Can a pilot have OCD?

A MENTALLY ill Qantas pilot was allowed to continue flying passenger jets for nearly three years despite repeatedly complaining of his urges to crash the planes he was flying. Bryan Arthur Griffin was a pilot with Qantas until 1982 when he resigned with severe obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression.

Can you be a pilot with a history of mental illness?

Certain medical conditions such as a psychosis, bipolar disorder and severe personality disorder automatically disqualify a pilot from obtaining an FAA medical certificate and prohibit them from flying.

Does anxiety disqualify you from being a pilot?

Pilots are forbidden from using narcotics, medication for seizures, anxiety conditions and stimulants, according to an FAA spokeswoman. They’re also barred flying after taking over-the-counter medication that might make them drowsy, such as Benadryl or NyQuil.

Do pilots need mental training?

Dr Rob Hunter, head of flight safety at Balpa, said in a statement: “The annual medical certificate application includes a legal requirement for a pilot to declare if they have had any psychological problems and the examiner is expected to pursue any signs of mental health issues apparent during the examination.

Can I be a pilot if Ive had depression?

The pilot should only be returned to flying duties if psychiatric assessment is satisfactory and either treatment is complete without recurrence or they remain on maintenance SSRI therapy. The Hamilton Depression Scale score should be satisfactory (a score of 7 or less may be acceptable).

Do antidepressants disqualify you from being a pilot?

Pharmaceutical Considerations: The use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying for aeromedical certification purposes – this includes all antidepressant drugs including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Can you be a pilot with a history of depression?

FAA policy bans pilots from flying if they have depression because the condition can be distracting in the cockpit and pose a safety risk, according to the agency. Under the new policy, pilots with depression can seek treatment with one of the four medications and keep flying.

Can I be a pilot if I have ADHD?

ADHD itself is not a disqualifying condition. Yet, if you have a formal diagnosis of ADD or ADHD, you may need to undergo additional testing in order to receive a medical certificate. Most medications used to treat ADHD are disqualifying (stimulants and Strattera).

Can airline pilots have depression?

Can you be a pilot if you take Xanax?

FAA is interested in both the condition and the drug and great care needs to be taken when starting a new medication. In fact Alprazolam or XANAX is an unacceptable medication under all situations because it has sedative effects.

Should pilots be allowed to fly while on antidepressants?

FAA to allow pilots to fly while on antidepressants. FAA officials said that they do not know the extent of depression among pilots but that pilots are probably representative of the larger population, in which 10 percent are believed to suffer from depression.

Do commercial pilots have to have a medical exam?

Commercial pilots under the age of 40 are required to undergo a medical exam by an FAA-certified physician every year; those over 40, every six months. But the examination focuses largely on the pilots’ physical health, and there is no formal assessment of the pilots’ mental health.

Does the FAA know how many pilots are depressed?

Nor does the FAA know how many pilots have removed themselves from flying status because they suffer from depression, a condition that now bars them from flying. Nor do they know how many take antidepressants in violation of FAA policy.

Do pilots need to be evaluated for mental health?

But the examination focuses largely on the pilots’ physical health, and there is no formal assessment of the pilots’ mental health. The FAA says pilots have a regulatory duty and professional responsibility to not fly if they know they have a physical or mental condition that makes them unsafe to fly.