Could u be a pilot if u were mentally ill?

Just curious?

Someone told me once that you cant become a pilot if you had a mental illness.

Is that correct ?

From a quick Google - Bi-polar is Listed as a disqualifying factor
so im assuming it would be a no chance.

https://www.caa.co.uk/Aeromedical-Examiners/Medical-standards/Pilots-(EASA)/Conditions/Mental-health/Mental-health-GM/

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There’s a lot of things that can exclude you from being a pilot, including being too tall or being colorblind.

Those are multi million dollar machines in the air, I’m guessing they figure they can’t afford to take even a ghost of a chance.

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I used to be a pilot. You have to have a medical endorsement to use your license. I still have a commercial license. All 5 prescriptions I take are disqualifying and so is the diagnosis. Any psychotic disorder is disqualifying.

The only way I could ever get a medical again is to come off all medications and have the diagnosis refuted. The medical is pretty thorough. It doesn’t just ask do you have. It asks have you ever been diagnosed with x. There is also a question of have you ever attempted suicide or been medically retired from the military. I would have to answer yes to all those things and would be heavily scrutinized.

You can fly as a sport pilot with only a drivers license though as long as you have never been denied a medical. It’s recreation only and you can’t fly for hire with it. I have never been denied so I can still do this. You can only fly small sport planes though and I like high performance aircraft so I need an instructor with me if I were ever to fly one.

The FAA has approved two or three antidepressants as ok to fly on. I forget what they are you can google them. I take Wellbutrin and that isn’t one of them.

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Thanks thats interesting to know

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That’s correct in Canada. Also, a bad heart condition will also disqualify you. I have to make do with Xplane 11.

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