Caruna
Filing Flight Plan
Sorry for the long post, would truly appreciate anyone's advice , suggestions, comments etc. I know that I have ventured into the legal realm but am only seeking advice on how to proceed. For instance, I have never been told that I exhibit the signs of an alcoholic yet 2 Dui's is worth considering so I've gone completely abstinest from alcohol and have If you don't want the long-winded version, Basically I have 2 DUI's and a Drug Arrest for possession with intent Heroin and Cocaine (I know). While I did pass all of my 26 random drug screens I was financially unable to continue. I also have a "following too closely" on my driving record and a few months before the Drug Arrests I crashed into someones bumper without insurance, but it was a Benz bumper and I helped them tremendously by never receiving the court date , not showing up and getting a $6000 judgement which I have satisfied.
So just after I got my private pilots license I wrote a letter to the FAA after realizing that I was omitting a marijuana violation as I was advised by a lawyer but not an aviation attorney. Anyhow I consulted said aviation attorney who basically wrote a standard report and sent it to the FAA. 2 weeks later I got a certified letter opened it and it advised me I had two days to get a urine drug screen sent to the address listed.
Got my Commercial Pilots License! (Took About 1.5 years)
Very soon after that I got my first DUI 2010.(Could have b
Then I moved to Seattle, followed a girl if I'm to be honest and with my now revoked flight privileges I entered this new city and completely unable to find a job. Autozone would not hire me because of the DUI even though I was not applying for a driving position the guy said "Hey, I like you but HR says you spent a few days in prison , she said to stay away." I did stay in prison because I had no job, sparse savings and was unwilling to burden someone rather than simply stay in a nice enough jail for the weekend it didn't even make financial sense imo.
Yet I also didn't realize that time spent locked up apparently looks really bad to a hiring manager for minimum wage jobs so I cannot even imagine how the FAA see's it, if only it stopped there.
Then came the Drug Arrest 2012: Possession and intent to distribute Cocaine/Heroin, case was handed to Intervention Education and the court was satisfied to expunge my record of this arrest (but of course "expunged" means nothing when it comes to background checks.
So I got locked up and they impounded my car.
All I had was my car and I knew, not enough money to even get it out.
Even though I think this incident is the real stake in my aviation career's heart I have to say that I did need that time, clarity and understanding which would ensue. About 3 weeks later they processed me out, my Mom drove from Denver to bail me out, just a whirlwind of trouble.
Since that event truly clarified things I had to end it with this girl and Atlanta. I moved to Denver and was loving life, the very night before I was gonna hand a retainer to an aviation attorney I met a "friend" at a bar and offered to drive her home. I wasn't worried I had 2 beers in just under 2 hours and was drinking slowly between water and food. But I guess I got more than I bargained for at some point my tail light was slowly failing, having been on when I parked the car I figured we were good to go.
The cop who pulled us over not only disagreed but asked me if I was drinking, got me and her out of the car, had me do a field sobriety test which was inconclusive (I really don't see how I could've done better any day of the week) but it's a moot point, a full two hours plus after consuming my second and last beer, I blew into the breathalyzer at the station with confidence and could not believe it when he booked me.
Any hope was over and I deserved no less, the pure recklessness of even allowing myself to be close to that situation was just shameful considering the many people who invested their time, understanding and care into me.
Anyhow that's my sob story and it is sad. Is there anything I can do, until I can afford the Psychological and Psychiatric evaluations?
Can I be pro-active (except for the obvious, I don't drink anymore was never a heavy drinker but the FAA as I understand it has diagnosed me with a substance abuse disorder. I have some idea of what will happen , the random tests, professional groups etc but if it's possible and I understand this is a very involved story and I need an aviation lawyer, I think to even have a chance at getting a chance but I don't know what order to do things in.
The last statement I got from the FAA was to seek out an AME, which I will do but I'm expecting a flat out denial, so am also wondering and this is not a medical question but maybe someone can point me in the direction of work, where having a CPL will be advantageous but I don't need a medical.
I know this has been a rather involved post. Maybe a young me will read this and not make those dumb decisions. Thank you all, it's tough to let go of flying as I truly love it but I knew what was expected of me from the word go.
So just after I got my private pilots license I wrote a letter to the FAA after realizing that I was omitting a marijuana violation as I was advised by a lawyer but not an aviation attorney. Anyhow I consulted said aviation attorney who basically wrote a standard report and sent it to the FAA. 2 weeks later I got a certified letter opened it and it advised me I had two days to get a urine drug screen sent to the address listed.
Got my Commercial Pilots License! (Took About 1.5 years)
Very soon after that I got my first DUI 2010.(Could have b
Then I moved to Seattle, followed a girl if I'm to be honest and with my now revoked flight privileges I entered this new city and completely unable to find a job. Autozone would not hire me because of the DUI even though I was not applying for a driving position the guy said "Hey, I like you but HR says you spent a few days in prison , she said to stay away." I did stay in prison because I had no job, sparse savings and was unwilling to burden someone rather than simply stay in a nice enough jail for the weekend it didn't even make financial sense imo.
Yet I also didn't realize that time spent locked up apparently looks really bad to a hiring manager for minimum wage jobs so I cannot even imagine how the FAA see's it, if only it stopped there.
Then came the Drug Arrest 2012: Possession and intent to distribute Cocaine/Heroin, case was handed to Intervention Education and the court was satisfied to expunge my record of this arrest (but of course "expunged" means nothing when it comes to background checks.
So I got locked up and they impounded my car.
All I had was my car and I knew, not enough money to even get it out.
Even though I think this incident is the real stake in my aviation career's heart I have to say that I did need that time, clarity and understanding which would ensue. About 3 weeks later they processed me out, my Mom drove from Denver to bail me out, just a whirlwind of trouble.
Since that event truly clarified things I had to end it with this girl and Atlanta. I moved to Denver and was loving life, the very night before I was gonna hand a retainer to an aviation attorney I met a "friend" at a bar and offered to drive her home. I wasn't worried I had 2 beers in just under 2 hours and was drinking slowly between water and food. But I guess I got more than I bargained for at some point my tail light was slowly failing, having been on when I parked the car I figured we were good to go.
The cop who pulled us over not only disagreed but asked me if I was drinking, got me and her out of the car, had me do a field sobriety test which was inconclusive (I really don't see how I could've done better any day of the week) but it's a moot point, a full two hours plus after consuming my second and last beer, I blew into the breathalyzer at the station with confidence and could not believe it when he booked me.
Any hope was over and I deserved no less, the pure recklessness of even allowing myself to be close to that situation was just shameful considering the many people who invested their time, understanding and care into me.
Anyhow that's my sob story and it is sad. Is there anything I can do, until I can afford the Psychological and Psychiatric evaluations?
Can I be pro-active (except for the obvious, I don't drink anymore was never a heavy drinker but the FAA as I understand it has diagnosed me with a substance abuse disorder. I have some idea of what will happen , the random tests, professional groups etc but if it's possible and I understand this is a very involved story and I need an aviation lawyer, I think to even have a chance at getting a chance but I don't know what order to do things in.
The last statement I got from the FAA was to seek out an AME, which I will do but I'm expecting a flat out denial, so am also wondering and this is not a medical question but maybe someone can point me in the direction of work, where having a CPL will be advantageous but I don't need a medical.
I know this has been a rather involved post. Maybe a young me will read this and not make those dumb decisions. Thank you all, it's tough to let go of flying as I truly love it but I knew what was expected of me from the word go.