US NTSB to hold pilot mental health forum in December
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will hold a roundtable discussion on pilot mental health after several recent incidents have come to light in which pilots apparently suffered mental breakdowns. In a speech to the Air Traffic Control Association’s Global Aviation Conference, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy on 2 November said that often mental health issues among flight deck crew go unreported and untreated, leading to situations that could compromise aviation safety. She blames the FAA’s arcane rules on the subject as the primary reason. “It’s somewhat of an open secret that current rules incentivize people to either lie about their medical history when it comes to mental health or avoid seeking help in the first place,” she says in prepared remarks published by the NTSB. “I am frankly concerned about the safety consequences of a system that unintentionally shames and silences people who are struggling,” she adds. The event will be held on 6 December, the first of a series of events that will focus on US aviation safety. Homendy’s comments come just days after reports surfaced that a Delta Air Lines first officer in 2022 threatened a captain with a firearm during a commercial flight. He was indicted on 18 October and is set to be arraigned later this month. Last week, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot travelling in the cockpit jump seat on a flight to San Francisco from Seattle attempted to shut off the engines of the aircraft while it was in flight, forcing it to divert to Portland, Oregon. He claimed to have taken psychedelic mushrooms prior to the incident, and told law enforcement authorities that he was having a “nervous breakdown”. He has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder. “Mental health doesn’t affect those in aviation any differently than it affects others around the world,” Homendy says. “We’re all human, which means we’re all affected by fatigue, illness, grief, and other work-related or personal stressors.” Pilot mental health – both in general aviation and commercial contexts – is a massive white elephant in the cockpit, say aviation medical professionals worldwide. That is because regulators hold all the power, and some say the system forces pilots to make unwise choices to avoid losing their permission to fly.<br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2023-11-03/general/us-ntsb-to-hold-pilot-mental-health-forum-in-december
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US NTSB to hold pilot mental health forum in December
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will hold a roundtable discussion on pilot mental health after several recent incidents have come to light in which pilots apparently suffered mental breakdowns. In a speech to the Air Traffic Control Association’s Global Aviation Conference, NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy on 2 November said that often mental health issues among flight deck crew go unreported and untreated, leading to situations that could compromise aviation safety. She blames the FAA’s arcane rules on the subject as the primary reason. “It’s somewhat of an open secret that current rules incentivize people to either lie about their medical history when it comes to mental health or avoid seeking help in the first place,” she says in prepared remarks published by the NTSB. “I am frankly concerned about the safety consequences of a system that unintentionally shames and silences people who are struggling,” she adds. The event will be held on 6 December, the first of a series of events that will focus on US aviation safety. Homendy’s comments come just days after reports surfaced that a Delta Air Lines first officer in 2022 threatened a captain with a firearm during a commercial flight. He was indicted on 18 October and is set to be arraigned later this month. Last week, an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot travelling in the cockpit jump seat on a flight to San Francisco from Seattle attempted to shut off the engines of the aircraft while it was in flight, forcing it to divert to Portland, Oregon. He claimed to have taken psychedelic mushrooms prior to the incident, and told law enforcement authorities that he was having a “nervous breakdown”. He has been charged with 83 counts of attempted murder. “Mental health doesn’t affect those in aviation any differently than it affects others around the world,” Homendy says. “We’re all human, which means we’re all affected by fatigue, illness, grief, and other work-related or personal stressors.” Pilot mental health – both in general aviation and commercial contexts – is a massive white elephant in the cockpit, say aviation medical professionals worldwide. That is because regulators hold all the power, and some say the system forces pilots to make unwise choices to avoid losing their permission to fly.<br/>
