ADHD Medication and Commercial Pilots
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In a recent post, Angie posted a comment, asking about ADHD Medication and being a commercial pilot. She says that she has a friend who believes that he has ADHD, but is scared to seek help because he is worried about keeping his job.
I wanted to add this comment as a full post – mainly because I need your help.
I have searched online and found three articles which may help to guide anyone concerned about being a pilot with ADD/ADHD. I would love to hear from anyone who has experience in this field – just go to the bottom of this post, and enter a comment to share your thoughts and experiences.
I will tell you that since there are great data showing that drivers who have ADD/ADHD are much safer when they are taking their medication, I would like to think that a pilot would be encouraged to take his/her ADHD medication as needed, for everyone’s safety.
The magazine ADDitude, answers a pilot’s question about Ritalin here. In summary, the FAA would not approve Ritalin, and it could show up in screening urine tests. This article suggests that the FAA may allow other ADHD medications in pilots.
This site reviews the medicines that the FAA allows in pilots. This site suggests that the FAA generally does not approve any of the ADD/ADHD medications – Ritalin, Adderall, Strattera (and I presume this would include the other preparations like Metadate CD, Ritalin LA, Daytrana (the Ritalin Patch), Biphentin, Focalin, Dexedrine, Dexedrine Spansules, Adderall XR). The article does say that the FAA may approve these in special circumstances.
Finally, at risk of being political here – I recall an incident of ‘friendly fire’ in Afghanistan. American pilots mistook Canadian soldiers on the ground for the enemy, and fired on them. Several Canadian soldiers died and were injured. When the investigation took place – one issue which came up was the use of ‘go pills’ by the American pilots.
“Go pills” are dexedrine – the amphetamine used to treat ADD/ADHD. Click here for a full review of go pills. This article explains that Dexedrine is given to help to prevent ‘pilot fatigue’ in the militar. The go pills are used because more pilots and planes have been lost in wars due to fatigue, rather than due to combat.
However, the article explains that civilian pilots are not allowed to have anything stronger than caffeine to battle fatigue. It doesn’t mention the use of Dexedrine to treat ADD/ADHD.
So, in the end, I am still not sure what would be allowed for a commercial pilot with ADD/ADHD to take for hes/her condition.
My hope is that this industry would be willing to be open to the recognition of and treatment of ADD/ADHD, because of the possible improvements in safety if ADD/ADHD is well treated.
However, the concern from a pilot may be that if this condition is brought forward, that he/she may lose the ability to keep flying.
This topic brings up several important questions for me, and I am going to pose them here to see if you (my readers) can help to shed some light on them:
- Do you think that pilots may have higher rates of ADD/ADHD than the general public? I guess I wonder if the allure to flying may attract people who think quickly, and are willing to ‘push the envelope’ more – i.e. ADD/ADHD’ers.
- If you were a passenger on a commercial airplane, would you want your pilot’s ADD/ADHD treated with medication, or not?
- Do you have any experience with or know of someone’s experience with the FAA to get ADD/ADHD treated with medication?
- Do you know of anyone who ‘lost his wings’ because of coming forward with a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hopefully we can help to share ideas here, and support the pilots who are in the ranks of ADD/ADHD.
If you think of someone who may benefit from reading this article, please click the little envelope below, and send them an invitation to come to this site.
Wishing you safe flights,
Dr. Kenny Handelman
Technorati Tags: ADHD Medication, commercial pilot, FAA, go pills
Hello,
My son is wanting to get his private pilots license and then go forward with commercial pilot. Please, please help with any info you have on how we could go about this. He takes adderall but only during school. Not on vacations, weekends ect.
Thank you,
Mary Howell
Hi Mary,
Thank you for asking your question.
I am sorry to say that I don’t know any more about someone with ADD or ADHD becoming a pilot than I have written above.
I would suggest calling the FAA, or visiting their website to ask the question.
I would think that you could ask anonymously – or even get an aunt or uncle to call if you are worried about health privacy.
Please read the article above, and do your best.
Please let us know what you find out!
Thanks,
Dr. Kenny
ADHD does limit your ability to get your Class 1 medical licence (requiered to become a commercial pilot) If your son can prove that he does not need his medicane he might have a chance. I have gone through this and please tell him it is worth every bit of effort.
I have just finished battling with the FAA over this subject. I went off my medication about 4 months ago, almost completed my flight training, then the FAA sends me a letter. I had to do a battery of psychological tests and a memory test, a personality profile, among other things. After proving to them that you are capable off your medication, they will allow you to fly. Also look at this website : http://www.tastesoftheworld.net/Coffee-ADD-ADHD-Press.html
Funny.. I’ve read alot of interesting info concerning add/adhd and pretty much diagnosed myself…. and would like to see if meds would combat the issues… but like all other employed pilots… the use of ritalin and other related treatments would be a career deal breaker….why doesn’t the FAA sponsor some sort of Study?… could use the full motion simulators.. and see what .. if any performance enahncement in piloting would take place if a civilian were to act as pic on adhd meds… the whole idea of being more systematic and mentally sharper in the cockpit would seem to be a benefit…. not a saftey hazard… as far as the military pilots on go pills… well… none of us non military flyboys take off with defense weapons… so I’m fairly confident we wouldn’t encounter a similar issue…. gotta go
Sadly the FAA and the Australian equivalent CASA are disappointingly taking an incredible stance on this issue.
It is outright discrimination and Dr Handelman correctly points out that drivers with ADD/HD who take their medication are safer, however there is no ‘real’ danger when they are not taking their medication either! if there were significant data showing ADD/HD being an issue whilst not taking medication then you can be assured that this would have been addressed long ago. A car is equally dangerous to people as an aircraft in fact one could safely argue that for the general aviation sense that it is indeed more so, if only on the basis that a motor vehicle is designed to absorb impact and can continue driving onto another accident whereas an aircraft will not do this.
QEEG and other physiological testing can show ADD activity in the brain and further investigation in this area would (hopefully) put to rest the ensuing argument about over prescription. Ritalin et al is not alone amongst many medications that are used by the medical profession and not fully understood.
Being a person with ADDHD and diagnosed in the ’80s and subsequently trialled almost (well feels like it) every form of testing available, I can honestly say with complete honesty that this is unfair and implore any medico seeking a doctorate or reputation to research this area further. There is no good reason for this ban to continue, and with 90+ hours under my belt, I let my secret slip and lost my medical a few years ago! However this hasn’t prevented me from racing Karts, shooting, or after much hard work becoming a lawyer.
It still to this day strikes me as the greatest injustice allowed to continue that the US Air Force provide ‘go pills’ to pilots flying multi million dollar aircraft yet a person whom this drug has a genuine positive effect upon, will not be permitted to fly an ordinary GA craft.
I don’t believe that every person could or should be a pilot, in my aviation diploma class the person with the highest academic marks was banned from three flying schools as they believed he was dangerous. This proved without a doubt that while he had the academic mind (and no he was clearly not ADD) he simply could not fly an aircraft to save himself. The reason I’ve typed this personal anecdote is to illustrate that ‘normal’ people who do not take any form of medication can be just as dangerous or more so than the ADD one. This gent passed every theory exam with 98%+ average marks!
