FAA's Outdated Mental Health Rules for Pilots Pose Safety Risks

Recent incidents highlight the urgency of modernizing protocols, as a new FAA committee seeks to address barriers preventing pilots from seeking help.

FAA's rules on pilots' mental health are considered outdated and punitive, discouraging pilots from seeking treatment and posing a safety risk to the aviation system.
The issue of pilots' mental health has gained urgency following an incident involving a distressed Alaska Airlines pilot who tried to shut off the engines of a jet while under the influence of mushrooms.
On Tuesday, the FAA formed a new rulemaking committee to consider ways the agency can address the current barriers that prevent pilots and air traffic controllers from disclosing their mental illnesses and seeking treatment.
Experts propose several changes, including providing greater clarity on what is a reportable condition, not requiring FAA involvement unless a group of 'aviation savvy' mental health professionals determines that a pilot should be removed from flying, and considering mental health as a pilot performance factor to improve.
The issue of pilot mental health was thrust into the spotlight in October when off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson was charged with trying to crash an Alaska Airlines flight from inside the cockpit.