Lawmakers call for action on pilot, air traffic controller mental health

Washington — A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the Federal Aviation Administration to make the aviation industry safer by taking “decisive actions to reduce the stigma around mental health care.”

Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) – chair and ranking member, respectively, of the House Aviation Subcommittee – sent a letter dated Feb. 7 to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker.

The letter cites separate December reports in the Washington Post and New York Times exploring pilots’ struggles with mental health, including issues with presenting concerns to their employer. Reports have also covered occupational and environmental stressors to air traffic controllers that may contribute to mental hardships.

“It is clear to us that talented aviation professionals – our constituents – often suffer in silence because of the fear that medical evaluation, diagnosis or treatment could potentially prolong their return to work, or even prevent them from pursuing their aviation careers,” the lawmakers write.

In December, FAA established the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee. The committee is tasked with providing recommendations to FAA “on ways to identify and break down any remaining barriers” that discourage pilots and air traffic controllers from reporting and seeking care for mental health issues.

Speaking to reporters in November, Whitaker said: “I think it’s fair to say that the approach [to addressing mental health] we’ve had is a bit out of date, so I think it’s time for a refresh. So, our focus is certainly going to be on safety in the cockpit, but I think we need to have a system that allows people to be more forthcoming and to have treatment for issues that shouldn’t keep you out of the cockpit. So, that is a priority that we’re moving on quickly.”

During a Feb. 6 hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Whitaker said he expects the committee to submit its report “this spring.”

The lawmakers “strongly support” the committee’s efforts but emphasize that “valuable time cannot be wasted by simply restating what previous findings have already been uncovered.”

Recently, the Air Line Pilots Association, International offered recommendations to FAA on improving mental health support in the aviation industry:

• Develop a worker-education campaign to destigmatize mental health, explain the process from diagnosis through recovery and encourage workers to seek help early.
• Remove barriers that discourage aviation workers from seeking help and, for those who seek treatment, improve the process for them to return to work safely and expeditiously.
• Establish an FAA-funded national peer-support training program that trains workers to confidentially discuss concerns and connect with resources.

“Protecting the safety of airline passengers, crews and cargo is the foundation of ALPA’s work,” ALPA President Jason Ambrosi said in a press release. “By working with labor, government and industry, we can make great strides in expanding mental health resources for pilots and other aviation workers and improving the outdated protocols for reporting, testing and treatment.”