Aviation Articles

Can You Be a Pilot With ADHD? How the FAA's Fast Track Actually Works

A childhood ADHD diagnosis or an old prescription doesn't end a flying career before it starts. The FAA sorts ADHD histories into a Fast Track and a Standard Track, and the difference between them is one interview versus days of testing. An aviation psychologist explains who qualifies for each, and why the order you do things in matters most.

HIMS Explained: What Happens to Your Medical After a Substance-Related Event

A DUI, a positive test, or an honest answer on Item 18 can put a pilot in the FAA's HIMS program. It's not the end of a career. An FAA/HIMS trained aviation psychologist explains the evaluation, treatment, monitoring, and special issuance steps, and what a substance abuse evaluation actually looks at.

Antidepressants and Your FAA Medical: How the Path Actually Works

Pilots can fly on certain antidepressants. The FAA's Antidepressant Protocol has a short list of approved medications, a stability period, and a defined evaluation path. An aviation psychologist walks through what it involves and what to do before you fill the prescription.

Can Pilots Go to Therapy? What the FAA Actually Says

Yes, pilots can go to therapy, and as of May 2026 the FAA says it wants you to. What actually has to be reported, what doesn't, and how to walk in with your eyes open, from an aviation psychologist who used to fly.

Pilots Have Been Hiring Life Coaches. The FAA Just Gave You a Better Option.

For years, pilots hired life coaches because a psychologist felt like a risk to the medical. That was a rational response to the system. In May, the system changed.