FAAST Blast — Week of November 13 - 19, 2023
Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update
FAA Rulemaking Committee to Examine Pilot Mental Health
Last week the FAA announced that it will establish a Pilot Mental Health Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to provide recommendations on breaking down the barriers that prevent pilots from reporting mental health issues to the agency.
The ARC will include medical experts and aviation and labor representatives. The FAA will finalize the charter for the rulemaking committee and appoint the panel of experts in the coming weeks. It will build on previous work the FAA has done to prioritize pilot mental health, including:
- Increasing mental health training for medical examiners
- Supporting industry-wide research and clinical studies on pilot mental health
- Hiring additional mental health professionals to expand in-house expertise and to decrease wait times for return-to-fly decisions
- Completed clinical research and amended policy to decrease the frequency of cognitive testing in pilots using antidepressant medications
- Increasing outreach to pilot groups to educate them on the resources available
View videos and listen to an FAA podcast about pilot mental health featuring Dr. Susan Northrup, the FAA's Federal Air Surgeon here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5vHkqHi51DRa7Y1qjzhNnHhPZp_eJ_NJ.
You can view the FAA’s press release on the ARC here faa.gov/newsroom/faa-appoint-rulemaking-committee-examine-pilot-mental-health as well as view a fact sheet on pilot mental health oversight here faa.gov/pilot-mental-fitness.
New Pilot Minute Covers DUI Reporting
Pilots: Do you know what to do if you get a DUI/DWI? Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup covers that subject in her latest episode of the Pilot Minute video series, along with important reporting timelines and requirements you’ll need to know. See this and past Pilot Minute videos here: youtube.com/watch?v=Ih7AxUTh3eg&list=PL5vHkqHi51DQvRjGJo1SuXyZpKl5HbzOI
Keeping Your Carburetor Ice-free!
Carburetor icing can starve an engine of its power-producing properties, often without warning. Thankfully, carb ice can be easy to avoid and/or mitigate — provided you’re familiar with the correct information and procedures. Yet, every year many pilots find themselves victims of carb ice and unaware of its propensity in some warmer environments. Learn more about how to keep your carburetor ice-free in the article “Breaking the Ice” at https://medium.com/faa/breaking-the-ice-155acaf8d3df in the Nov/Dec 2023 issue of FAA Safety Briefing. See the entire winter-themed issue at www.faa.gov/safety_briefing.
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