Petaluma case raises questions about FAA policies on drunken pilots

Henning said:
The mechanism is there, it just very rarely gets used, the only times I see it, there's a bunch of stuff involved and it's been going on for a long time.
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Compared to the potential 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine that were mentioned, it seems that the penalties actually handed out have been a joke.
 
Palmpilot said:
Compared to the potential 15 years in prison and $250,000 fine that were mentioned, it seems that the penalties actually handed out have been a joke.
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With federal prisons filled with people with 15 yr mandatory drug convictions, they don't have the room and money to deal with pilot license issues.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Plus, later, he almost taxi'd head on to one of my friends, they said he was swerving and taxi'ing drunk (whatever that looks like).
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I see a lot of Pitts guys doing the same thing, they must be hammered;)

Ferrero was arrested Jan. 3 after a CHP pilot said he watched him fly too close to the ground and perform prohibited aerobatics.
He failed a field sobriety test after landing at Petaluma Municipal Airport. Two breath samples showed Ferrero had 0.13 grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath, federal authorities said.
He also flew below 500 feet over Highway 37 when there was "at least moderate vehicular traffic" and performed aerobatics at less than 1,500 feet, according to the document.
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Probably would've been a better aerobatic show if he hadn't have been drinking:lol:
 
Captain said:
That's sorta my point in the question. I know of a guy at a local remote control airplane airstrip who built a helocoptor. The thing flies and he transitioned himself fron RC helo pilot to real life fly a human helo pilot. He has no pilot license...but what rule is he breaking?

Relating to this thread...FAA revokes your pilots license and you keep flying. What rule are you breaking?
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61.3 for starters. And if they catch you, they can hit you with a "civil penalty" of thousands of dollars since you no longer have a pilot certificate against which to take action. Fail to pay, and they can take any airplane you own and auction it to pay the penalty. And if that doesn't stop you, they can have you jailed for civil contempt until you convince a judge you won't do it any more.
 
Ron Levy said:
61.3 for starters. And if they catch you, they can hit you with a "civil penalty" of thousands of dollars since you no longer have a pilot certificate against which to take action. Fail to pay, and they can take any airplane you own and auction it to pay the penalty. And if that doesn't stop you, they can have you jailed for civil contempt until you convince a judge you won't do it any more.
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That's my point. 61.3 doesn't apply to anybody in the world who isn't a pilot. You speak of 'civil contempt'. That sounds good but judges can't just make up rules to hold you in contempt of. What federal / national statute requires people who cause themselves to be not on the ground to hold a pilot license?
 
Captain said:
That's my point. 61.3 doesn't apply to anybody in the world who isn't a pilot.
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Not true. Read it again. It applies to anyone serving as a required pilot crewmember. If you're flying a plane with nobody else aboard, you're serving as a required pilot crewmember whether you are a licensed pilot or not.
 
Update (from an email from my boyfriend, no idea where he heard this):

"I heard the drunk pilot from Petaluma got 4 days in jail yesterday from the Judge...."
 
It looks like he got off pretty light:

http://petaluma.patch.com/articles/penngrove-pilot-sentenced-for-dui-in-the-sky

The judge immediately sentenced Ferrero to four days in Sonoma County Jail, three years' probation, 30 days of electronic home confinement and 26 days of volunteer service. Ferrero also was fined $2,326.
Ferrero had been charged with five misdemeanor counts. He pleaded no contest to operating an aircraft while under the influence of alcohol with a blood-alcohol level greater than 0.04 percent -- the legal limit while flying.
He had also been charged with operating an aircraft under the influence, two counts of operating an aircraft in a reckless manner, and operating or maintaining an aircraft under the influence, but those charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
 
After this morning's hearing, Woods said Ferrero is remorseful for his actions. Woods said the judge's order that Ferrero not fly or taxi the plane for 90 days should address concerns about public safety.

Sound off: Should Ferrero have lost his pilot's license over these incidents?




Wait what? He didn't lose his PPL????
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
After this morning's hearing, Woods said Ferrero is remorseful for his actions. Woods said the judge's order that Ferrero not fly or taxi the plane for 90 days should address concerns about public safety.

Sound off: Should Ferrero have lost his pilot's license over these incidents?




Wait what? He didn't lose his PPL????
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I don't think the judge would enforce that. It would probably be an FSDO action and I am sure it will happen. He has 30 days to report such an incident to the FAA after conviction and then they will pull his medical, no doubt.
 
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