Hey guys, long time reader, first time poster. My name's Mike and I'm an alcoholic. Sober as a gopher for 19 months now, and going for 3rd class on the path to PPL. 1 offense and it's a biggie as shown in the title. 42 years old now, OWI (DUI) 10/27/21, initial BAC 0.23 at time of arrest, 0.25 when I was booked. I've read all the DUI posts here (literally all of em), as well as some other corners of the web. It's important enough to me that it's worth the work. Going to keep y'all updated in this thread as my case progresses through. I was in AA, even after court stopped requiring it. I stopped liking it, so I stopped going, but going ro start going again as I know it'll be required anyways (I have nothing against the religious aspect of it, I just got to the point that the only time I thought about drinking was because I was going to AA to talk about drinking). That, and I moved, got busy, had to shampoo the lawn and mow the dog... I don't feel like I need group therapy, but I understand why FAA would insist that I do, so back to drinking ****ty coffee several times a week it is! Some background. Alcoholic as stated, started noticing a problem in late 20s, but didn't consider myself an alcoholic. Was dry for a few years but definitely didn't want to quit (my wife at the time made an ultimatum). After we inevitably divorced, I started drinking again. Not copious amounts. At first. When covid shutdown started and I was furloughed for 3 months, my new hobby became drinking. Every day. Lots, and I mean a 15 pack of beer a day at times. That pace usually finds very few endings. I was moving stuff as we had just sold our house, and it was just a day of **** poor decisions. Dont think I ate anything, drank too much, then instead of camping at the old house like i planned, i decided i could get 1 more load moved (new place was only 20 minutes away). I blacked out at about 20mph and hit a telephone pole. Homeowner called 911 and woke me up. Cops got there a few minutes later, giving me enough time to accept my fate and cooperate. Got pled down to regular OWI, rather than HIGH BAC ("Super drunk"), due mainly I think to it being my 1st offense, and the BAC still climbing. I know the FAA doesn't give a rip about that, just giving context. Anyhoo... I'll post constructive updates along the way. Mike
You will get noplace without (3rd class only) 24 months of substantiatable sobirety (urine test program, in one case I also had a letter from the stitting county sheriff, talk about "in a postion to know"!!), continual AA logged attendance. You will need to be able to discusse the 12 steps, ably, and how they applied to you. Yes, object all you wish but they have something you want and so you do it their way. With your "take on AA" you are unlikely to succeed. In your situaiton I recommend a long term relationship with a "AA sponsor". For any thing but a 3rd class, start with full formal rehab (160 hours, yes it's a lot). The agnecy views that as "education" (and they don't care what it costs you). And it is, for most, education. FAA is about how you will perform in the NEXT year, as much as how you are now (a preruequisite). They don't believe you have a channce they're willing to take until/ unless you have biweekly peer support. And that's a hey-no-kidding.
You know, flying can be VERY expensive even for a teetotaler. When you have the added time and cost of just continuously proving to the FAA that you can be a teetotaler, you have a lot of soul searching to do in this situation. Sometimes it's just not worth it, but that's obviously for you to decide. The good news for everyone - if you do succeed you also take one drunken driver off the road.
Thanks for the reply, Dr. Bruce. I understand completely. I do like AA, I even volunteered at the local mental health sub-acute detox as an AA chair for about 6 months. But AA just isn't for everybody, for the rest of their lives. I stopped going before I realized I was going to even try for my PPL, and had no idea (my own ignorance), that proof of sobriety was a requirement for a license. I'm all-in on taking the required steps. And hey, going back to AA will do me no harm. After I was sober for over a year, I intended on just paring back my attendance to once a week. Life got busy and I didn't make AA a priority, nor did I feel I NEEDED to. I still don't, for myself, feel I need to go to AA. But again, I 100% understand why the FAA would insist otherwise and I'm not going to resist one bit, which is why I'm going to a meeting at lunch (new group, since my last group is a 45 minutes drive since I moved a few months ago). Sorry if my initial post was unclear on that position. I don't take back the crappy coffee remark, it really is crappy coffee.
Agree completely. Took another drunk driver off the road 19 months ago. The pursuit of my PPL doesn't change that, it just requires I prove it with testing and attendance sheets, which is fine. Certainly not a bad thing to get back into regular meetings, whether I feel I need it or not. Have a great day!
Depending on what you want out of flying, a Sport Pilot certificate instead of Private might be an option, requiring no medical (as long as you haven't actually failed the medical and have a driver's license).
I considered it, and was going to go this route. My wife and I plan to retire in the UP of Michigan (while keeping a house in Southern MI). So the convenience of a 3 hour flight vs a 15 hour car ride is 1 huge factor. And we have dogs, so a SPL won't fit the bill. Another consideration is being able to see the country in the same fashion. True, SPL is better than no flying privileges, but serves me no real purpose. If I can't get medical (which by my understanding, the only real reason I wouldn't be able to is if I mess up or decide it's not worth it), then there's no practical purpose for me to fly. If that's what happens, life will go on and I will be just fine. I'll be bummed, but life will still be every bit as enjoyable as I make it. Frankly, even coming up on 2 years since my arrest, I'm grateful for a new lease on life and have been making the most of every day (well, I try to). This post was more to add a point of reference to catalog my journey for others who may be in the same circumstance. Of all the other DUI posts I've found, none were exact to my position, so I wanted to just give another set of variables for others to study up on. I do have a consultation with a HIMS AME next Wednesday. If he says I have a chance at all, I'm moving forward. If it is 100%, never gonna happen, I wouldn't waste any further time or money, but I don't glean that to be accurate from the research I've done so far. More to come
