[nmjohn]

Do you know what prevents people from doing that? Being able to get help for their problems. Do you know what doesn't? Forcing them to hide their problems so they are able to keep their job.

The discussion isn't really about whether suicidal pilots should be allowed to fly - it's whether the system should allow for pilots with mental health concerns (which would be a large majority of them over the course of an entire career) to seek treatment for it without losing their job.

[stevehawk]

To speak a little more to this - there's a lot of jokes in the aviation community about mental health.. such as "Do you know how many pilots the FAA claims have mental health issues? None. Do you know how many pilots lie about their mental health issues? All of them."

When I have students go in for a medical, even if they're just gonna be run of the mill private pilots, I tell them "Answer every question with as few words as possible. If the AME (medical examiner) asks you if you've ever been sad, say "No". 'What about when your dad died?' Say no. When you got that diagnosis for cancer five years ago? Wasn't sad. Puppy died as a child? Wasn't sad. Never sad. Never anxious. Never depressed. Never anything. Just cool like Steve McQueen. If it's not in your medical records then it never happened.

then I get asked who the hell is Steve McQueen.

[aaomidi]

100% Exactly this.

It's outright irresponsible to not take into account the chilling effect this is going to have on seeking treatment for mental health problems.