View Single Post
      03-07-2019, 01:58 PM   #1
Joekerr
Banned
7926
Rep
1,923
Posts

Drives: 2017 Audi S6
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Toronto, ON

iTrader: (0)

Commercial Pilots and Depression

Sort of a spin off from the plane thread, but following up on an interesting comment made by Dodger:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Real Dodger View Post
But they weren't there was no evidence of mental illness with those guys? The German wings pilot should've been red flagged. And my cousin's husband (who is a commercial pilot, not just General aviation like me) pointed this out the other day.
https://www.foxnews.com/travel/delta...eep-flying.amp

I hope nobody like that is piloting my flight across the Atlantic in June!
So we have a Delta pilot, this Adam Asleson or however you spell it, who was red flagged for depression (which is good - I'm glad Delta caught this before anything potentially happened) and then there are the others mentioned in this link:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndca/pr...lse-statements

With the advancements in securing the cockpit against hijacking, you are sort of at the mercy of your pilot.

But it leaves you wondering - depression is a very real thing, and it can make one do really terrible things that you wouldn't otherwise do. And I'm certain it affects a lot more commercial pilots than just the above.

I've heard dentists are more prone to depression than other specialties (not certain why, but just what I heard) - do you think commercial pilots are more prone to depression than normal?

I mean you are probably constantly changing time zones and screwing up your internal clock. You likely spend a fair bit of time away from family. And you probably never really feel rooted in one place, always jumping from hotel to hotel, and then maybe at your house for a week off or something, and then back. All those seem to maybe indicate they might get more easily depressed.

I think we have a few commercial pilots on here, at least that's what I've gathered. Be interesting to hear some thoughts. And if depressed, seem fair that your job is immediately gone? In general, I sort of think so, even though it sounds draconian...a lot of other lives are riding on you.
Appreciate 0