Robert Kraus, dean of UND Aerospace, took part in the virtual co-event on UND’s campus. Credit: Mike Hess/UND
Key Takeaways:
The University of North Dakota hosted a summit on mental health in aviation, prompted by the fatal crash and mental health struggles of student John Hauser, bringing together industry leaders, medical experts, and academics.
The summit addressed the significant stigma preventing pilots from seeking help due to fears of losing medical certifications, with research highlighting a high incidence of undeclared mental health issues among pilots and a strong desire for anonymous support.
The FAA has implemented recent policy changes to destigmatize mental health, including expanding the list of approved antidepressants pilots can use under specific conditions and promoting open dialogue within the aerospace medicine department.
The University of North Dakota hosted a summit at the United Airlines’ ALPA Headquarters in Chicago on Wednesday to bring all sides of the aviation industry to discuss mental health and the well being of the industry’s student body and workforce.
Based in Texas, Ashley is the former Marketing Manager at FLYING and focuses deeply on training and education. She graduated from the Baylor Institute for Air Science with a Bachelor's in Aviation Science and holds an MBA specializing in Marketing. She is an also instrument rated private pilot and licensed FAA dispatcher.
