Going back to this for a second....
We have some people here who have said they are pilots or have been flight instructors. I would ask them, is it true that some pilots avoid medical diagnoses that might cause them to get grounded?
For instance, I found a list of medical conditions that are considered disqualifying by the FAA:
- Angina pectoris
- Bipolar disease
- Cardiac valve replacement
- Coronary heart disease that has been treated or, if untreated, that has been symptomatic or clinically significant
Etc. Etc. (See list)
Source:
Pilot Medical Certification Questions and Answers
And then there's medications that can be disqualifying, which include:
"Pharmaceutical Considerations: The use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying for aeromedical certification purposes - this includes all antidepressant drugs including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, the FAA has determined that airmen requesting first, second, or third class medical certificates while being treated with one of four specific SSRIs may be considered...
Source:
Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
And: "Note: The use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying for aeromedical certification purposes. This includes all sedatives, tranquilizers, antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs (including SSRI's -
see exceptions), analeptics, anxiolytics, and hallucinogens."
Source:
Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
My point is only to say that since KB is a pilot, then 1) she may have an incentive to avoid any kind of several diagnoses that would bar her from being a pilot (hey, if I'm depressed, or if I have, say, bipolar disorder, then I'm certainly not going to seek that treatment that Average Joe Non-Pilot has at his disposal.); and 2) the family has the same incentive not to disclose any of a number of conditions that she may have or that may not be diagnosed because they don't want to jeopardize her career.
See this source:
Can Psychological Screening Prevent Pilot Suicide?
"Pilots do not self-report medical or psychological problems because, under the current system, a pilot who seeks help for psychological problems is at risk of being grounded and fired. Knowing that, pilots obtain help discretely - perhaps without revealing their occupation - or go without psychological help."
So I'd take those answers with a grain of salt.
