Originally Posted by
Ladloy
All this does is prevent pilots with underlying adhd or mental health symptoms seek treatment because of the risk of losing their jobs. Are they more of a risk by not seeking treatment to protect their livelihood?
I would suggest that someone who is
already a qualified or commercial pilot is
not at any elevated risk of an accident as a result of their condition, as they've
already been assessed to the standards required. But should they
then be diagnosed, AvMed gets involved and all hell breaks loose -
even though they've "already met" the relevant standards! Just because their behavioural symptoms now "have a label" does not change the fact they
have met, and presumably
continue to meet, the applicable standards of a P/C/ATPL holder.
And there lies the problem... Watching a colleague go through the heartache and get sidelined for 6 months when
they were diagnosed with ASD as an adult - and that's 'just' a train driver, it didn't involve AvMed! - would be enough to put
me off disclosing
anything to
anyone ever again. How TF is that "safe"? The culture of fear CAsA have created as the regulator strikes at the very heart of safe aviation.
In any event, you'd probably find most specialised or inherently technical fields have a lot of people that would meet the "book" definition of being Autistic - hell, I was curious and so I googled a couple of online assessments and honestly answered them before typing this post and the outcome was
"These results indicate that...you have a strong likelihood of being autistic." and for the second one:
"Your score was 45 out of a possible 50. Scores in the 33-50 range indicate significant Autistic traits (Autism)."
Guess
I'd better print out a stack of Form 420's for my next BFR, even though I've been flying for 25 years and routinely operate some of the biggest trains on the
planet! Because of course, an "autistic" person can't be trusted to safely do the same things as a normal person without filling out this questionnaire....