The only advice I can offer to any ADD/HD future pilot, is to lie and go off medication a few days before your medical examination. This isn’t the advice I would like to end with, rather it is the experience I’ve learnt and found that the less people that know, the better off I’ve been… and with the help of medication, not a single person in my professional life has any clue that I take medication.
I had been a pilot for 21 years. Over 2200 hrs with no violations, accidents, or incidents of any kind. I held an ATP. I past check rides every 6 months. Then I learned about ADD and realized I was almost a text book case with the exception of my good performance in school. At the age of 44 the diagnosis was confirmed and I began taking Adderall. The FAA denied me any class medical certificate. I took the tests, off all meds, and performed in the top 94-99 percentile in all except two. They were in the 47th percentile and 62nd. In all of its wisdom the FAA still denied my medical. This has been catastrophic for me. My advice is don’t trust the FAA to do the right thing regarding this – they won’t. That was now 9 years ago and I am tearing up as I write this. It was as if the FAA cut off my legs.
RD -
My heart goes out to you man! I too am a little bit emotional as I write.
I am almost 25 and have wanted to fly my entire life. The last few years I have been saving up to pay for flight school. I finally started and am about half way through my Privates license and this came up.
Yesterday I was told that because I have mild attention problems, I will never be able to be a pilot. I am left totally lost. I cant envision doing anything else with my life. I sold my business and gave up everything I have to pursue this and now don’t know what to do.
I wonder why it didn’t come up sooner. I’m sure you wonder the same thing.
I feel like I can relate to you – but on a much smaller scale. I didn’t sleep at all last night and feel so heartbroken. I can’t imagine how you felt especially being in the industry 21 years.
Best of Luck!
Thank you to everyone who has responded! I began pilot lessons this past summer and absolutely loved it. I was picking it up quickly, and, according to my instructor, just about ready to solo with only 9 hours. When seeing the AME for my medical exam I told him that I had began taking Adderall while in school 6 months before. I had a copy of all my medical records with me, which explicitly stated that I did not need the medication outside an academic environment, and thus it was discontinued over the summer. The AME called the regional flight surgeon, and after receiving a letter from my family physician sent me my medical certificate.
I now have a letter from the FAA demanding that I send back the medical certificate. I received a letter a few months ago asking for medical records and a transcript, which I sent. The transcript indicates remarkable performance in the most difficult major at an Ivy league school; the medical records indicate a possibility of mild ADD that does not affect any aspects of my life outside of school.
So I guess I’m off to battle the FAA. Wish me luck and please respond if you have any advice!
Thank you, Mark
Additional thanks to all that have responded and I hope that this page is still monitored.
My story plays like most of us here – A driver who makes things happen in life and can track several subjects at one time and effectivly complete all goals and tasks. One is amazed why the FAA would not require Pilots to have ADD instead of classifying this gift as as a ‘general medical condition’.
My dream and story is as follows. When I was 5 my dad took me to the tarmack and I saw my first planes – a KC-10, B-52 and other SAC related Aircraft. (he was a B-52 radar/nav/bomber) and from that moment on I fell in love with flying. When I was 10 I purchased with my hard earned money Solo Flight and was flying VOR and programming in Basic by 11. See I had a blood oath with a friend of mine in Guam that we would both be fighter pilots. (He is now an F-16 pilot). I continued this trend soaking up every flight sim I could come across and one day when I was 14 my dad broke it to me that I could not be a fighter pilot – I had corrective lenses. Crushed I pursued my other pasion in computers… then it happened –
One night at a party in college up north some kids came around that were up to no good and started causing trouble in my neighborhood – so the police show up and while chatting we asked what was the most interesting thing you have pulled over. “A truck toeing a fighter jet” – apparently we can purchase them now adays (1000 hours is the qualifyer btw) so the research began and Mig25s are not cheap nor if flying.
Several years and many learning experiences later I now have a company that is growing to a point that will supply me with said fighter jet and my ‘general medical condition’ I felt would help me get there – after all it allows one to be very safe since one does not want to die and can process things faster than the average joe.
Needless to say my battle begins and the battery of 8 – 9 tests may begin shortly. I also have not taken any medication for months and this did not seem to matter – additionally I also did not disclose that I was taking any ADD medication since I was not nor did I say I had it as to me it is not a mental disorder. Be warned to ensure that any HIPPA you need to take care of previous to getting your medical that you do so. THEY WILL take it from you and you and from what I have read will give it back after the tests. I will keep posting.
Mark please post your progress, I hope your post was more than a one time shot.
Thank you everyone and good luck.
The timing of your post could not be better, TT. Thank you. I’ve received multiple letters from the FAA since my last post. I’ve returned my medical certificate but I am appealing the decision. They seem to expect an appeal and list a number of psychological exams I can take (with a concurrent drug test) to demonstrate my mental ability. I’m not sure whether this would lead to a SODA or what, but I’m sending a letter back to my regional flight surgeon (to whom my case has been passed on to) with these questions.
I’m starting to think that what many of us have experienced is not ADD, but another previously unclassified mental condition… not a disorder, just a difference in the way we think. The correlations I’ve seen on this blog and on another site, http://www.adhdpilots.org , are no doubt statistically significant. Many of the people reporting this problem are extremely driven: more than half of the members at adhdpilots.org are doctors already or are in medical school. I’ll be attending medical school soon, but now am finishing a degree in biomedical engineering. I’ve also adopted a passion for computers and computer programming.
I’ll keep this blog updated on how the tests go (if I do end up taking them) however the adhdpilots.org site is entirely focused on this issue and seems to need some attention lately. I hope all goes well with all of your struggles.
Mark
Hi Mark et al,
I also believe this to be true. I am going to counseling with my wife at the moment and when I told the psychologist (not chirist) about this he asked how I was diagnosed. When I was younger I took an IQ test for verbal and one for mechanical. I was off the charts on mechanical and a little above average for verbal. Due to the varience that is why I had ADHD. Our counselor told us that was crap.
My doctor I got the medical from said that it passed right by the regional / state general and that it was pulled due to Chantix being on the list. Apparently Chantix is the new thing to pull for since it got put on the disqualify list on May 21 – I took mine in April.
Finally if you get a doc in the FAA named William Higgans (will correct if needed, I am going off memory) I am told by my doctor that he believes everyone is an alchoholic and will disqualify and request pee tests and all 9 tests if you so much as blink incorrectly. To others reading this just plan on an additional $2500.00 and 6 months for testing purposes.
Thank you for the link to adhdpilots.org, I am looking forward to seeing the pages and will keep you up to date on the testing. I am going to go see someone June 18 (quickest I could get in)
TT
Hello everyone,
I fully understand that the FAA does not like people taking adderall and being a pilot. I am currently a student and was denied a medical because of this. Once denied, I was told that if I wanted to appeal the ruling, that I needed to complete a battery of tests. I completed all the tests (MMPI, wisconsin card sorting, PASAT, a multitude of alcoholic/depression tests, and a urine test). This is only a few of the tests.
