Can an airman request a Pilot Records Database correction when they discover inaccurate or disputable information in their Pilot Records Database file? Oftentimes, airmen discover disputable information in their Pilot Records Database (PRD), during or after interviewing for a new job. The potential employer gives an indication something is unflattering in the PRD. Subsequently, the […]
FAA ADHD Fast Track
Who qualifies? As of August 30, 2023, the FAA has created a new path to FAA medical certification for pilots called ADHD Fast Track. This new pathway is only applicable to pilots or applicants who meet the following criteria: Pilots or applicants who do not meet this criteria will be under the Standard Track. The […]
Gender Discrimination In The Aviation Industry: After Termination, What’s Next?
Often in occupations underrepresented by women, the challenge of gender discrimination can be more prevalent. When this leads to termination, it can have a major impact on a female pilot’s career and her financial stability. It would not be inaccurate to refer to the aviation industry as being “male-dominated.” The statistics speak for themselves. According […]
Wrongful Termination: Can A Pilot Be Fired For Refusing To Fly An Unsafe Airplane?
If you were fired for refusing to fly an unsafe airplane, might there be grounds for a wrongful termination case? As a pilot at a Part 121 and Part 135 air carrier, you are a professional pilot trained to identify the warning signs of an aircraft you believe is unsafe and respond based on the […]
FAA Approves Wellbutrin for Pilots
The FAA’s Office of Aerospace Medicine announced on May 31, 2023 the antidepressant drug, Wellbutrin SR or XL, is now approved for pilot use. However, the pilot will need to go through the Special Issuance process in order receive medical certification with this drug. The pilot will need to see a HIMS AME, and comply […]
Pilot Termination: Can A Pilot Be Fired For Calling In Sick?
In many cases, we don’t often believe a person who has called in sick will lose their employment at a company soon after. However, when it comes to pilot termination as a result of calling in sick, you know how real this outcome actually is. What are your potential legal options after pilot termination? The […]
Can A Pilot Be Fired For Reporting Violations Of Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs)?
Pilots, mechanics, dispatchers and flight attendants play a crucial role in air travel safety. They are responsible for operating aircraft in accordance with all relevant federal aviation regulations (FARs) and for ensuring the safety of passengers and crew. As such, it is important that aviation industry employees feel safe and supported in reporting any violations […]
Pilot Fatigue: Can A Pilot Be Fired For Calling In Too Tired?
A pilot preparing to fly in the early morning has come to the realization that a lack of quality sleep has left him with an unusually high level of pilot fatigue – the kind that could impair his ability to fly and make sound judgment calls while in flight. Naturally, the right thing to do […]
Appeal the Denial of a FAA Medical Certificate
There are a few options to Appeal the Denial of a FAA Medical Certificate. When the FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AMCD) or the Regional Flight Surgeon (RFS) deny a pilot’s medical certificate application, the appeal options depend on the reason for the denial, and the division issuing the denial. Appeal a Denial for a Medically […]
Finding a HIMS AME and the FAA HIMS Program
What is a HIMS AME? Airmen who have ever been arrested for an alcohol related event such as a DUI or MIP, have sustained an injury where alcohol use was involved; or have self-admitted substance problems will most likely be asked by the FAA to work with a HIMS AME. There are only few instances […]
ADHD and Pilot Medical Certification
ADHD and Pilot Medical Certification prompts many questions from airmen. Many pilots we work with learn about the FAA’s restrictions associated with prior ADHD treatment or diagnosis only after they have started the application process, and are surprised by the stringent process for certification. Oftentimes, significant money has been spent on flying lessons by the […]
Pilot DUI and the FAA Process
Report a DUI to the FAA A Pilot DUI and the FAA Process is a topic with many questions for pilots of all levels. There are two important DUI reporting requirements for pilots. The first requirement is found at FAR 61.15, which requires a pilot to report a “motor vehicle action” by submitting a Notification […]
Military Pilots Transition to Civilian – Disclosing VA Benefits to the FAA
Pilots Disclosing VA Benefits to the FAA
Pilot Failed Random Drug Test
If a pilot failed a FAA random drug test, they will be subject to immediate action by their employer and the FAA. It may not necessarily mean the end of your flying career. Having an experienced aviation attorney guide you through the legal and employer processes can put you in the best position to return […]
Is Bipolar Disorder Disqualifying for a Pilot?
Is a bipolar disorder diagnoses disqualifying for a pilot? If you are a pilot and have ever been diagnosed with a bipolar disorder, whether or not the diagnoses was correct, you may have questions on your eligibility for FAA medical certification, and what information to disclose on your medical application. Was the Bipolar Diagnosis Clinically […]
How would the FAA find out about my DUI?
“How would the FAA find out about my DUI?” This is a common aviation law question we receive regularly from student pilots filling out the medical application for the first time, to veteran pilots who have held licenses and certificates for years. Each time a pilot files a medical application, the pilot authorizes the FAA […]
Meet Aviation Attorney Charles R. Barnett III
Meet Aviation Attorney Charles R. Barnett III. AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) talked with Aviation Attorney Charles “Chuck” Barnett about how he got started flying, flying for the Air Force, his job as a Captain for a major airline, his motivation for being an aviation attorney, and his firm’s work with pilots facing enforcement […]
Other than drug or alcohol related convictions, what other crimes or convictions would I have to report as a pilot to the FAA?
Question 18W asks you to report convictions for non-traffic misdemeanors and felonies, those are convictions though, not arrests. Typically, what the FAA is looking for is a personality disorder that manifests itself by sober acts. The Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) will query the pilot and ask what the nature of the conviction was. Typically, they’ll […]
Does your law firm handle the DUI criminal defense aspect of a pilot’s case?
We do not handle the DUI defense or the criminal aspect. We do, however, work closely with the DUI attorney to get the best results we can for the pilot in order to minimize the reporting requirements. Very often, we’re successful in mitigating the pilot’s 61.15 reporting requirement. Learn more about the DUI reporting requirements […]
FAA Releases BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist
The FAA on April 24 released the official BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist that pilots who wish to fly under BasicMed need to fill out and have completed by the state-licensed physician performing the medical examination. The agency also published a link to AOPA’s Medical Self-Assessment: A Pilot’s Guide to Flying Healthy online aeromedical course […]
Inhofe Introduces Fairness for Pilots Act
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; member of the Senate General Aviation Caucus; and certified flight instructor with more than 11,000 flight hours, today introduced S. 755, the Fairness for Pilots Act, which broadens protections for general aviation pilots provided by Inhofe’s Pilot’s Bill of Rights, which was […]
Barnett Law Offices Secure Victory for General Aviation Pilot with DUI
National FAA pilot defense and aviation attorney, Charles Barnett has secured a victory for one of their general aviation pilot clients accused of intentionally falsifying his Form 8500 application for a medical certificate. The case involved a pilot who had a DUI in the 1980’s for which he had been answering question 18v (concerning arrests, […]
FAA DUI Victory
Aviation attorney, Charles Barnett has secured a victory for one of their general aviation pilot clients accused of alcohol dependence by the FAA. The case involved a 30 year old pilot who had a DUI for driving his car with a BAC above .14999. The pilot subsequently received an Emergency Order of Revocation from the […]