Resigned due to Addiction, advice.
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,610
Wow, this got a lot more positive responses than I thought. I really appreciate everyones advice and insight. No medical action was taken, no law enforcement involvement, and no divorce looming (my wife has been nothing but supportive as I/we deal with this). My problems started to affect my job, unfortunately, like TiredSoul said, I resigned before it spun out of control (prevent actions taken against medical/cert) and more issues in my marriage. I had to resign to take care of myself and my family. It's been tough to deal with my problems, but also hard to figure out how to word this resignation and unemployment to employers in the future.
I feel like going to a regional is a push back down the stairs, but a move to Spirit, Allegiant, or Frontier would be closer to a lateral move in the mean time. But when I am in a better place to return, I just don't know what the better move would be. Just sucks to take so much time off, when all of these carriers want to see currency and updates in applications. I need to take care of myself, but also put myself in a position where I can provide for my family once better.
I feel like going to a regional is a push back down the stairs, but a move to Spirit, Allegiant, or Frontier would be closer to a lateral move in the mean time. But when I am in a better place to return, I just don't know what the better move would be. Just sucks to take so much time off, when all of these carriers want to see currency and updates in applications. I need to take care of myself, but also put myself in a position where I can provide for my family once better.
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,670
It's a long hill to climb, but a lot longer by yourself. I think you are getting too wrapped up in coming back early and what going to a ULCC or regional feels like instead of accepting reality. You probably aren't going to get on with another major anytime soon without a very long period of stability. If you want to come back, that's probably the path just because they are actually desperate to fill seats right now.
Good luck.
#25
Wow, this got a lot more positive responses than I thought. I really appreciate everyones advice and insight. No medical action was taken, no law enforcement involvement, and no divorce looming (my wife has been nothing but supportive as I/we deal with this). My problems started to affect my job, unfortunately, like TiredSoul said, I resigned before it spun out of control (prevent actions taken against medical/cert) and more issues in my marriage. I had to resign to take care of myself and my family. It's been tough to deal with my problems, but also hard to figure out how to word this resignation and unemployment to employers in the future.
I feel like going to a regional is a push back down the stairs, but a move to Spirit, Allegiant, or Frontier would be closer to a lateral move in the mean time. But when I am in a better place to return, I just don't know what the better move would be. Just sucks to take so much time off, when all of these carriers want to see currency and updates in applications. I need to take care of myself, but also put myself in a position where I can provide for my family once better.
I feel like going to a regional is a push back down the stairs, but a move to Spirit, Allegiant, or Frontier would be closer to a lateral move in the mean time. But when I am in a better place to return, I just don't know what the better move would be. Just sucks to take so much time off, when all of these carriers want to see currency and updates in applications. I need to take care of myself, but also put myself in a position where I can provide for my family once better.
You might need to ask an aviation lawyer if you should report the problem on your medical application... you might not need to.
If there's no FAA paper trail, you could simply tell a prospective employer that you had serious family issues to deal with. If they press, just say it was marriage related, and it's now resolved. It's your personal stuff, and close enough to the truth.
Even if there is a paper trail, they don't need to know medical details and typically won't ask. I'd probably stick with the family/marriage explanation.
***Caution: The medical form asks "have you ever had...". So lack of formal diagnosis does not strictly get you off the hook. But there's probably a difference between "had a problem", "suspected you might have had a problem", "worried that I might develop a problem"
If it's just between you, yourself, and the fencepost nobody will ever know. But obviously the wife knows... if that relationship goes south at some point in the future, she'd be holding a pretty big deal over your head if she were to drop a dime. Unfortunately that has happened before, and the FAA can shoot first and let you appeal to a Kangaroo Court. Which is why I'd suggest talking to a lawyer.
#26
HIMS would be expensive and time consuming, plus the FAA gets a vote at the end. He might be able to resolve it all faster on his own under the circumstances.
And in 2023, it's not like you can't just get another airline job any time you want to...
But for anybody else in this boat, I would still talk to the union HIMS person, before doing anything drastic.
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,153
"I know a guy" who did the HIMS route at SWA pre-covid. He was back on the job re-doing initial after almost exactly one year. Different circumstances I know and it may not be applicable, just pointing out that SWA has a history of facilitating that particular route if you say the right words and fill the right squares.
Bailing out and coming back without a documented reason... That could easily raise red flags with HR no different than a big gap in flying or a period where no recurring checkrides were recorded. It just begs the question and they'll be obligated to find out what happened, regardless of what was officially disclosed by the applicant.
An off the record talk with a SWAPA HIMS expert might provide some clarity, dunno if they're allowed to spend the time with someone who left and is looking to come back though.
Bailing out and coming back without a documented reason... That could easily raise red flags with HR no different than a big gap in flying or a period where no recurring checkrides were recorded. It just begs the question and they'll be obligated to find out what happened, regardless of what was officially disclosed by the applicant.
An off the record talk with a SWAPA HIMS expert might provide some clarity, dunno if they're allowed to spend the time with someone who left and is looking to come back though.
#29
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,920
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2009
Posts: 612
I have a lot of family in the medical field and that stuff scares me. A lot. A family member spent time in that area during their medical training and actually had to adjust their patient care due to the large amount of abuse endemic to the region.
That class of medication is nothing to play with.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tigermagicjohn
Flight Schools and Training
9
01-23-2006 08:44 AM