I passed all of them with only a minor problem relating to the MMPI revealing “Narsasistic features.” My question is this, does anyone know what the disqualifying factors are once these tests are done? It seems as though the rulings are quite subjective at best and that depression is the clearest factor. Is this true?
How often are drug tests given to commercial pilots? I am thinking of starting classes soon. I have not been diagnosed with ADHD but after doing research of personal concerns I think it is very possible I have this issue.
UPDATE:
MEDICAL GRANTED. The Medical was granted earlier last week and should be in the mail. Good luck to all working on their medical! Thank you for all the information! I sure wish I had looked at this website before going for my initial visit!
Congradulations Michael! Currently I am on an extension from the FAA. The place that was recommended to me is a very busy place apparently. I go in on July 22 and take the pee test on the 23rd – did you get your pee test the same day or the next or the previous. The timing we are unsure of when to do.
Update on ADD in general. The doctor I saw (an aviation doctor) wrote an article about me and the ADD. He has stated that it is a major issue that no one seems to have answers to and that the FAA may be lightening up on in the near future. For those who have been turned down he says to keep an ear out as the ADD restriction may be going away soon since our Air Force and Military gives the meds to our pilots protecting our country on a regular basis.
As for the pee test, I would definitely take it the after all the testing. Doing that leaves no question in the FAA’s mind that you were taking your meds during the test. The adderall stays in your blood stream for 1-2 days after you stop taking it. I stopped about 90 days before the tests due to the initial consultation recommendation of my medical examiner.
Some of the tests are fairly intense! The pasat is tough and you should see if you can take it early as it is fairly stressful. As for the mmpi, that one is LONG! 567 true false questions.
Contact me at michael.c.siegle@gmail.com if you are interested in hearing more.
Good luck and soar high!
The friendly fire incident in Afghanistan mentioned in the article is not as clear cut as it seems. There’s a decent writeup on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarnak_Farm_incident
Most likely this incident was caused by “this might be my only chance to drop a bomb” pushing good judgment aside.
From the nonjudicial hearing of the pilot who bombed the Canadians:
“You acted shamefully on 17 April 2002 over Tarnak Farms, Afghanistan, exhibiting arrogance and a lack of flight discipline.”
“…you had exhausted your patience in waiting for clearance from the Combined Air Operations Center to engage.”
The Air Force position is that an overly aggressive airman blamed medication for making a very bad judgment call. The media didn’t report on this development nearly as much as they did the initial incident and the pilot’s claim that his medication was to blame.
Using amphetamines to fly despite severe fatigue is a bad idea for civilian pilots too. That scenario doesn’t have anything to do with an ADD pilot taking his medication responsibly.
A surprising number of bad ideas are not outlawed as explicitly as ADD medications. 14 CFR 91.17 says that pilots cannot legally fly within 8 hours of drinking or with a BAC of more than .04. This means that the average person CAN legally fly 8 hours after drinking 10 drinks without breaking this rule. Commercial pilots have all sorts of limits on the number of hours they can be on duty, and the number of hours they can fly, within a given period. There is no requirement that they actually sleep during their rest period, however. Fatal accidents have occurred when commercial pilots stayed up all night partying and tried to fly the next day.
It seems absurd to me that these drugs have been banned without much study when they may very well help pilots: Improvements in reaction time and concentration, decreased impulsivity, etc.
Hi,
I was browsing this yesterday just to see how many pilots took aderall. I’m a private pilot and got put on adderall 2 months ago to help me with school because i work full time. I find this information very shocking, especially for somebody like me that got there pilot license before even getting on this medicine. From what I’ve read, people who go and have their medical done are telling the doctor up front because they didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I’m pursing my commercial license. My question is, do the examiners look at your medial records if you do not mention this? If you didn’t tell him, is there a chance he could find out?
Thanks so much
OK GUYS,
As a corporate pilot I have a very different view. But I can see where most of you are coming from. A pilot needs to perfrom at 110% everytime he/she gets into the front of an aircraft. We have very long days sometimes and if someone requiring medication forgets to take it and does get back in front and has an accident how does that look? J…YOU ARE CRAZY TO LIE ON A MEDICAL…I ADVISE YOU TO NOT. That goes for anyone else who has lied or is thinking about it…I do know people who have lied on thier medical, they have not been cought YET…but if they are, there will be much worse consequences than not being able to fly. If you think you do not need the medication..WHY ARE YOU TAKING IT. Obviously our bodys were not built to demand the use of drugs to go around doing our day to day tasks. Before getting involved with the thousands of dollars spent on becoming a pro pilot take yourself off all medication for a year see how you do. If you do great and don’t use it for a period of time like that I would trust you as much as anyone.
Hello – glad to see the board is still alive and well. All the tests are complete for mine and it cost me $1967.00 just to get the next stage. The word is still out on whether or not anything will be coming of it and will post when I know more. I would have to agree with the pilot above though – take yourself off the meds and see if you can do it, if not from what I recall the meds make one a little buzzy to create said focus and someone who is overly focused should not be a pilot. Should you require any proof for this just take lessons that you can take without a medical and do the instrument scan for a while.
$1227.00 was the cost of the psych analysis plus the cost of the medical which I believe was $80, plus $50 for the drug test. Not to mention all the gas it took to drive to the places that it took me. At the time, I was living in the middle of no where, so that was somewhat significant! So the grand total was approximetly $1357… Ouch, I was not expecting to read all that! hahaha…. It’s all worth it because I am about to solo in the next few weeks, and hopefully can fly home for Thanksgiving!
Wow,
Reading this I am ashamed of you guys. Michael, shame on you if you are flying on Adderal. I took Ritalin or Adderal through High School and College. When I decided to become a pilot, and found that I could no longer take these drugs and fly, I stopped taking them before I started flight training. Was it hard? It was the hardest thing I have ever done, harder than learning to fly. I went off the medication and found other means of treating my ADD. Natural ways, vitamins, coffee, amino acids. I worked on correcting my behaviors, changing the way I did things. I did this with a passion I had never before had, why? Because I wanted to fly more than anything. I did the HONNEST thing and stopped taking it before I flew. I have never touched an ADD drug since becoming a pilot. To all of you who LIE on you medical, shame on you. I am sad to even share the skies with a person willing to lie about their health. I was a texbook ADD kid, and I knew other ADD people. Long and short of it is, you CAN function without those drugs. It is HARD WORK but you can do it. What I think is that most of you are too lazy to do it, the drugs are easier. Would it have been easier for me to stay on Ritalin and fly. HELL YEA it would have been easier, but it would have been illegal, immoral, and WRONG! As a pilot you are expected to be a little better than the average Joe. Step up fellow pilots, stop being a crybaby and wean yourself off these pills. For all you who are taking these pills and flying in MY SKY……I hope you get caught. I hope your license is perminatly stripped from you. If you are a private pilot, you may get away with this (you are still a sad person to be lying). As a Commercial pilot, you are screwed. Once you fly for a living, you CAN and WILL be asked to take random urine tests……guess what shows up in them……ritalin/adderal. It you are found with that in your urine as a PROFESSIONAL PILOT, your career is finnished. My advice, if you want to play in the big leagues as a pilot, you better step up and find a way to operate without Ritalin/Adderal. You may get away with it while obtaining your ratings, but you WILL be caught as a professional pilot with a urine test. I knew a pilot who was taking Ritalin, didn’t disclose it. When there was a random test for all the pilots flying that morning, he had to pee in the cup just like the rest of us. The drug WAS found in his blood stream and his Medical WAS revoked. He fought it for years and was allowed to hold a 3rd class, but NEVER a 1st. His dreams shattered, because he lied.
