ABSTRACT
Most of the medications used in psychiatry have clinical or side effects that are not compatible with the requirements of flight personnel and the standards of flight safety. Professional activity for flight crew comprises a unique working environment which places physiological strains such as hypoxia, acceleration, jet lag and others. In addition to physical effects these can result in psychological changes which themselves become more significant than they might be for other occupations, due to the flight requirement of good psychomotor and cognitive skills (Richards & Zuckerman, 2006). To pilot an aircraft requires the utilization of a complex set of physical and cognitive skills. Interference with any aspect of these skills and their coordination may have serious personal and public safety consequences. The assessment of mental fitness shall therefore be made with due regard to the privileges of the license and to the conditions in which the applicants will have to carry out their duties (ICAO, 2016: Chapter 9).
