After release on DWI charge, FAA administrator made test flight

This should not have transpired. If anyone knows the law inside and out, please let us know what the law dictates in this instance. Meaning, if i was in the same situation, would i have been able to fly a few days after being arrested for DUI? Does a pilots license - not driving license - get yanked if he is arrested for DUI? I think we need to know all the facts before people start bashing this guy again.

so, you're telling me that when LaHood got a call about the news story and called down to Babbit's office he was out 'punchin' holes in clouds on N1?

Somebody please send him a bill for 3 Hrs of Gas on that G-IV!

He was legal for the flight and within the law. Leave it at that!

Gotta have that proficiency up to date for the next job

In 2009 in the US 33,808 people were killed in traffic accidents. 10,839 of these deaths was a result of alcohol (32% of all traffic deaths)
Babbitts probably more of a danger on the ground than in the air.

Your license is not pull just because you get a DUI. After a DUI arrest, the airman or pilot also faces an administrative action to suspend his driver's license pending the resolution of the criminal case. If the law enforcement officer took your driver's license then you certainly had an administrative action that requires you to report the event to the FAA, Civil Aviation Security Division (AMC-700) not later than 60 days after the action was taken (which is usually 60 days after the DUI arrest). Additionally, when you apply for or were issued a First Class or Second Class Medical Certificate by the Aviation Medical Examiner you must answer "Item 18" with a "Yes" answer to indicate that the arrest, conviction and/or administrative action did occur and disclose other details about the arrest, conviction and/or administrative action.
FAR 61.15

There is a difference between arrest and conviction. Anyone remember the innocent until proven guilty. Until he appears in court, and either pleads guilty or is convicted by a judge or jury, the DUI is just a charge.

It was Babbitt’s administration that changed how a first offence DUI/DWI’S are handled by the FAA. In the past, a first offence was typically pardoned. As long as the pilot did not have 2 in a 3 year period of time, no actions were taken. Now they are much stricter. If the BAC is above .15 you will loose your medical, until you go through the H.I.M.S. program, which requires treatment and numerous evaluations from psychiatrists and psychologists appointed by the FAA (these criminals, sorry I meant Doctors get around $3,000 for the evaluation, can you say kickback money?) The whole process takes about a year, and costs about $35,000 to get your medical back. This whole thing reminds me of Larry Craig and Eliot Spitzer, fighting for ethics and morality while they are tapping their foot on the bathroom floor at airports, or screwing hookers. Thou protesteth too much. Should he catch a break? HELL NO. He better be held to the same rules and standards that he implemented.

I think the fine print in all of it is"CONVICTION". As far as the check ride, he was still FAA chief at the time he took it as LaHood did not find out about it until about 1pm. Bottom line as I see it, right or wrong, he has him a current ticket until he is convicted of that DUI. Then will come the adminstrative action spoken of below

as I said they released something last week that said the fed personnel rarely if ever operate within the rules

I love the part about "officials said senior officials are held to a higher standard". That would be the "Unwritten standard", I guess. According to the story, this was a proficiency flight to test the new satellite tracking system and was scheduled prior to his arrest and he was not PIC of the flight. Sounds to me like a non story. No laws were broken, no rules were broken, he wasn't even the pilot on the flight. Must have been a slow news day.

Great - just great