Pilot Minute: The outcome of the FAA rulemaking committee on mental health
In this episode of Pilot Minute, Federal Air Surgeon Susan Northrup, MD, MPH discusses barriers identified when pilots seek mental health treatment and recommendations to make getting treatment easier.
Pilot Minute is produced by the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, Medical Education Division in association with FAA Media Solutions.
For more information, please visit: https://www.faa.gov/regulationspolicies/rulemaking/committees/documents/mental-health-and-aviation-medical-clearances-0
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Here’s the reality: the FAA itself doesn’t offer a dedicated mental health program for general aviation (GA) pilots. In contrast, airline pilots—through agreements between the airlines and unions—do have structured support systems in place. If a pilot voluntarily steps forward with mental health concerns or substance abuse issues, they’re placed into a program designed to help them recover and return to duty.
But there’s a catch: the pilot must stay in the program through completion. If they drop out or fail to comply, they risk losing their job. It’s a tough-love approach, but one that has saved many careers—and lives.
Unfortunately, GA pilots don’t have access to that kind of formal support. There’s no system in place where a pilot can self-report, get help, and work their way back without risking their certificate. If an organization like AOPA or EAA stepped up to establish a similar pathway—confidential, structured, and FAA-recognized—it could dramatically change outcomes. Lives could be saved, and pilots wouldn’t have to suffer in silence, fearing the end of their flying days just for seeking help.
It’s a real gap in the system—and one that deserves serious attention.
Talk to your pastor, friend, or other person confidentially. Never go to a licensed therapist, psychological or psychiatrist. If you feel absolutely compelled to not take this advice, pay cash only, never tie it to your insurance. Minimize any paper trail.