# Commercial airline pilots and depression

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-airline-pilots-and-depression/761735>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 4, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-airline-pilots-and-depression/761735 "2016-08-04T13:16:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cold\_Dish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cold\_Dish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cold_Dish)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-airline-pilots-and-depression/761735/1 "2016-08-04T13:16:55Z")

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Does a diagnosis of depression automatically ground a commercial airline pilot?

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-airline-pilots-and-depression/761735/2 "2016-08-04T13:24:16Z")

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An Air Transport Pilot (ATP) requires a 1st class medical certificate in order to fly in that capacity. Major depression and the associated medications used to treat it are temporarily disqualifying but not necessarily permanently. There is now a waiver process that may allow an airline pilot to continue flying even while taking some antidepressants once they are shown to be stable. However, it isn’t automatic or guaranteed in any case.

Here is what the FAA has to say about it:

> **[Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners | Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/app_process/exam_tech/item47/amd/antidepressants)**
>
> Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners

> **[Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners | Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/app_process/exam_tech/item47/amd/table)**
>
> Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\
**Post date:** [August 4, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-airline-pilots-and-depression/761735/3 "2016-08-04T13:31:35Z")

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[https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294973468](https://www.caa.co.uk/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=4294973468)

The above is a flow chart for CAA authorisation (i.e. UK Civil Aviation). Based on that it would seem that provided you have recovered from the illness for a period of time then you can be allowed to fly.

> **[Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners | Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/app_process/exam_tech/item47/amd/table)**
>
> Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners

The above is a guide from the FAA. See the section “Bereavement; Dysthymic; or Minor Depression”. Again it appears that successfully treated depression is not a barrier to holding a medical.

On the other hand the initial diagnosis would ground the pilot. But it’s not a career ending illness.

Edit: What Shagnasty said.