Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — As chilling new details emerge about the co-pilot who investigators say intentionally crashed Germanwings Flight 9525
into the Alps, questions are being asked about what changes might be made to airline safety protocol in the near future.
Some industry veterans say the U.S. already has some of the toughest mental health standards for airline pilots in the world. The Federal Aviation Administration does have some mental health standards that include regular mental health testing and keeping anyone on most anti-depressants (among other drugs) out of the cockpit. However, it’s not all industry standards are mandated by the FAA.
According to one former pilot, the airline industry in the United States takes mental health very seriously. A retired pilot of 30 years, Valerie Walker couldn’t help but get emotional thinking about the crash in the Alps.
“It’s horrific for any airline pilot to think that one of ours could do that to people,” Walker said.
News of the Germanwings flight that was taken down by the flight’s co-pilot has been hard to take, especially after spending so many years in the cockpit herself.
“I don’t know why the word responsibility frightens so many people. To me, it’s an honor,” said Walker.
And she’s not the only one.
I would say arguably that the airline pilot profession is one of the most scrutinized in the world.
–Valerie Walker
Joe Davis, a former operations manager with Continental Airlines, said, “It’s so alien to any of us who love to fly and who have that gift of flight that it’s beyond comprehension.”
Davis also feels that the airlines in the U.S. typically hold themselves to a higher standard.
“When a pilot leaves the cockpit, either the pilot and commander, or the first officer; someone else has to step into that cockpit, in that place,” Davis said.
That did not happen on Germanwings Flight 9525. That will likely change for international standards in the future.
Walker said, in her experience, mental health had always been a top priority.
“I would say arguably that the airline pilot profession is one of the most scrutinized in the world,” said the retired Delta pilot.
For example, each year, pilots would be put under simulated high-stress situations for hours. On top of that, flight crew is responsible for keeping each other in check.
“If one pilot notices something that isn’t quite right with the other pilot, and we don’t report it, then we are just as liable to be fired as that other pilot,” Walker said.
That responsibility to monitor staff’s mental health encompasses all crew members, including flight attendants. Both Walker and Davis said though we may have higher standards in the U.S., it’s likely that things will become even more stringent in the future in light of the Germanwings tragedy.