DO NOT take Ritalin and fly, don’t lie; be a bigger person
AKPilot
I may have come across as a bit harsh then. I am sorry. It just steams me when people try to take the easy way out. Doctor, I feel that there ARE ways to treat ADD without drugs. Working with the FAA and my Doctor, I found them. I never lied, and obayed the rules. Would I have prefered to have stayed on the drugs I KNEW worked for me, of course. However I did the right thing. It takes ALOT of work on the pilots part, but you CAN find a way to treat your symptoms, and fly.
See all you honnest ADD’ers in the sky,
AKpilot
To everyone in this thread,
Just as a ‘heads up’. I (or my staff) moderate every comment that goes on this blog. This is not done with the intention of censoring the comments/discussion, but predominantly to eliminate spam posts with links to sites that don’t relate to ADD/ADHD.
It is also to ensure that discussion remains productive and respectful.
A general rule of thumb is that someone can express frustration with a situation or an issue – but I expect that people won’t use this for personal attacks.
AKpilot – you were getting pretty close there in your first post, and then balanced it out (somewhat) with the second post, so I’ve left it in, as in the end, I believe that it contributes to the discussion.
Please be mindful of keep comments productive, expressive, but not personal.
Best,
Dr. Kenny
Hi AKPilot,
Please follow your comments up with some of the things that helped you. I and I am sure most of us understand your frustration given the amount of effort you put in to it. The other day a person showed up in a business group of mine and was WAY below the minimum – I put in a lot of hard word to reach a point where I could be in said group and felt a bit like you did because I put in th work and he had not (not yet).
Again please let us all know how and what has worked for you, several of us may benefit from some of the things you are practicing and given that we do or will have children chances are they will have it and we can help them as well.
Thank you
ps – still no medical, still no word, been one month and a week or so.
AKPilot:
It took me a bit to read back through my previous post to try and figure out how you connected me with flying around YOUR SKIES while taking Adderall. I couldn’t figure it out, so if you can find my quotes, I would be happy to clarify. Since this is the internet, and I have a feeling more than just Dr. Kenny is moderating, I believe that it is my duty to clarify EXACTLY what it is that I did and continue to do.
First, I started flying with an instructor. This is without a medical or a student pilot’s cert. In the beginning, I was taking Adderall due to a previously misdiagnosed condition of being ADD. When I attempted to get my 3rd class medical along with a student pilot’s certificate, I found that Adderall was a disqualifying medicine. It was that same day that I stopped taking Adderall, at the advice of the AME that did the examination.
Second, I received a letter in the mail from the FAA stating that I was officially denied my medical. Approximately 90 days after the initial consultation with my AME, I scheduled all the tests with a certified psychiatrist. Mind you, I had been OFF Adderall for a period of approximately 90 days BEFORE getting reevaluated for ADD. I passed the tests (refer to the June 20th post) WITHOUT being on Adderall.
Third, I received my medical on approximately July 10th, still OFF the meds.
Fourth, I have since started my flying lessons back up with another instructor, WITHOUT the meds (Refer to my Oct. 13th post).
Your assumption that I was still on the meds AFTER my initial AME visit is flawed in every way. If you have a problem with me initially flying on the meds, BEFORE getting a medical, so be it. It is not illegal to be a student pilot, without a granted medical, to fly on Adderall. Technically the meds are only a disqualifying factor in the granting of a medical. The medical is a disqualifying factor for flying solo, which is a requirement for the final PPL. So, in a “connect the dots” kind of way, Adderall is a disqualifying factor for becoming a PIC, not flying as a student pilot without a medical. This is because your instructor is still PIC, even if he is in the right seat.
Let me make this VERY CLEAR. I am still a student pilot, and I DO NOT TAKE Adderall. I am working on my pre-solo written OFF ADDERALL and will, hopefully, fly home over Thanksgiving, OFF Adderall. In no way do I suggest flying on Adderall, if you have been granted your medical certificate. That is illegal. THE END.
By the way, from what I understand, it is NOT the ADD/ADHD that is the disqualifying factor from using Adderall as a pilot. “As a pilot” means anytime, not just when you are PIC. The disqualifying condition is depression, as Adderall is used for that also. I believe that is what the psych tests are testing for.
As someone who submits work to the FAA, I realize that sometimes they have a method to their madness.
Hello all,
Apologies about the cranky attitude. I just am very passionate about this……and I happened to have a really terrible day, having found out that and old good friend had been killed in an a/c crash. Sorry Michael; I indeed misred your posts thinking you were sugesting ONLY going off for 90 days before your medical exam, thinking in my mind you were trying to trick the FAA. That was an immature and unjust assumption on my part, and I am truly sorry. I know I came off as harsh. It is just that I had SUCH a hard time initially operating without those drugs, that when I see people, “taking the shortcut.” and flying with them, I get quite miffed.
Please ADD pilots, come up to the skies! The pilot ranks are Chock Full of ADD’ers. I kid you not. This is THE JOB if you have ADD. That ADD ability to pay attention to too many things at once that you feel in everyday life?? Random Example: Like back in College, being able to listen to the professor, watching that guy across the isle you have a crush on, seeing the Raven outside the class window, hearing the animated conversation down the hall(through the closed Lecure Hall Door), noticing that the Prof is wearing the same tie he wore last week, taking notes, and making a few doodles on your notebook??????? (sound familiar anyone). That you?? Well flying is PERFECT for you. You have to be able to do so many things at the same time. In flight school you will watch your classmates stumble while trying to fly the plane, readback an ATC instruction, tune a radio, and look at a Jepp Chart…for you people with ADD…this will be a cinch! I know so many co-workers that were ADD kids. On Ritalin in Public School and/or College. The one common thread I find, is that many of us found ways arround the use of Ritalin. (believe me we talk about this in the air, lock youself in a cockpit with the same person for 2 weeks and you’ll know all their dirty little secrets too) Most went off it on their own accord. Not because the FAA said “bad pilot.” I am not the norm. I went off it when I found the drug to be illegal. Most ADD pilots I know went off the drug at some point in High School or College. The reason? Pilots are notoriously “Type A” people. They like to be in control of their own life. Many felt that Ritalin was becoming a crutch, and they went off it on their own. Well fellow ADD’ers. Hate to cut it short but I must fly tomorrow. I will DEFINATLY come back with some OTC remedies for you ADD Troubles (ones that I found to work anyway) and I will do it with a MUCH better attitude. Yesterday just happened to be the saddest most frustrating day I have had for the past Decade….and I am afrid that I took it out on thge annonimity of this Forum.
