Road Offenses to Ground Pilots

The Federal Aviation Administration adopted a rule Thursday designed to ground pilots who violate drunken driving laws or are convicted of traffic offenses involving drugs.

“This kind of behavior indicates an attitude that we believe is not compatible with safe flying,” FAA Administrator James B. Busey said.

Individuals applying for an FAA-required medical certificate must consent to the release of information from the National Driver Register to enable the FAA to obtain and review motor vehicle offense information.

Pilots would also be required to provide written notification to the FAA of each alcohol or drug-related driving conviction or administrative action within 60 days after it occurred. The FAA could deny an application for a pilot certificate or take action to suspend or revoke an existing certificate if a pilot had incurred two or more alcohol or drug-related convictions or administrative actions within three years after the effective date of the rule.

The Air Line Pilots Assn. called the rule a “witch hunt.”