ABSTRACT
Mental health assessments form an important part of the pilot selection process. The purpose of these assessments is to rule out candidates with existing mental health difficulties, to identify potential pilot and pilot candidate vulnerability for future mental health problems, and to set the stage for routine mental health assessment during the annual medical examination. This chapter outlines pilot selection process and focuses on the aim and purpose of mental health assessment in pilot selection, with a main emphasis on selecting new candidates and also for promotions. Most aviation authorities require pilots to be free from specific mental disorders both at the time of their initial medical assessment throughout their flying career. There are various ways to collect data on pilot mental health, and these are often used in combination at various stages of the assessment. A good mental state assessment allows a professional to use information from each domain to develop a coherent picture of a pilot’s mental state.
