Dallas DWI Attorney - Articles

Pilots and DWI Charges

Whenever a pilot is charged with a DWI, he or she has a lot of very strict rules to cover before he or she can feel that they are in the clear concerning their conviction. In addition to the ordinary rules for individuals facing DWI charges, a DWI lawyer needs to be cognizant of all of the Federal Aviation Administration's regulations concerning DWIs and pilots. These are, for the most part, found in the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARS) Section 61.15.

If a pilot has been convicted of a DWI, he or she needs to report this conviction on the Medical Certificate forms when applying for a new medical certificate. There are three levels of medical certificates: First Class (good for 6 months), Second Class (good for 12 months), and Third Class (good for 24 months). All of these have a blank for a pilot to name any convictions for driving while under the influence. It is important to note that DWI charges do not need to be reported on medical certificate forms, just convictions.

While many would feel that this keeps them in the clear, DWI charges still need to be reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This must be done in a report that details:

• The pilot's name, address, date of birth, and airman certificate number
• The type of violation that resulted in a conviction or administrative action
• The date of conviction or administration action
• The state which holds the record of the conviction or administrative action
• A statement as to whether the motor vehicle action resulted from the same incident or arose

If this report is not filed, the pilot can face a suspension or revocation of any certificate, rating, or authorization issued by the FAA. A pilot has 60 days, starting from the day his or her driver's license was suspended, to file this report with the FAA.

If you have been charged with a DWI, do not let this hurt your career as a pilot. Contact the DWI Attorney of the Law Offices of Mark Lassiter at 214-457-1668 to discuss your case and to determine all that needs to be done to protect your license.