty of time to make sure that all of your ducks are in a row.
Be sure that you do not waste that time with inaction–instead, contact Yulia Vangorodska, Esq. to give you the legal advice you need in a hard time like this, and ensure you do not incriminate yourself further by speaking with the FAA before consulting with an aviation attorney.
Your rights as an airman or aviation worker should be protected, even if you’ve made a mistake or had one bad night that you, unfortunately, must pay the consequences for. It’s far better to face the reality of the situation, own up to your mistakes, and ensure your certifications are protected than it is to ignore this issue and have your certification permanently revoked, taking away any and all privilege you may have had to earn a good living for your family.
Consult Vangorodska if you believe that you’ve been in a similar situation, as his advice and legal knowledge are here to be of help to you during these trying times.
Getting back in the air is the number one goal, especially in the trying economic times that we are in at the moment, and Yulia Vangorodska has the legal chops to guide you in this unfortunate situation. While he cannot guarantee a positive outcome, he will do all he can to mitigate the damage to your certifications and reputation with the FAA.
Contact his offices immediately to schedule your free consultation with a talented aviation lawyer–there are none better in New York state or New Jersey with his qualifications.