Sincerly,
AKpilot
For arguments sake I’ll accept the argument that pilots should not fly while taking adderall or similar medication (though I don’t believe this). What I’m wondering is this: I’ve never been diagnosed as having ADHD. I graduated high school at the top of my class with a 3.9 GPA and 12 AP classes. I then went on to an Ivy League school and graduated in 3 years with a double major. My LAST semester at school a lot of family problems tore my life apart. I found it almost impossible to work and decided to take a leave of absence. I saw a school counselor who suggested that I try adderal before leaving. She wrote me a prescription and I found it remarkably helpful. In my experience this is only the case with people suffering from ADHD. Those without this condition will usually only feel as though they’ve had a few shots of espresso.
When I graduated four years ago I continued seeing a psychiatrist who continued to prescribe adderal though I took it sparingly. (I only filled three prescriptions over the last four years). Additionally, the last time I took adderal was nearly 18 months ago now.
I did not anticipate this becoming such an enormous issue. I applied for my medical in January 2008 and was denied my certificate while the FAA medical devision reviewed my record. Because of adderal I had to send in my ENTIRE medical record. Everything confidential I have ever said to my psychiatrist had to be made available for the FAA to review.
It is now December and my record is still under review and I am left putting my career on hold. This is ridiculous.
A good friend of mine is a commercial pilot and the industry puts pressure on them to do things that are a hell of a lot more unsafe than this (how many pilots right now are pulling a 14 hour shift on 2 or 3 hours sleep? How many are shooting approaches hung-over? Hmmm, that’s okay, but God forbid they’re on adderall) Furthermore, if a pilot’s family gets wiped out in a car accident shouldn’t we want them to seek out some professional help without fear of loosing his medical. Well, don’t worry, the FAA has made sure that the professional pilot will not.
Finally, I just want to ask that given my record why, after 12 months, does the FAA still consider my supposed ADHD such a flight risk that they can continue to deny me my first class medical by keeping it “under review?” If this is such a risk shouldn’t there be a performance standard given to ALL pilots during their medical to spot potentially undiagnosed ADHD pilots – that is, shouldn’t ALL pilots have to perform well on the card sorting and other ADHD tests? The question is really how many pilots SHOULD be on adderall and are unsafe because they are not. Ask anyone that spends a lot of time in the cockpit and they will tell you that there are a hell of a lot bigger problems that adderall as far as safety is concerned.
By the way, for all of you thinking of lying on your medical – I’m told there are pilots in Prison for hiding medical conditions.
Hi all,
)
Sorry for the lengthy entry. Though everything is pertinant, it’s a pretty entertaining story.
I can say that there is a little bit of everybody’s testimonies in my situation. I started flying as a student in late 2004 working on my Private. I just turned 27 this November. I had no indication that I had ADD and was NOT on Adderall until March of this year (2008). I never excelled in high school, but never failed. I even gave college a try but simply stopped attending after 3 semesters and told myself the reason for this, as well as poor grades, was that I didn’t have the will or drive, or that I just wasn’t that smart.
I so seldomly flew that I managed to log three different years on one page in my log book! The funny thing was that my instructor, who was a retired Navy fighter pilot, now a math/physics professor, would always tell me that I was the quickest learner out of all his students and well above the learning curve as far as the flying went. After 7 hours I finally soloed in February of 2006. I was then advised by my instructor to take my written test prior to any further training. Uh-oh! DD doesn’t “do” academics, remember? While continuing to fly, I put off studying until mid 2007 and had 50% scoring on practice tests. No biggie right? I could still fly by myself as a student since I was very proficient.
During the summer of 2007 I got my 3rd Class Medical started to see a psychologist once a month due to a bad break up with my ex girlfriend. Even though he believed me to be extremely intelligent, he told me I was so impulsive that I needed to learn how to “relax” and suggested I get tested for ADD. This was early 2008. Turns out that I have mild to moderate ADD. I started taking Adderall and was amazed at how productive I was in my every-day life. Mind you, I have NEVER taken Adderall or ANY other ADD medication when I flew and STILL DON’T. If my flyin’ ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
For about 2 months I tried studying again for the written test and amazingly, I thought I was ready to take it. I scored a 90 and broke down in tears when I found out. I take my Practical next week and am certain I will do well.
What’s the point of this story you ask? I face a dilema in that I never needed the Adderall to fly but needed it to focus academically. My Medical expires in 2010 and I am going back to school next month for Biology Pre-med. That means I will be attending for a LONG time and WILL use the Adderall for school only, not for flying.
I ask you: What do I tell the AME when I get my Medical in 2010? Saying, “Yes I have ADD and take Adderall only for school, not for flying,” will be the truth but will take my medical away even though my flying is proficient. On the other hand, not mentioning the Adderall/ADD would keep a can of worms from being opened but I would be susceptible to getting caught either through the urine test at the AME’s office or through an unfortunate incident that would have me take a drug test.
As for Adderall and flying, I can only speak for myself so I believe it would hinder my flying proficiency and give me a panic attack or something like that in the air. But if Adderall makes flying more proficient for other pilots then that in turn would make it safer. Wouldn’t you agree? ADD is a LEARNING DISABILITY, something one can’t help. Suggestions? Comments? Go easy on me…
Hello All,
Holiday Travel has kept me busy. A few tips I promised in my earlier letter. I read a book suggested to me by a fellow pilot who also was a “ADD kid.” It is called “The Mood Cure.” It focuses on diet and Ameno Acids. I have found the Amino Acid L-Tryosine is an amazing tool. I used it initially and now no longer need it. It is a natural homeopathic treatment. I also meditate every morning (and I mean EVERY) I drink 2 cups of coffee every morning with one additional cup arround 1pm if I feel I need it. I do 45 minutes of cardiovascular exersize eveery day.
You can read the book to understand how the L-Tryosine helped. The Coffee I found gived me the same “kick” that ritalin did. A kind of focusing of the brain in the AM. The meditation also helps in that same strain. Focusing my attention. The exersize helps burn off all the nervous energy we ADD’ers build up.
My advise is don’t lie to the Feds. They aren’t as dumb as they look. It you want to fly for fun, but still find you need the Adderal or Ritalin; you can get an LSA certificate. No medical required. Just be sure you have never failed a Medical before you apply for an LSA. If you want to fly for a living. Ween yourself off the drugs or go cold turkey like I did. It will be as rewarding a challenge as learning to fly. You’ll know you did it all yourself. No drugs required!
Tailwinds!
AK Pilot
Hello all,
I am going to try the L-Tryosine for the other things like accounting and what are classified in business as the “suck” category tasks and see how that works out. In the meantime I am still waiting for my results from the FAA, apparently only two doctors are there at the time thanks to the war. Very interesting.
Regarding the feds read this months issue of AOPA Training and towards the back there is an article regarding the actions the FAA took towards those who did not disclose Social Security benefits where 40 were prosicuted , very eye opening indeed.
I suspect the reason why you’re all being disqualified has very little to do with the safety impact of the condition or the medications, but more to do with the structure of the regulating authorities.
