Slingblade,
You walk in on your wife getting bonked by another man. Would you describe your resultant behaviour as bi-polar also?
To put it another way, bi-polar 'diagnosees' so to speak are very aware of an issue and some (myself included) can recognise and combat the symptoms mentally without the use of medication if the need necessitates, for example, in a cockpit. Somebody referenced Egypt Air - the pilot concerned was not diagnosed with a condition that prohibited him from holding a flight crew licence, yet he succeeded in crashing a plane and killing many, many people. The difference is, the pilot who was allowed to fly was not equipped to handle his mind. FedEx 705, remember that one also?
What about a person who 'flipped' in his teens and beat somebody to within an inch of their life, but many decades and a spent conviction later, is not only allowed to hold a Class 1 medical certificate, but also an airside pass? Would you not describe their behaviour at the time as unpredictable and irrational? Which brings me to the point - what direction exactly are you taking with your comment? That you are defending the letter of the law? Does common sense not also apply?
When was the last time an incident, fatal or non fatal, was reported where one of the causes detailed was the pilot's subsequent diagnoses of suffering from bi-polar disorder?
You hit the nail on the head, however.
Clearly misunderstood
