Germanwings crash shines light on pilot mental health issues
The apparently deliberate crash of a Germanwings flight into the French Alps by the co-pilot this week has refocused attention on the dilemmas involving pilot mental health, writes Jamie Freed
The annual medical exam for some pilots is the most dreaded day of the year. If they fail, their career can be abruptly cut short.
As they await their physical exam, they fill in a detailed mental health questionnaire. Questions include: "Have you been feeling down or socially withdrawn?" And are designed to detect whether the pilot is or has been depressed.
