The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) should update its substance misuse programs for pilots and flight attendants and improve associated data collection and transparency, according to a panel of specialists in treating people who misuse alcohol and drugs.1
In a report issued in late June by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the panel said substance use disorders in the United States as a whole are “profound” and estimated that they occur among pilots and flight attendants at about the same rate as in the general population — around 15 percent. However, the report noted, pilots are held to a higher standard because of the high-risk nature of their jobs.
“Ensuring that pilots and flight attendants who misuse substances are excused from duties and receive effective treatment is essential for their personal health and for general public safety,” the report said.
The report examined the Human Intervention Mot…
