NTSB Chair on FAA Mental Health Policy: ‘It’s Like Back to the 1950s’

Homendy calls for overhaul of certification process, saying the current system creates a stigma for pilots.

Ryan Ewing

Friday, July 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy joins Oshkosh Live.[FLYING/Kaylee Nix]

Key Takeaways:

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy is calling for a "complete overhaul" of the FAA's outdated pilot mental health system, stating it deters pilots from seeking care due to stigma and fear of career repercussions.
Homendy supports existing recommendations for FAA mental health reform but criticizes the agency's slow progress, suggesting congressional intervention is necessary to enact meaningful change.
She specifically criticized the FAA's medical application question regarding past mental health issues and highlighted the lack of peer support programs for general aviation pilots.

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National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy is urging sweeping reforms to the FAA’s approach to pilot mental health, saying the current system is outdated and deters pilots from seeking care.

Speaking during a live interview at EAA AirVenture on FLYING’s Oshkosh Live show, Homendy said the agency’s medical certification process needs a “complete overhaul,” particularly in how it handles mental health issues.