Aceskywalker

My younger sibling is extremely passionate about aviation - sim enthusiast, drones, plane spotting and photography.

I decided to be nice and pay for a discovery flight as a Christmas gift. Exactly what I expected from an outcome and now he’s hyped about going up again.

Now comes the part where my ignorance leading to guilt come in. Combining his unorthodox but nonharmful coping methods and frankly a ******ty year, he got involuntarily hospitalized for being a “danger to self” a few years back but is frankly never better and his docs think so as well. My lack of research didn’t inform me that that history is pretty much a hard disqualifier for life.

Is there any recourse for the kid of any timeline or am I going to have to be the bearer of bad news? What other resources exist that could help me and/or him?

usmc-sgt

Oh man. First thing I thought of was German Wings. Almost any airline in the world will be a hard pass. Still a future though in potential cargo/135 or single pilot ops type stuff.

Excargodog

Raising the question of who was behind the involuntary hospitalization, not that it matters at this point.

It just amazes me the number of parents who drag their kids in to get diagnoses like ADD and oppositional defiance disorder and the latest psychobabble du jour without thinking what it might do to the person’s long term prospects.

Nobody starts out ASSURED of a career in aviation, but someone put your sibling in an exceedingly deep hole career wise.

Aceskywalker

My sentiments exactly. I work in healthcare and its an ill kept secret that many conditions are over-diagnosed and medications are over-prescribed. And from the limited research I’ve done, it sucks that the system punishes y’all for an honest and well intentioned effort to deal/cope with the nonsense that goes on in our brains and lives sometimes.

Thanks for the replies. I’ll need to do more research into this matter, but its looking like even getting a personal use license for him to fly around our region is out of the question.

rickair7777

In the US, most airlines (or other aviation employer) would never typically even have access to a pilot's medical history or ask about it (unless maybe you call in sick a lot).

The gateway for that is the FAA aeromedical division, when they issue a pilot medical.

You need a First Class medical for most commercial aviation jobs.

A Third Class is sufficient for recreational flying.

A mental health condition like you describe would be obviously disqualifying. It's also really hard to put mis-diagnosis toothpaste back in the tube, especially for something like this.

HOWEVER... previous conditions are not typically disqualifying as long as they are resolved to FAA's satisfaction, and they feel comfortable it won't re-surface. So there is a chance.

Your sibling's situation would raise a lot of flags. You could consult with a local AME authorized to grant 1C medicals, but you might be better off paying an aviation medicine consulting company to evaluate the situation and advise you. They can help you with the best approach to applying to an AME for certification. If you do that wrong, you can dig a deeper hole than necessary.

Also worth noting that current use of all mental health meds is disqualifying, except possibly some SSRI's.

TiredSoul

Amen to that brother.

Sport pilot license/certificate does not require a medical.
Now you’re disqualified if you ever had a medical denied.
If you’ve never applied.....you’ve never been denied.

https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2004/january/09/sport-pilot-begins-fly-with-drivers-license-medical

Get him an AOPA membership and the magazine for a year and consult with them.
It’s very likely that he’ll have to satisfy himself with flying light aircraft for recreation.