“Pilots are crying out for help”

“Pilots are crying out for help”: Pilots criticize FAA for outdated, prohibitive mental health policies

Citation: Weis, K. (2023, August 25). Pilots are crying out for help: Pilots criticize FAA for outdated, prohibitive mental health policies. CBS News Colorado.

Pilots argue that the current screening and disclosure requirements are rooted in outdated standards, resulting in a culture where admitting to therapy or past mental-health treatment can lead to costly special-issuance processes, frequent oversight and financial burdens. As a result, pilots may hide symptoms or avoid care which undermine pilot wellbeing and aviation safety. The FAA notes that it has enhanced mental-health training for medical examiners and adjusted certain policies (such as cognitive-testing requirements for pilots on antidepressants), many pilots believe these changes still fall short of meaningful reforms.