Aviation Attorney Presses FAA to Update Mental Health Policies

This pilot-turned-aviation certificate defense lawyer wants the FAA to develop a more comprehensive system to provide pilots the support they need for mental health concerns.

Michael Wildes

Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at 04:13 PM ET

Verified

LoRusso, a pilot-turned-lawyer recently joined BusinessAir TV, where he spoke with FLYING COO Preston Holland and Kaylee Nix about the state of mental health support in the aviation industry. [Courtesy: Flying Magazine]

Key Takeaways:

Aviation attorney Joe LoRusso strongly advocates for pilot mental health, asserting that current FAA regulations are "inadequate," outdated, and indiscriminately disqualify pilots for common conditions like situational depression.
LoRusso criticizes the HIMS program for losing its clinical focus and highlights concerns that the FAA's "disconnected" personnel often disregard evaluations from mental health professionals who have directly assessed pilots.
He stresses the need for fundamental regulatory changes over superficial awareness campaigns and advises pilots to seek both clinical support and legal representation proactively to navigate the complex system.

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Aviation attorney Joe LoRusso is a “fierce advocate” for supporting pilot mental health and has made it his business to do so—at least that’s how he’d put it, based on his profile at Ramos Law.

LoRusso is a lead aviation attorney at the firm, but before that, he was a pilot. The pilot-turned-lawyer recently joined BusinessAir TV, where he spoke with FLYING COO Preston Holland and Kaylee Nix about the state of mental health support in the aviation industry.