Posted on 08/28/2023 5:03:06 AM PDT by logi_cal869
Some pilots say it's an issue many are afraid to talk about, but should be taking about - the Federal Aviation Administration's mental health policies. They tell CBS News Colorado the policies are outdated and are causing pilots to lie about their conditions or avoid getting help, leading to issues boiling over.
They worry if the FAA's policies don't see serious changes soon, the growing pilot shortage is only going to get worse, and many pilots currently allowed in the cockpit are going to continue to suffer alone without the help they need.
"The system discourages people from getting help," says Adam Lemons, an aircraft technician and pilot license applicant. "I feel like I'm being punished for being forthcoming and getting the help that I felt that I needed."
- snip -
He says since then, the FAA has subjected him to costly frequent drug tests, and doctor's visits with FAA-approved experts who don't accept insurance.
He says the FAA wouldn't accept other doctor's notes saying that he was perfectly fine to fly a plane.
"Over the last six years I think I've spent a little over $30,000 of my own dollars to determine my air safety," Lemons said.
- snip -
"As a pilot, it's brutal. It's just absolutely brutal," he said. "You can't go see a therapist. You can't go see a counselor, you are constantly worried about not only losing the certificate in your pocket and the ability to feed your family, but I'll be very honest with you, you're going to lose your identity, and that fear is so strong that it just, it tears you apart."
He says the FAA's mental health policies are based off standards from the 1980s, and they're one of the biggest reasons for the growing pilot shortage.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Example:
Five thousand pilots lied on medical records to hide conditions that would prevent them sitting in the cockpit
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4178182/posts
Don't believe headlines, folks.
By the by, all of the articles on this latest "ongoing FAA investigation" have one thing in common:
The hypocrisy of ignoring physical health questions pertaining to the jabs:
Not a single word about myocarditis, covid or 'vaccines'.
Personally, I'm of the opinion that this is all intentional to steer the industry toward automation and elimination of the FO. i.e., a manufactured crisis across the board.
But let's not talk about ATC, carrier maintenance, ramp security or manufacturer shortcomings when it comes to aviation safety. Can't have that. /s
What about all of the Trump haters who are reaching out for mental health help because their “Tell All Trump Trashing Books” aren’t selling anywhere and are gathering dust in the one-dollar bargain bins at the dollar stores? What about them?
FAA has been stuck in the 50’s for a long time.
If you need a mental health expert then you should not be in the cockpit. I say that as both an expert in mental health and as a pilot.
Everything is mental health these days. Universities cannot hire enough counselors
My UAL pilot brother killed himself rather than seek counseling.
“My UAL pilot brother killed himself rather than seek counseling.”
Then he had no business long before that being in a cockpit.
I am so over everybody and their brother having PTSD or complex PTSD. Yeah, it’s a scary world out there, it’s a dangerous world out there, no guarantees, you could die at any moment from anything, myocarditis or a tree falling over or a gangster shooting you or a youth playing hit a random person in the head.
People, just get it together and live your best life. Stay off drugs and alcohol and facebook, follow the ten commandments and live it out.
If you need a mental health expert then you should not be in the cockpit. I say that as both an expert in mental health and as a pilot.
___________________________
Just a couple of points. The FAA is schizophrenic. No problem with forcing the Vax on pilots and then disregarding related injuries like myocarditis. However, I heard they lowered the heart test requirements to allow pilots to pass. No examination into whether the vax is also causing pilot neurological and mental illnesses. Everything is fine with the aftereffects of the Vax, but past history of PTSD is an automatic disqualifier.
“If you need a mental health expert then you should not be in the cockpit.”
Now all the psychos will get pissed at you for saying that.
Very true. The FAA is run by non-pilots, and even people who have zero aviation experience or degrees at all. I know as I worked intimately with them.
I have zero empathy for psychos. I really have no empathy at all. I am not co-dependent, and I live my own life and not the life of others. Unlike the rest of the world, I don’t yearn for acceptance.
The relationship with my FAA doctor is very limited, it is a professional accreditation renewal even though I am an unpaid amature, not a commercial pilot.
I have a non FAA doctor that I discuss everything else with on a 6 month basis. He would have zero issues calling my FAA doctor and pointing out a problem because I told his predecessor to put that in my file do that before I soloed. The hull insurance company is a much bigger stake holder than the FAA in my situation, 55 year olds becomming landscaping while dragging their buddies to a football game isnt really their problem.
Both doctors opinion is the FAA needs to know if I am more likely than any other patient to pass out at the controls of an small aircraft and since my blood panel is hum drum average they cannot say I am more of a risk. As a pilot in charge of 6 tons of aircraft the error factor is 1.7 people per fatal accident. Everything else is acute mental risks brought on by divorce courts that nobody has ever figured out to prevent.
As a ATP, my southwest pilot friend has two factors that modify the equation. An ATP pilot fatal accident is with a 150 TON aircraft and kills 120 people per fatal accident. It is mitigated that pilots work in pairs with Crew Resource Management so one can accomplish the tasks of 2 if one is incapacitated.
Random or on request mental health screening and random drug testing seems like it would be prudent. At this point, US pilots have been so incredibly better than EU pilots, the risk just has not been in US pilots medicals or mental fitness. ATP pilots still have a FAA doctor and personal doctors. They also hire professionals to communicate between the sets of specialists when a class 1 medical problem occurs. The FAA has a tradition of knocking ATP pilots out of flight ready for an average of 18 months, doctors average 7 months. The USAF averages 13 months up from 4 months 30 years ago and each pilot is 100 times more valuable for a flight slot than a ATP pilot on the line.
The numbers need to be considered outside of the Drug and DUI recovery programs... the data sets for ATP pilots are large enough to make some good choices, but mentally ill pilots holding USA medicals have not caused a large event in 30 years.
There is no risk drive to do anything unless the DOT has been hiding something really big.
You didn’t read the article.
I’m sorry for your loss. Nevermind the loud toad croaking his superiority. We live in stressful times. Divorce happens. Work conflicts happens. Heavy workloads happens. Lack of sleep due to a variety of reason happens. A lot of these factors can wear a person down and if counseling will help them, then to deny this help is not only cruel but torture.
Hey, sorry about your brother, UM. You must miss him.
I have a BH waiver and medication waiver from the US Army to fly the AH-64D/E Apache helicopter.
I’m not the only one. We’re not crazy. We’ve just been at this for 20+years, seen and done some stuff, and just need a bit of help.
But I’m glad there’s tough guys like you.
What if a pilot could use such an expert, if only to get through a difficult period in his or her life?
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