Pilot Self-Evaluation and Mental Well-Being: Are You in the Green?

“Am I in the Green?”

Long before you step onto your next flight deck, you need to know the answer to this question. In conjunction with Mental Health Awareness Month in May, ALPA’s “Are You in the Green?” campaign serves as a reminder that understanding your mental health and well-being is fundamental to preserving your piloting career while ensuring safe airline operations. 

 

As pilots, we talk openly about physical health conditions, but we also need to feel free to discuss issues like stress, anxiety, and depression. When we normalize these subjects as topics of conversation and encourage those affected to come forward, we reduce health-care avoidance tendencies. We also promote early intervention, giving pilots the chance to address concerns before they can become more serious.

We all engage in exterior walkarounds and other preflight checks before every departure because we know that we can’t afford to overlook something that could jeopardize our flights. Our state of mind is no less important. Signs like fatigue, irritability, or disrupted sleep can indicate the presence of stress or an emerging impairment that can impact a pilot’s ability to focus and perform. The use of certain awareness indicators can help identify these changes in mood or disposition.

A prime example is the mental-health continuum, often associated with the IMSAFE checklist, which pilots use in both the United States and Canada to evaluate their fitness to fly. The checklist addresses issues like illness, medication use, stress, alcohol use, fatigue, and emotions—factors that could easily influence outlook and perspective and prevent pilots from performing at their best.

Being Green

The mental-health continuum gauges a person’s outlook and attitude based on a spectrum of four color-coded stages, starting with green, which represents normal functioning. Those who fall in the green category (i.e., “I’ve got this”) are experiencing regular mood fluctuations, can take minor challenges in stride, achieve consistent performance, experience normal sleep patterns, are physically and socially active, and maintain reasonable levels of self-confidence.

The next stage of the spectrum is yellow (i.e., “something isn’t right”), which indicates common and reversible distress and can be highlighted by lower energy levels, nervousness, and difficulty relaxing. The third phase, orange (i.e., “I can’t keep this up”), signifies significant functional impairment, often underscored by anger, anxiety, and hopelessness. The final stage, red (i.e., “I can’t manage this”), denotes the presence of severe and persistent functional harm. Those who fall in this category often feel overwhelmed, may experience panic attacks, and exhibit significant difficulty dealing with emotions and basic thought processes.

If you’re distracted, angry, or upset, you may not be prepared to adequately perform your duties as an airline pilot. The yellow category can be managed with self-care and social support; but if you fall into the orange or red categories, you’ll likely need to seek professional assistance.

Help Is Readily Available

Confidential peer support and professional resources are available through ALPA’s Pilot Peer Support (PPS) program. More than 250 PPS volunteers have been trained to assist you.

Whether you’re dealing with financial problems, family or relationship issues, or any other work or personal concerns, PPS volunteers are available 24/7 to listen and offer confidential, nonjudgmental support to ALPA members in the United States and Canada. Members in Canada also have the option to submit a written request.

When you call, a member of ALPA’s Engineering & Air Safety Department will put you in contact with an ALPA pilot peer who’ll listen and carefully assess your circumstances and needs, and, when appropriate, suggest resources available through the Association. PPS calls don’t need to be reported on medical certification application forms, and speaking with a peer is private—except in the rare instances in which an immediate risk of harm to the caller or others is evident.

Peer-to-peer networks like PPS provide many kinds of benefits. Talking to another person can reduce stress by lowering your cortisol levels, releasing oxytocin, and balancing your personal thoughts with a more objective perspective. This type of social interaction stimulates regions of the brain and can help you process feelings and reduce the sense of being isolated. Plus, a fellow ALPA pilot—someone who understands your work environment and the challenges of flying for a living—can help you sort through the issues you’re confronting and help you determine your best course of action.

Members: Access PPS

Changing Attitudes

It wasn’t that long ago that lengthy medical certification review processes and a fear of raising mental-health concerns contributed to a culture of silence surrounding aviation worker mental-health issues. While the FAA and Transport Canada require airline pilots to undergo routine vettings and medical exams throughout their careers, pilots should not be penalized or have their careers jeopardized for doing the right thing and seeking treatment, if needed.

ALPA continues to be a global leader in developing and implementing programs that support pilot mental health. The Association cochaired the FAA’s Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which issued recommendations in April 2024 designed to break down barriers that prevent pilots from reporting and seeking care to mitigate potential aviation safety risks.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation recently voted unanimously to advance the Mental Health in Aviation Act (S. 3257)—legislation that ALPA members, through an Association Call to Action that urges Senate leaders to bring the bill to the Senate floor for a vote, continue to actively advocate for. The legislation proposes commonsense solutions to the longstanding stigmas associated with airline pilot mental health. It also increases the funding for recruiting aeromedical examiners, offers additional mental-health training, and addresses the backlog of Special-Issuance requests.

In addition, the bill requires the FAA to revise regulations and consult with a broad range of stakeholders, including mental-health professionals, to “ensure that future policies reflect current clinical standards and aviation workforce realities.”

Tools and Resources for Pilots

Supporting ALPA’s “Are You in the Green?” efforts is the “Green Team,” made up of Capt. Elijah Nicolas (JetBlue), the Association’s Pilot Peer Support vice chair; Capt. April Abenza (JetBlue), a member of her pilot group’s PAN/Aeromedical Committee; Capt. Chris McCleskey (JetBlue), vice chair of ALPA’s Aeromedical Committee; Capt. Amanda Fallon (Piedmont), a member of her pilot group’s Education Committee; and Capt. Carlos Vilella (FedEx Express), a subject-matter expert for ALPA’s Aeromedical Committee. I serve as the campaign chair.

Education is at the core of the campaign. Pilots need to recognize the issues and events impacting their lives and the resulting level of stress they may be experiencing. In addition to a webpage with a host of resources and information about issues like selecting the right counselor, the Green Team produces podcasts that deal with a variety of mental-health advocacy issues. This year, we’re placing a special emphasis on these concerns as they relate to the four pillars of ALPA’s Air Safety Organization: Aviation Safety, Aviation Security, Aviation Jumpseat, and Pilot Assistance.

We’re also reaching out to local councils and master executive councils to share resources and supporting communications. As much as pilot mental health is a national concern, to be effective, it must be promoted at every level of the Association.

“Are You in the Green?” isn’t just a question; it’s a call to action for ALPA pilots to proactively promote a culture in which health, safety, and well-being take precedence. We want to ensure that any concerns about a pilot’s state of mind are addressed early in the process before they can fester and grow. In this endeavor, seeking help isn’t a risk—it’s a responsibility.