The legislation is not very specific and both the FAA and CASA have the power to interpret the legislation however they wish. The other problem is also that the people working within the FAA and CASA with the power to enforce this are themselves commercial pilots (many of them are ATPL).
In order for them to be commercial pilots, they all must hold a Class 1 Medical Certificate. We therefore have a situation where none of the people who interpret and enforce the legislation carry a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. So why would they want allow it?
The only recourse when FAA or CASA fails your medical is to appeal the matter with the ALJ or AAT respectively, however in this strange kangaroo court, the burden of proof is on the petitioner.
Trying to prove that a condition or medication is safe is difficult. It takes a well funded drug company ten years to do this. Trying to do it on your own, against a team of lawyers, a powerful authority and as many “expert witnesses” as they need to throw at you is impossible.
What we need is an advocate. We need an ADHD specialist to become a commercial pilot and join the FAA.
Hello,
Hey there everyone. Greeting from the land of 40 below. It isn’t that people in the FAA don’t like people who have ADD. I have been a commercial pilot for years now. I am guessing that a huge percentage of pilots have ADD; a much larger percentage than the normal population. The profession seems to draw the ADD type. Put it this way. A few pilots a week leave their lights on in the parking lot at the company I fly for. So many that now the Mechanics have made a battery cart that can easily access a car. Yet we manage to fly a plane.
ONE thing I find a constant in myself and pilots in general is that we are VERY type A………. we like to be in control. I think that natural Type A personality drives us to drop the drugs on our own so that we know that is is US and US ALONE that attains our goals. The Feds are simply backwards and slow to change, like all Govt’ Agencies. However, like the pervious poster said; almost all Feds are ATP rated pilots with thousads of hours. However I think he is wrong in assuming that None of them have ADD. Many of them, like many of my fellow Pilots have ADD…….I can GAURENTEE it. They probably figured that they got through it without the drugs, so you should too. I remeber talking to Fed about that. It seems to be the prevaling complaint. The champions you have withing the FAA and Pilot ranks are in favor of a pilot adapting and axisting without drugs, rather than letting them take the drug they were denied. Not logical, I know….but my best bet. Try the L-Tryosine and if you are they type that gets a little cranky or sad; combine it with 5-HTP. Both Natural, and A-OK with the Feds!
Happy Flying!
AK Pilot
I feel that it would be imprudent to recommend that pilots take “natural remedies” to substitute their prescribed medications for the benefit of being allowed to fly an aircraft.
I also feel that it is important to stay focussed on the issue at hand; That is, the safety implications of the medication and/or the underlying condition with respect to aviation.
The medication, Dextroamphetamine is popular with psychiatrists and patients, mostly because it is relatively inexpensive and quite effective. With effective treatment, the symptoms of ADD that could pose a risk to safety (if any, depending on the individual) are mitigated.
This particular medication has also been available for prescription since the 1930′s. It’s very well researched, and is one of the very few medications that have been subject to extensive testing with respect to aviation safety (due to the military use of it) and despite the scrutiny of the FDA, and the attempts by many “ethicists” to have this medication discontinued, it is still available.
Herbal remedies, on the other hand, do not undergo such scrutiny. There is no requirement to do prove the safety and efficiency before they’re allowed to be supplied and since they’re “Harvested from natural sources” the composition and amounts of active components can vary significantly.
We all fly, from one time to another, be it passenger or pilot and we all want to feel safe. Allowing personal beliefs to overshadow pragmatism is counter constructive to our safety.
To tell pilots to deny their condition and “get off the meds” is irresponsible.
To advocate that they substitute their treatment for unknown herbal drugs just to circumvent aviation law is just plain dangerous.
A few weeks ago I called on my medical and was told that most of the doctors in the FAA were sent overseas. This no doubt held things back. The wait is over and all the testing paid off. I do not medicate and nor will I. They sent the medical with a strong warning about using any medication when flying and sent my medical. I also had the opportunity to speak with a couple few others who had issues as severe as DUI and they too were able to get their medical, some needed to be retested every year, some were just the one time. For the moment I have my medical and am free and clear to continue my learning path – in the dead of winter. I hope the experience pays off in better techniques and prepares me for opportunities I may not have in warmer states.
Congrats TT.
How’s the L-Tryosine working? How’s life off Med’s? It’ll be tough for the first while. But if you want this enough you will find a way to make it work. I don’t think this is dangerous. ADD has been arround for longer than Ritalin has. People existed without it before, people choose to live a Med Free ADD life now. My opponion was simply that. Though my Degree was in Pre-Med ( I was going to be a Dr before the flying bug got me), I don’t claim to know enough to give ANY medical-fact based advice. I’ll just give you my opponion. Meds are a great treatment for some. But they aren’t the ONLY treatment in my opponion. I have been the top student in my class at the previous Airlines I have Flown for as well as the airline I fly for now. Got 100% on all my writtens. All without meds. You can do whatever you set your mind to. If you set your mind to doing it without meds and talk to your Dr about your over the counter treatments, I think you’ll do fine.
AK Pilot
Never give up. The next time you speak with the FAA, ask them about these guys with adhd/ADD
Col. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington — (1912-1988) ?WWII Flying Ace (Black Sheep Squadron Leader)
Admiral Richard Byrd — (1888-1957) — Aviator?(Was retired from the navy as, “Unfit for service”)
Albert Einstein — (1879-1955) — Physicist?(Famous Tongue Sticking Out Picture; Einstein was four years old before he could speak,?and seven before he could read)
Eddie Rickenbacker — (1890-1973) — WWI Flying Ace
Orville Wright — (1871-1948) — Airplane Developer
Wilber Wright — (1867-1912) — Airplane Developer
AKpilot et al.,
I’ve read this entire thread and am incensed. My first reaction was to add a nasty personal attack. However, after more thoughtful thinking about your posts I recognize that your comments are not intended as harmful but rather the product of a very uneducated and dangerous belief. Acknowledging that this site is not intended for personal attacks I’ll quickly move to the argument at hand and away from personally attacking AKpilot.
I’ve seen only one argument on this blog stating why someone sucessfully medicated with ADD/ADHD should not fly planes: “because they may forget to take there medication and put the AC at risk”. Likewise, ACpilot you may forget to put your landing gear down before you land the plane and “put the a/c at risk”. There are many things that a pilot must remember and for an ADHD pilot who requires medication, remembering to take your medication every 6 hours (or however often) is just one more thing to remember. Similarly ACpilot, while you chide the possibility of flying on adderall – you yourself state that you take “herbal” medications and coffee. So, by your argument this is just as irresponsible as someone taking prescription medications because you could “forget” to take these; what if the coffee machine breaks mid-flight?
I must digress here for a minute to explain that I am a surgical oncologist. I have a successful surgical practice and spend most of my days in the operating room with people’s aortas not too far from my instruments. I spend my weekends flying. I also am ADD treated with with adderall that I take when I operate and when I fly. I’ve never forgotten adderall when flying and I’ve never forgotten aderall when operating. Why is it that it is OK for me to operate on meds but not fly on meds. Does anyone else find it rediculous? I don’t drink coffee because it makes my hands shake and I feel that doing so would put my patients at risk. I have many colleagues who do drink coffee and there hands do shake. So, b/f you suggest that adderall is somehow going to inhibit my ability to fly or operate I’d like you to answer if you would rather I operate on you OR my colleague who drinks a lot of coffee?
