Aeromedical

A history of no more than two mental health diagnoses no longer requires automatic review by the FAA for any class of pilot certificate as long as certain criteria are met. The agency has revised its guidance to AMEs on “uncomplicated anxiety, depression and related conditions” and chief among the changes is that the FAA […]

The FAA has expanded the list of antidepressants potentially allowed for pilots with three relatively common drugs. Now on the “conditionally approved” list are duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor) and desvenlafaxine (Pristiq). A special issuance is required for active pilots to maintain their medicals. The change took effect April 24 and was covered in an update […]

An expert committee struck by the FAA on pilot mental health is recommending that pilots be allowed to get “talk therapy” from mental health professionals without having to disclose it in their flight medical. The Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee has submitted its 69-page report to the agency and its first recommendation (of 24) is […]

A 23-year-old man died after allegedly stealing an aircraft from an Addison, Texas, flight school and crashing in a field on Wednesday night in what appears to be a suicide by aircraft. The national suicide and crisis lifeline phone number is 988 and counsellors are available around the clock. The man, identified as Logan Timothy […]

NTSB officials and panelists at a summit Wednesday on pilot mental health said they were optimistic the issue would be addressed by the aviation community. Speaking at the daylong meeting held by the NTSB in Washington, speakers pressed home the need to allow pilots with mental health issues safe ways to seek treatment for their illnesses. […]

In a move under consideration for “decades,” the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced yesterday (Dec. 6) it plans to mandate that aviation repair stations in foreign countries require their employees to submit to drug and alcohol testing if they perform safety-sensitive maintenance procedures for U.S. airlines. According to the FAA, such testing is rare, […]

The Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to shut off the engines from a flight deck jump seat says his earlier consumption of magic mushrooms triggered deep-seated mental issues that put him in a dreamlike state. In an exclusive interview with The New York Times, Joseph Emerson, who was the safety representative for Alaska’s San Francisco-based […]

With concerns raised over whether pilots fear seeking treatment for mental health issues, the FAA announced today (Nov. 9) it will establish a Pilot Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to address the issue. According to the announcement, the FAA “expects the committee to provide recommendations on breaking down the barriers that prevent pilots from […]

It’s time to change the approach to mental health in pilots from clinical to performance-based, according to a neurologist who specializes in air crew brain health and pilot health care behavior. William Hoffman, an affiliated assistant professor of aviation at the University of North Dakota John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Science, said in an […]

According to preliminary reports, a Learjet 35A operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed on landing at General Mariano Matamoros Airport in Cuernavaca (CVJ/MMCB) in southern Mexico, about 30 miles south of Mexico City. While some news outlets have reported four on board, the AirMed&Rescue website reports there were five crew members and no passengers, […]