Pilot Screening

* Regarding the Nov. 23 letter of Patricia A. Heald concerning her deceased husband: I was a captain for the same airline as her husband. He flew co-pilot for me. He was an outstanding pilot and a cordial and gentle person, who was a pure pleasure to fly with, both from a technical and social standpoint. I can’t imagine who I would have rather had assisting me in my cockpit in the event of an emergency situation.

Perhaps he did see a psychotherapist. There are lots of reasons for that, which do not disqualify an airline pilot from flying. The reasons for such consultation and treatment are reported to the FAA’s examining physician twice a year, and a decision is made about whether the pilot is still fit to fly.

The issue of alcohol abuse, which Heald raises against both her former husband and “other” airline pilots, is a far different issue than suicidal pilots. Programs for detecting substance-abusing pilots are well in place, including random testing for both drugs and alcohol.

WALLY ROBERTS

San Clemente