Safety
NTSB, FAA Taking Deeper Dive in Mental Health Issues
Trust is significant barrier for pilots seeking help
NTSB vice chair Bruce Landsberg and Chair Jennifer Homendy at summit (Photo: Kerry Lynch)
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homenday (on right) called for a continuation of collaboration to address mental health issues in aviation while board Member Bruce Landsberg urged more clarity and data on the issue. © Kerry Lynch

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) day-long aviation safety summit on navigating mental health in aviation concluded yesterday with encouragement across industry leaders that the issue is getting more attention. In addition to the summit, the FAA also this week announced that it is chartering an aviation rulemaking committee focused on breaking through barriers for pilots and air traffic controllers to seek medical health.

However, the summit spotlighted many of those barriers, particularly the lack of trust pilots, controllers, and other aviation professionals have that they would lose their ability to continue in their profession if they seek help and then report that help.