A Germanwings Airbus A320
Photo Credit: SEBASTIEN MORTIER (https://tinyurl.com/496nyy8r)
Do pilots have to undergo any sort of mental check before flying?
Yes, long before proceeding to fly any commercial planes, pilots indeed undergo mental health checks.
A study of 809 Brazilian pilots generally revealed that between 6.7% and 12% had a common mental disorder.
Just like in any other industry, airlines are aware of this issue and had in fact implemented pre-selection personality tests on all aspiring pilots.
These tests involve answering questionnaires to detect at-risk applicants by asking a series of questions, worded differently, all around a similar subject.
However, a stigma surrounding mental health exists in the aviation industry. As such, pilots tend to be defensive about these issues and feel pressured to conceal any signs of mental health problems to avoid risking their loss of licenses.
A tragic illustration of this occurred with Andreas Lubitz, a co-pilot who deliberately crashed a Germanwings Airbus A320 into the French Alps on March 24, 2015, claiming 149 lives, including his own.
Lubitz had a history of suicidal tendencies and was declared unfit for work by his doctor. Despite this, he concealed the information from his employer and reported for duty.
During the flight, he locked the cockpit door, initiated a descent on the autopilot from 38,000 feet to 100 feet and crashed the plane while the captain left the cockpit to go to the toilet.
Commercial pilots, normally undergo medical examinations every 6 to 12 months, which include assessments of their mental health. However, these evaluations often rely on self-disclosure, contributing to some pilots hiding problems due to the attached stigma and fear of job loss.
While actual suicides among working pilots are rare, they have also occurred in the past.
On April 7, 1994, a FedEx DC-10 was commandeered by a disgruntled flight engineer, a former pilot, facing possible dismissal from FedEx for lying about his flight hours.
He nearly succeeded killing the captain, first officer and flight engineer together with his plan to crash the plane into the company headquarters. Despite severe injuries, the crew fought back, subdued him and landed the plane safely.
Another incident involved a JetBlue captain displaying erratic behavior during a flight, discussing religion and terrorism in the passenger cabin. Passengers and crew members successfully overpowered him and no injuries occurred, but it affected the public’s perception of airline pilots.
The captain was charged with interference with a flight crew but was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
While pilots indeed undergo mental health checks before flying, the issue of hidden mental health problems faces some challenges.
Encouraging aviators to seek help without the fear of job loss is necessary to ensure the safety of both pilots and passengers.
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