Do I need to have a good driving record to go to helicopter school?

If the suspension wasn't for a DUI, it will not prevent you from going to a flight school. However, where it can bite you is when you start looking for jobs if you're thinking about it as a career. The background checks aviation employers do include your 5-year driving record checks. Someone who cannot behave themselves in an automobile is not likely to be entrusted with an aircraft. Aviation is an extremely rule-oriented occupation and there is little toleration for those who cannot exercise self control. Plan on being more self-disciplined in the future or you won't succeed as a professional pilot.

Going to a flying school is generally about one thing only, your ability to fund it! If you have the money, honey, they have the time! Their job is to transmute flying into gold.

So from that aspect your driving record does not matter.

However, if you have a very bad driving record, this suggests a disregard for the rules. That is something which just simply cannot be tolerated in the aviation environment. Much more so than in driving, we play for keeps.

Many, many minor offenses in the aviation business can result in a death penalty and the airplane won't put you on trial first or give you a chance to appeal, it will simply kill you!

Read any collection of accident reports and 90% of them will conclude that the, dead, pilot did something really dumb. Dumb mistakes cost lives, yours, your passengers' and people on the ground.

You really need to consider if you, with your driving tendencies, are a fit and proper person to be flying. Don't kid yourself about it, this is for your own safety and it is serious! And no, I am not having an anonymous poke at you, just telling it like it is.

Shape up your attitude or do something else, there is no room for bad discipline in the aviation game!

yes and no.

no one will screen your driving record BUT

a pilot (whatever airframe he/she flies) should be selfrestraint and laid back so that he has a decent driving records and no history of DUI say the least.

put simply, if you cannot DRIVE safely, you should refrain from attempting to fly because you are not mentally fit for the job.

not meant as a pun.. removing self from the flight if pilot's ability to fly the aircraft is impaired is one of principal abilities of a pilot . pilots should perform medical self assesment prior to each flight.

history of poor driving records hints poor decision making and decision making is something a good pilot should be fairly good at. and yes, this applies to both reckless driving AND poor driving skills

i'm not saying one cannot suffer / cause a crash. things happen. but having a long list of speeding, DUI, red light riding, reckless overtaking etc kinda hints you're one of those "cutting the corners, resistant to authorities" type of person that is prone to what we call "lack of aviator discipline" .. low passes too low, aerobatics in non aerobatic airframes, overtorquing engines etc.

i love jthm