Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

The FAA is making strides in removing roadblocks for pilots struggling with mental health issues but work remains to dispel some of the myths associated with these issues, said Doug Carr, NBAA's senior v-p of safety, security, sustainability, and international operations.
Mental health is “one topic that permeates most of aviation,” Carr told AIN. In fact, the topic is being addressed today at NBAA-BACE as part of the association’s National Safety Forum with a session entitled “What’s on Your Mind, Literally? Mental Health and Wellness in Aviation.”
This session is designed to provide a deeper look into the medical and regulatory landscape surrounding mental health issues, as well as folding these issues and wellness in general into risk-management plans.
Regarding mental health, Carr said, “We believe there is a great opportunity to provide solid direction for pilots and others who need a medical certificate to do their jobs—provide them with much more clarity on what it means to get help, to get help that keeps you safe, that keeps you healthy, that keeps you alive while reducing risk.”
Following the “rumor-mill” world, he said, pilots fear these issues will put their livelihood at risk. They worry about what will happen if they talk to someone to work through these issues. Therapy visits might require insurance, insurance might require a diagnosis, and a diagnosis is what they fear could risk their medical.
“That is what leads to many pilots self-medicating or self-diagnosing…and remaining in a flying status with a condition that really should be treated,” Carr said. As such, “people avoid getting the help that they need, and we need to correct that. We need healthy, smart, trained pilots on the flight deck.”
Carr does believe progress is being made on this front. “A lot of this, I think, falls at the feet of the FAA," he said. "The federal air surgeon, Dr. Susan Northrup, has done a tremendous job in tackling this issue head-on.”
This includes providing guidance to address what it means to get help, along with giving air medical examiners more latitude to certify pilots who previously would have required additional FAA review.
“I think that's where change is starting to be felt, [also] with the FAA expanding the number of approved medications that pilots can be on…That's where we are seeing some real leadership coming from the FAA on getting ahead of this.”
Carr cautioned that change will take more than action by the federal air surgeon. It will require the support of the entire community.
“But knowing that this is a priority for the FAA and for the federal air surgeon I think makes the work a little easier for the rest of us who are on the front lines, talking with members, talking with pilots about what's really at stake if you need to put your hand up and say I need help,” he concluded.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

NBAA's Carr: More Needs To Be Done To Dispel Mental Health Myths in Aviation

FAA is combating  pilot fears on seeking help

The FAA is combating myths that keep pilots from seeking help.

Carr: More Needs To Be Done To Dispel Mental Health Myths

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

Kaleyesus Bekele

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Industry group presses for regulatory progress and continuity across the continent 

African Bizav Strives for Greater Market Opportunity

Amy Wilder

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Rule would not apply to insulin-treated diabetes

FAA Proposes Easing Medical Approvals for Diabetic Pilots

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

NBAA-BACE 2023

More In Regulations and Government

African Bizav Strives for Greater Market Opportunity

Industry group presses for regulatory progress and continuity across the continent

FAA Proposes Easing Medical Approvals for Diabetic Pilots

Rule would not apply to insulin-treated diabetes

Congress OKs Stopgap Government Funding Measure

Move averts potential shutdown

Longtime Bizav Attorney Gary Garofalo Flies West

His career spanned more than five and a half decades

New Treasury Rule Limits LLC Information Reporting

The revision relaxes some provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act

Nancy Kassebaum, Architect of GA Product Liability Reform, Dies

Kassebaum pushed through the General Aviation Revitalization Act

Nav Canada Increases ATC Service Charges

Increased fees are to recover pandemic shortfall

FAA InFO Outlines CVR Upgrade Deadlines

Larger new bizav aircraft face 2027 deadline, while small new turbine bizav aircraft have 2029 deadline

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN