Are pilots allowed to have mental health issues?

Pilots who have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions are not automatically prohibited from flying. But the FAA requires them to be closely monitored because their conditions and medications can affect their ability to safely handle an aircraft.



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How the FAA is Reducing the Stigma of Mental Health, Help Pilots Receive Care. The FAA encourages pilots to seek help if they have a mental health condition since most, if treated, do not disqualify a pilot from flying.

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The FAA encourages pilots to seek help if they have a mental health condition since most, if treated, do not disqualify a pilot from flying.

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Due to the risks to flight safety posed by ADHD, regulatory authorities worldwide consider ADHD a disqualifying condition for pilots.

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The FAA's regulations require airline pilots to undergo a medical exam with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) every six months to five years, depending on the type of flying they do and their age. Aviation Medical Examiners are trained to determine the pilot's mental health and fitness to fly.

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The team conducted a survey of more than 1,000 pilots worldwide in 2019 and found that 18% had moderate depression and 80% moderate burnout.

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But the mental health assessment is limited to the observations of the AME and the pilot's self-report on their medical questionnaire. If the FAA is not aware of concerns about a U.S. pilot's safety to fly, then they cannot mandate access to information.

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Nevertheless, language skills and cognitive development are not impaired and someone diagnosed with Asperger syndrome may be able to acquire the skills necessary to function safely as a pilot or air traffic controller.

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Yes, airplane pilots can wear glasses. (And many do.) If you wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, you can still become a commercial, private, or military pilot. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the military have certain minimum standards for prospective pilots.

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