4 ms·

> "E.g. If you have been professionally diagnosed with ADHD, the FAA bans you from any pilot's license ever, even a student license. :/" What?! That's incredib

> "E.g. If you have been professionally diagnosed with ADHD, the FAA bans you from any pilot's license ever, even a student license. :/" What?! That's incredible. If more people were trying to get their licenses I bet the ACLU would fix that nonsensical bigotry and embarrass the FAA in court.

paulddraper 3y ago
You have no idea how many professional pilots avoid seeking mental health treatment. Because it would literally destroy their career. Kinda scary actually.
- operatingthetan 3y ago
  That's a huge perverse incentive. Doesn't make me feel safer!
  - godelski 3y ago
    Same is true for a lot of government jobs, especially things that require a security clearance. Ironically this makes people vulnerable to exactly what these institutions are most afraid of: blackmail.
sonicshadow 3y ago
[flagged]
- godelski 3y ago
  > that could impact their ability to fly. This is the debatable part. I don't think people on their medications, properly dosed, would be impaired. It also depends how severe the issue is. The same is true for driving. All diseases are on some spectrum and having a binary classification doesn't account for the nuances of the situations. Just leave it up to the medical examiners, their licenses are already on the line.
- pkilgore 3y ago
  This comment contributes nothing. There are multiple levels of licensing with multiple levels of medical clearances. Someone on controlled ADHD medication, diabetes, or high BMI is perfectly capable of managing risk of flying as a private pilot same as boating or driving. They probably shouldn't be airline transport pilots, but that's not really under discussion. It seems like your goal here is to start some sort of political fight. Please go elsewhere. Grown ups are talking.
  - Dalewyn 3y ago
    FAA's regulations are draconian, but they are that way because they are written in blood. When shit goes south, it doesn't matter whether you're a private or commercial pilot. Your plane is coming down regardless, and worst case you might take some other people with you to the other side. More than anything, flying is a luxury compared to something like driving which is a practical necessity or sailing which carries far lower risks of destructive danger. Nobody needs to fly, so more stringent regulations are warranted for what is a very dangerous activity that must be handled with respect. "Diversity" has no place in aviation, either you can fly safely or you can't. People with conditions are presumed they can't, for very good reasons.
    - trevyn 3y ago
      Excellent second-grade analysis of the situation.
      - Dalewyn 3y ago
        The leading cause of aviation accidents and incidents is pilot error[1]. So to try and prevent as many of them as possible, there is a very good reason to be exceedingly stringent and draconian about pilot certification. [1]: https://pilotinstitute.com/aviation-accident-causes/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%2069.1%25%20of%20all,%2C%20or%20poor%20decision%2Dmaking https://pilotinstitute.com/aviation-accident-causes/#:~:text....
    - flangola7 3y ago
      This is thinking-shaped text. ChatGPT has better intelligence than this.
- matthewmacleod 3y ago
  Skipping over the dumb flamebait - reflect on the idea that you’re probably safer having a pilot who has a known, risk-assessed, and well-managed medical condition than you are creating an environment in which pilots are heavily disincentivised from looking after their mental and physical health.
userbinator 3y ago
I think the FAA is trying to prevent things like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525#Investigation_of_Lubitz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525#Invest... from happening. The investigation into Lubitz found he had been treated for suicidal tendencies prior to his training as a commercial pilot and had been temporarily denied a US pilot's licence because of these treatments for psychotic depression.
techwizrd 3y ago
Incredible is right because it's not true [0]. That said, the current system isn't perfect and doesn't incentivise pilots to disclose or appropriately manage their conditions. 0: https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/adhd https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/adhd

paulddraper 3y ago

You have no idea how many professional pilots avoid seeking mental health treatment. Because it would literally destroy their career. Kinda scary actually.

operatingthetan 3y ago
That's a huge perverse incentive. Doesn't make me feel safer!
- godelski 3y ago
  Same is true for a lot of government jobs, especially things that require a security clearance. Ironically this makes people vulnerable to exactly what these institutions are most afraid of: blackmail.

sonicshadow 3y ago

[flagged]

godelski 3y ago
> that could impact their ability to fly. This is the debatable part. I don't think people on their medications, properly dosed, would be impaired. It also depends how severe the issue is. The same is true for driving. All diseases are on some spectrum and having a binary classification doesn't account for the nuances of the situations. Just leave it up to the medical examiners, their licenses are already on the line.
pkilgore 3y ago
This comment contributes nothing. There are multiple levels of licensing with multiple levels of medical clearances. Someone on controlled ADHD medication, diabetes, or high BMI is perfectly capable of managing risk of flying as a private pilot same as boating or driving. They probably shouldn't be airline transport pilots, but that's not really under discussion. It seems like your goal here is to start some sort of political fight. Please go elsewhere. Grown ups are talking.
- Dalewyn 3y ago
  FAA's regulations are draconian, but they are that way because they are written in blood. When shit goes south, it doesn't matter whether you're a private or commercial pilot. Your plane is coming down regardless, and worst case you might take some other people with you to the other side. More than anything, flying is a luxury compared to something like driving which is a practical necessity or sailing which carries far lower risks of destructive danger. Nobody needs to fly, so more stringent regulations are warranted for what is a very dangerous activity that must be handled with respect. "Diversity" has no place in aviation, either you can fly safely or you can't. People with conditions are presumed they can't, for very good reasons.
  - trevyn 3y ago
    Excellent second-grade analysis of the situation.
    - Dalewyn 3y ago
      The leading cause of aviation accidents and incidents is pilot error[1]. So to try and prevent as many of them as possible, there is a very good reason to be exceedingly stringent and draconian about pilot certification. [1]: https://pilotinstitute.com/aviation-accident-causes/#:~:text=In%202020%2C%2069.1%25%20of%20all,%2C%20or%20poor%20decision%2Dmaking https://pilotinstitute.com/aviation-accident-causes/#:~:text....
  - flangola7 3y ago
    This is thinking-shaped text. ChatGPT has better intelligence than this.
matthewmacleod 3y ago
Skipping over the dumb flamebait - reflect on the idea that you’re probably safer having a pilot who has a known, risk-assessed, and well-managed medical condition than you are creating an environment in which pilots are heavily disincentivised from looking after their mental and physical health.

userbinator 3y ago

I think the FAA is trying to prevent things like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525#Investigation_of_Lubitz https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525#Invest... from happening. The investigation into Lubitz found he had been treated for suicidal tendencies prior to his training as a commercial pilot and had been temporarily denied a US pilot's licence because of these treatments for psychotic depression.

techwizrd 3y ago

Incredible is right because it's not true [0]. That said, the current system isn't perfect and doesn't incentivise pilots to disclose or appropriately manage their conditions. 0: https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/adhd https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/dec_cons/disease_prot/adhd