Finally, AKpilot the crux of the problem really lies with the fact that if you were successfully able to function off of your meds then you didn’t need them in the first place and probably don’t really have ADD. I would challenge you to provide this message board with evidence based medicine that shows ADD/ADHD patients treated with your regiment are just as high functioning as those without.
The fact that the FAA is denying people licensces because of ADD/ADHD or because of there need for medication that treats this disease is a violation of the persons with disabilities act. It’s shameful for the FAA and shameful for this country. ADD is a real disease with a real treatment/cure (there are hundreds of medical journal articles that prove this). Suggesting that the disease can be treated and cured with vitamins and coffee is as reasonable as saying you can cure pancreatic cancer with coffee.
Providing medical advice here without a medical degree is foolish and dangerous and should be deleted by the moderators.
Finally, my advice to those who are interested in flying and have a need for these medications is without a doubt to lie on your forms. ACpilots suggestion that this somehow makes you a bad person is foolish. I’ve never told a lie in my life but I did lie on my medical. I have a passion for flying, but what the FAA is doing is illegal, arbitrary and embarassing to the sport of aviation. To suggest that my white lie is worse that the FAA’s ignorance is foolish. To deny people with ADD the opportunity to fly would be to deny the world some great pilots as it would to deny the world some great surgeons if similar rules were made regarding medicine.
In reading back through my post I realize that most of my message has a rather agressive tone and I would ask that the moderators not delete this post because I believe it carries important analogies and adds to the discussion. In summary, I’m essentially suggesting that people like ACpilot not make absurdly uneducated statements regarding a disease to which they know nothing about UNLESS they are going to provide us with the medical evidence supporting there wild accusations.
I welcome any of the following evidence which WOULD help to convince me that I as well as all ADD/ADHD pilots should not be flying:
1. Evidence suggesting that a person with ADD/ADHD who is succesfully medicated is in anyway a danger in flight.
2. Evidence that ADD/ADHD medications in anyway hamper your ability to fly.
3. Evidence that someone who is ADD/ADHD is more likely to forget to take there medications that your average pilot is to forget to adjust his flaps on final.
4. Any cogent argument why the FAA is denying people with ADD/ADHD the right and privelege to fly.
I can’t imagine any of the above evidence exists and as such can only conclude that the FAA and ACpilot have come to a non-sensical, arbitrary and descriminatory decision to prevent those with successfully medicated disease to fly. This is a travesty of the highest proporation. If these sorts of decisions are allowed to stand we run the risk of falling back to the pre-civil rights days. How is this any different than the FAA arbitrarily deciding that black people should not be allowed to fly?
I remain open to review any evidence to the contrary.
Here Here!!!
Thank you for bringing some sense back to this thread. I’ve spent a long time sifting through the research that’s been done on amphetamines and pilot performance. The most recent study I’ve found is by Kenneth Mills, called “The Influence of Stimulants, Sedatives, and Fatigue on Tunnel Vision: Risk Factors for Driving and Piloting” (2001). The results are similar to those from the plethora of studies done in the 40s 50s and 60s. You can even find supporting research carried out by the FAA itself.
I would guess that the policy is in place due to misdirected political pressure during the ‘war on drugs’ years. Fortunately, some people in the FAA do understand that the policy is counter-intuitive. After a year of writing letters and dealing with Oklahoma’s insanely disorganized bureaucracy I was able to get my medical re-established without dropping my medication.
Here’s a proposal: Let’s all participate in a coordinated literature review. Let’s look through the scientific journals and find anything related to this increasingly heated debate. Here’s a link to a paper by Caldwell out of the US Army Aeromedical Research Labs: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9408555 . Maybe a little later we can then look into the ADA and how it applies to government institutions (unfortunately I don’t think flying attracts lawyers the same way it attracts doctors).
I look forward to hearing from all of you.
Hello Dr,
Nice post, you sound as passionate as I did on my first one. YOu are right, here is the truth. You know what. If people want to be dishonnest and lie to the feds, go for it. In “general aviation” flying (flying for fun), you’ll never be caught. Pilot’s who fly recreationaly can take drugs and lie on the forms and the Feds will probably never find out. I am warning against people who want to fly for the Airlines. They do random wide reaching drug tests. I’ve “drawn random” about 2 times a year on average I know from a fellow pilot I flew with being caught, Adderal and Ritalin DO show up on these tests. It is because of the family of drugs they fall into. Anti-Depressants also show up in the randoms….also banned by the FAA. That is all I am saying. If people want to do this for a living (flying) and they stay on the Meds, there is a VERY REAL possibility that they will get caught, stripped of their licenses, and charged by the FAA with a crime. I kid you not. You are right about recreational flying, but wrong about Professional Flying…..what I do and have done for a living for years. Please do not call me ignorant, when you know nothing about flying for a living. I would never claim to know anything about Surgery, as I am no SUrgeon. Also Dr, simply because I can function without Ritalin/Adderal doesn’t mean I don’t have ADD; you know that’s the truth.
Tailwinds,
AK Pilot
AK Pilot,
I love the “holier than thou” tone of your post. I also love how you make the “your skies” comment. Classy.
A comment and a question:
1. Anti-depressants DO NOT show up on a DOT drug screen. They just don’t. A little searching around will give you what is really screened for.
2. Have you ever told the AME that you were diagnosed with ADD?
I would be interested to know.
Awesome thread everyone. I’m the doc who hosts the adhdpilots.org website. It gives me goosebumps to see the passion here.
BME, could you PLEASE give some detail about how you went about keeping your medical while still on meds? This is the holy grail answer I have been waiting for.
DR., Thank you so much for echoing what I have been trying to portray now for almost two years on my website.
If any of you have visited my website you’ve probably noticed that I have a link to “Additional Research” which is decided empty. As I have alluded to in some of my posts, this has been intentional (for just a little while longer). Reading BME’s post above gives me hope that I’ll be able to adding the links. So, BME, I totally agree with you with respect to doing a literature search, but before you delve into this too much you might want to get in contact with me first. To say I have done some research into all the research may be a slight understatement!
My overall goal continues to make sweeping regulatory changes with regard to FAA regulations. To a certain degree I feel as though it has become analogous to a game of chess, which is why my link to research is blank for the time being. I’m confident it will make sense to any of you once I get this (almost completed) chapter of my journey complete.
I will update at my site as well as here soon.
Thanks again for all the great posts. Together we WILL prevail.
-Tyghe
I agree with DR. This rule is absolutely ridiculous! I also want to point out that the FAA allows diabetics to take medicine. Going back to the comment of forgetting to take one’s medicine, what if a diabetic forgets to take his/her medicine. They could get in the air and have a seizure. Then people would really be SOL.
>8000 hrs, airline captain for most of those, ADHD as can be according doc, know your weakness, know your strength, never mind what it’s called. no medication so I never mentioned it on a medical.
