FAA easing mental health barriers for pilots

Citation: Geil L. FAA easing mental health barriers for pilots. Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association. May 18, 2023. Accessed November 7, 2025.

This article reports that the FAA Federal Air Surgeon announced efforts to reduce aeromedical certification barriers for pilots related to mental-health issues. This included easing of rules around mental-health disclosures and certification. Plans to expand the list of approved SSRIs. And an emphasis on changing aviation culture about mental health, reducing stigma, increasing transparency. The article also stated that 30-40% of applicants reviewed by FAA have a “mental health component,” yet only 0.1-0.2% of certifications are denied/recertified on that basis showing that there is a movement towards less stigma surrounding this area of pilot health.