NOTE: This topic is not a typical topic. It does not discuss 4U 9525, nor does it relate to IF. Rather, this pertains more towards the community as a whole, and because this is a topic that is rarely spoken of, especially within the avgeek community.
Yes, I understand this topic would have been more relevant in May. Yes, I do understand that this isn’t IF-related. Yes, I do understand that this topic may not even be relevant at all. But what it most important is that a topic about this is released in the first place.
As summer nears, I know that many will be out relaxing in the sun, taking more weekend flights, and enjoying the good weather. Unfortunately, this is not the case for all. Some of us, myself included, suffer from mental disorders like depression, PTSD, and anxiety that keep us away from the things that we love. But unlike any typical case, I’ve found that these disorders seem to be especially prevalent in the avgeek community. I’ve talked to many friends and coworkers, and there’s a troubling connection between depression, anxiety, etc. and a passion for aviation. The cause of this is unknown, and the precise factors that influence this are also a mystery. This may be a complete coincidence, but at the same time this may also present a serious issue.
I have 3 friends I’d like to anonymously mention, all of which suffer from depression. I’ve only been told by one person that they are depressed, and I only found out the other two were facing similar issues by sheer coincidence. Considering one of the three is currently training to be a pilot, and the other two are currently in charge of the lives of hundreds of people everyday on the ground at airports across America, I believe they will be honest about their safety and well-being, but at the same time there is also concern.
As avgeeks, many of use have or will take up jobs in the aviation sector, crucial to modern life. We are in charge of hundreds, if not thousands, of peoples’ well-beings everyday who put trust in us to be their for them. But we as a whole cannot be trusted or trust ourselves if there is no support within the community to ensure we are all, as a whole, one community that lifts each other up and leaves no one behind.
It’s always most commonly known that pilots have the most control over the lives of passengers everyday. But even those who aren’t directly flying still pose a significant role in the overall wellbeing of passengers – our air traffic controllers ensure our planes fly separated and safely, our maintenance teams ensure our planes are functioning properly, and our ramp agents ensure that the aircraft is properly loaded and fueled correctly. A so-called “weak link” in any of these fields could result in disaster that is preventable.
Within communities of pilots alone, there are complaints that those with mental disorders are forced to conceal them, and to continue on as if there is no issue. This only worsens the effect of the mental disorder, and the lack of both reporting and diagnosis leads to the endless cycle of both pretending as if the issue doesn’t exist as well as turn down the issue’s significance. Pilots, who are the make-or-break of the aviation world, cannot live on this endless cycle. Yes, having two pilots in the cockpit will improve safety. Yes, screening will be fixed and there will be more help. But that only fixes one half of the cycle. The rest is within your hands, as a community. We need a new avgeek community that can actually recognize and help those who need it, rather than turn them down. We need a community that can allow people to be transparent about their issues rather than conceal them.
Looking at our community’s comments on 4U 9525 and other accidents, terms like “pilot suicide” are flouted around, as well as ideas of mental illness being a crucial liability that can be covered up completely by some miracle autopilot or with another person in the cockpit. I’ve seen comments suggesting suicide can be taken lightly, which fortunately has been pointed out and removed by members of the community. Mental illness is not a liability, nor is it something that will immediately endanger everyone. It’s something that can be softened, lessened or removed, and can stop being a danger with change. Unfortunately, this change is only slowly being implemented and has not seen major change aside from actions by the FAA and airlines. We as a community still possess a mindset that hasn’t been fixed, and clearly the other end hasn’t gotten much better – studies have shown that it’s possible 12% of pilots have depression who fear reporting it, compared to the US national average of 6.7%.
Statistically speaking, there are hundreds of members on this very forum who are, have, or will suffer from a mental disorder. Yet at the same time, no one here has created a topic to help, or even acknowledge their existence or their suffering. As one of the tightest-knit communities of people with a similar interest, we must stand up. We must be able to, as a whole, actively support those who need it. We as a group, must be empowered to make a difference and to ensure that those who need help can get help, and ensure that the other half of the cycle that rests in our hands, is closed off. So what do you say, IF community?