Airplane News: Mental Health Recommendations, NTSB on Dust Devils, Controllers Help Identify Hypoxia

Welcome to your weekly General Aviation news update, and this week we have 3 stories for you; Mental Health Committee issues recommendations, NTSB Warns of Dust devils, Controllers credited with Hypoxia Save. First up, the Mental health ARC has issued a recommendation that pilots are allowed to get “Talk Therapy” from professionals without needing to disclose it on their medicals. The ARC report also discussed the current culture within the aviation industry that contributes to medical disorders not being disclosed including fear of job/income loss, reputation loss, and potential prosecution. Along with culture, the report discusses trust levels between pilots/controllers, the FAA, and AMEs. In total, the report is 164 pages long, including figures, and has 24 total recommendations for the FAA. The FAA has received the report and is in the process of reviewing it. We’ll keep you updated if we see more. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/mental-health-committee-says-pilots-shouldnt-have-to-report-talk-therapy-sessions/ Next up, the NTSB has issued a safety alert for Dust Devils. Dust devils have been present in 170 aviation accidents since 1982, and can pose a serious risk to small aircraft. The small, swirling vortex of air are typically 100 to 300 feet wide, and about 1000 feet tall. Wind speeds can exceed 60mph and are most commonly found in the South West of the United States. The NTSB says that dust devils are commonly invisible and can result in uncommanded roll or yaw inputs along with loss of lift. Should you encounter a dust devil, promptly report it to ATC. https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/ntsb-warns-pilots-of-dust-devil-dangers/ Finally, two controllers out of Boston are being credited with a Hypoxia save. Rosella Owen and Scott Elms were controlling a Cessna 310 on a photo mission at 13,500 when they noted the pilot wasn’t as responsive as most pilots in the congested airspace. Owen asked if the pilot was okay and was on oxygen, to which he replied he was. The controller determined his performance didn’t match the level of experience he had as a pilot and directed him to descend to 9000 feet. Upon descending, radio calls were “getting clearer and sharper every time,”. The pilot later found a kink in the oxygen line. Great job to these controllers out of Boston! https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/controllers-credited-with-hypoxia-save/ Alright, that’s it! Have a great week and we’ll see you next week.