U.S. PILOTS - Fit to Fly?

"Does the U.S. need to change its mental health screening process for pilots?" PBS NewsHour 3/31/2015

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  According to Lufthansa, the co-pilot who crashed a Germanwings flight into the French Alps had informed the company of severe depression in 2009.  Judy Woodruff talks to Dr. Warren Silberman, a former FAA medical certification manager, and Dr. William Hurt Sledge of Yale University about the current psychological screening process and standards for U.S. pilots.

JUDY WOODRUFF (NewsHour):  There are even more questions today about how pilots are screened.

Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, reported the co-pilot of the plane that crashed in the French Alps last week informed the company back in 2009 that he had suffered from severe depression.  Andreas Lubitz told the flight training school of the problem after a months-long absence.

The incident raises concerns about mental health and standards for flying.

We speak with two now who know about these issues.  Dr. Warren Silberman is a physician and former manager of aerospace medical certification for the Federal Aviation Administration.  He is now in private practice.  And Dr. William Sledge is a professor of psychiatry at the Yale School of Medicine.  He’s evaluated pilots throughout his career, including for the Air Force, for major airlines, for the pilots union and the FAA.

And we welcome you both.

Dr. Silberman, to you first.

We know the information we have on Andreas Lubitz is incomplete, but, based on what we know, would he have been certified to fly a passenger plane in the United States?

DR. WARREN SILBERMAN, Former FAA Medical Certification Manager:  With — if he would have revealed that he was depressed or showed manifestations of depression, absolutely not.  He would be disqualified.

JUDY WOODRUFF:  Dr. Sledge, would you agree?

DR. WILLIAM SLEDGE, Yale University:  I would agree, particularly with the designation that he was suicidal.

And Dr. Silberman knows better than I, but the FAA occasionally would — if someone was treated successfully for depression, would allow them to return to the cockpit, but, for the most part, the presence of suicidality really rules it out.