This issue i have wrestled with my entire life. I happened to have been born in a time when man can achieve heavier than air flight. In the long history of the world men have gazed to the sky and at the meer sight of a bird have stood in wonder. Countless throngs of people throughout history have lived and died in ages where flight did not exist. Yet here we are in the future with flight at our fingertips and by some evolutionary quirk we have rules against men achieving it? rules that say to people like myself you cannot fly a plane. you will never do what a bird can do. you are to spend the rest of your natural born life in a body that is inelligible to fly? My friends this is unacceptable to me.
the challenge is upon us. for future generations of pilots we must fight this battle for these rights the way Americans have always, with a pen and a piece of paper, write your congressman, write the FAA, write the president, write to anyone in office or position of power. With persistance stand the issue in front of them and they will do what must be dont when told by a loud enough voice. Persistance in communication is your surest way to succeed with this endeavor. It is issues such as these that make politicians get up and go to work every morning. It is people like you who will bring triumph to your fellow man. If you are an american and are struggling with this condition it is your right, i say to now it is your duty as a citizen of this democracy to voice your injustice to your representatives. If all of you in this forum call out this despotism in front of the legislative branch our government i promise you the laws will change. what is beautifull and right about democracy when we face injustice we must keep heart, the battle is already won in the constitution. Not only were all of us so lucky as to be born in the first century of flight more iportantly we were all lucky to be born in the country where the voices of citizens have the power to change the laws that they see as unjust.
Friends washington will hear you. if a congressman gets a thousand letters from people who feel they are being mistreated by the law because they cannot fly and take adderall then congressman smith will start a bill to change that law and i will tell you why. Congress does not see us as ADD-ers who want to fly they see us as votes toward a biannual election, an election which they must win to keep their job. They always have re-election nipping at their feet. They would make a bill to change this regulation because they cannot afford to sit around while the floods of Adderrall and the FAA letters surround their desks. Persistance will pay off.
I am tired of seeing this argument on simply just message boards.
If this issue also involves those passengers who fly on airlines,
then by God it involves the whole nation and the news media would be all over this if it were to be shown in the limelight of the mass media in congress.
Lets get this argument on the news networks, we live in a day and age where communication travels faster than light and we are all free men, and by that combination we have more power citizens than any human being that has ever breathed air could have ever imagined. we owe it to ourselves and to every human being who has ever stood on two legs and by chance seen a bird fly past and lived their entire life without that right to fly as the bird does.
The following information will help you in contacting your congressman, remember you put him in office:
“The names, postal addresses, and email addresses of the people who represent you in congress are available online. The website for the U.S. Senate is http://www.Senate.gov. The website for the U.S. House is http://www.House.gov. Each site has an interactive window that enales you to identify the name of your represenatives. Write or Email you U.S. senators and U.S. Representatives expressing your point of view on this issue”(C)N. Tannahill all rights reserved
It is our constitutional right to fly on a medication if we are able to safely perform all those duties of our fellow man. We are all citizens of the same country and no one on this earth can tell me they have more rights than me. We have the right to change the law that says we cannot because we as americans see it as unnecessary, discriminatory. not too mention it has left many people who all they want to do in life is fly with no reasonable goal but to wait for a miracle. Well my friends that miracle is the constitution. It was given to us by those who went before us, men have died for us because they held in their heart the concept that our voice must be heard to ensure that dictatorship in any form would be sought out and destroyed. I say dictatorship because that is what this regulation is. It is a faceless enemy who tells us who can and cannot pass its examination based only on how it feels. Well to him i say what about the feeling i have for flight? I recognize it as injustice. If everyone who reads this writes to their respective senator democracy will triumph for us all.
In closing i say this to you all never miss a chance to look up to the sky, up there is hope for us all.
*I would also suggest hand written mail to your congressman. This is because emails are so easy to delete and congressman always read hand written mail because someone thought enough about an issue to sit down write about it and then paid the government a postage stamp to mail it. They also read it because someone willing to do all that would certainly be willing to vote for their re-election. ah politics.
That sort of inspiration is just what we need! Thank you!!! I just submitted the following to CNN. Simultaneous media attention would certainly help persuade the folks in DC. And so the movement begins…
The FAA currently considers the diagnosis of ADD to be a disqualifying condition for any person seeking to hold a private pilot’s license. Additionally, the use of any of the stimulant medications used to treat ADD/ADHD (Adderall, Ritalin, etc.) is also banned for any private or commercial pilot. This policy is in spite of use among Air Force and Navy pilots, who are issued the same drugs for their well studied performance enhancing effects.
Strangely even people who can prove that they can function as well as or better than the average pilot (through a battery of psychological tests) will not be issued a pilot’s medical certificate if they disclose a history of ADD to the medical examiner.
Treating ADD with medication is effective, but reveals the condition to the FAA. Thus many pilots with ADD must choose to either fly with the untreated condition, or let the FAA ‘clip their wings’ in spite of proven equal ability.
There is a storm brewing among the commercial pilot community about the unsafe consequences of the policy. An equally strong force is provoking the private-pilot community to scream discrimination. Currently a few people are trying to get the policy changed. The heated debate is typified in this forum: http://www.addadhdblog.com/adhd-medication-and-commercial-pilots/
I am an Engineer, but have a student pilot’s license. I was able to attain a medical certificate despite continuing to take Adderall by writing and calling people in the FAA until eventually the right person cut through the red-tape because he (a regional flight-surgeon) knows the policy is not only discriminatory, but it is illogical and unsafe.
I hope this goes somewhere. Thank you!
Thank you again for the previous posts. These are all great points and ideas that are pushing this in the right direction.
I recently obtained my medical back after taking the psychological evaluation for the third time and after being off medication for > 9 months at the time of last testing.
Although I am excited about this I too agree with the comments above. There simply isn’t any evidence that supports the FAA’s continued stance on denying certification based simply on someone taking stimulant medication.
I have updated my site to reflect this. Some of the articles I ran across can be viewed through the Research link on my webpage at http://www.adhdpilots.org
Keep it up everyone. This issue will be resolved.
I think most pilots have ADD/ADHD. We are a high energy, fast pace bunch. I’m almost positive I have it, but fear of losing my medical has stopped me from getting a real diagnosis. I tend to be high energy and scattered everywhere, except the flight deck. Something about the flight deck calms me and makes me focus. I don’t know if it’s that I recognize the importance of a calm cockpit environment, or that I am at home up there. It would definitely be nice to use medication to focus in other areas of my life. Studying and trying to get to the point where I am today took an EXTREME amount of concentration and long hours of being side tracked by the slightest things, a time period in which the aid of medication would have been very helpful. I had always been a good student, just not good at focusing.
My performance as a pilot does not seem to be hindered by this, and I do not trust the FAA to recognize that fact. Therefore, I will go undiagnosed indefinitely. I am sad to read the posts of those who had their wings clipped, my heart goes out to you, I could not imagine.
Also I believe I may have a very mild case of dyslexia. I say mild because I’m not sure if what I experience is normal or a real problem. Again the fear of losing my license has stopped me from really seeking a medical opinion.