[imoverclocked]

This sounds like learned helplessness. Of course there is something they can do. There are a lot of things they can do to become better.

The medical profession is almost unrecognizable from what it was in the 1950s. My grandfather (MD) said as much 15 years ago before passing away. It has only changed more since then. The FAA’s policies are based on 1950s medical knowledge and opinions.

If you spend any significant time in online aviation circles, medical issues come up daily. People who had a diagnosis of ADHD as a kid (when getting diagnosed with it was all the rage) have to jump through insane hoops if they disclose that on their FAA medical. Meanwhile, existing pilots often avoid going to a doctor or seeking help when they need it because of the possibility of losing their source of income, temporarily or maybe even permanently.

So, in many situations, instead of having healthy pilots, we have unhealthy pilots. The policy sometimes has the complete opposite effect of its intended purpose.

[ryandrake]

> People who had a diagnosis of ADHD as a kid (when getting diagnosed with it was all the rage) have to jump through insane hoops if they disclose that on their FAA medical.

The FAA could change this instantly by simply abandoning their “have you ever” language and focusing on whether or not the pilot currently requires medication for a condition.

The government just loves those “have you ever” questions, though, as you know if you’ve ever applied for a clearance or gone through the immigration process. So they probably aren’t going away.

[quest88]

Of course, they want to avoid blame, or they risk losing their job.

[throwaway173738]

Or MEPS.