When JetBlue captain Clayton Osbon became unpredictable, his co-pilot invented a reason for him to go back into the cabin.Once the captain was out of the cockpit   , the co-pilot locked the door to keep the captain from returning.Passengers, some with law enforcement experience, calmed the captain.The flight changed course to Amarillo, Texas where the captain was hospitalized. Incidents in which a pilot has had an in-flight psychological breakdown are rare.But how could it happen at all? Though pilots are required to have an examination at least once a year by a physician approved by the FAA, there are no formal procedures in place to test pilots for signs of psychological problems. At most airlines, pilots are members of a union.A pilot who appears to have a psychological or an alcohol problem can be reported to a union member whose job it is to investigate.If there is a problem, the pilot is given the choice of getting treatment or being reported to management.But at airlines, such as Allegiant, JetBlue, and Virgin American where there is no union, pilots are - to say the least - unwilling to report a fellow pilot to management. In most professions, a person experiencing emotional difficulties is free to consult a doctor.Rut an airline pilot in therapy is viewed with suspicion both by the airline and by the FAA.No pilot wants to be put under extra examination by an agency that has the power to _ their license or end their employment.That being the case, pilots are less likely than people in other professions to seek help. There may be no way to make sure this never happens again, but its possibility can be reduced. Tests such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ( MMPI) can reliably detect depression, paranoia, schizophrenia, and other problems.The FAA could require pilots to take the MMPI or a similar test on a periodic basis.Whether such testing becomes required will depend upon the public's response to this incident and whether additional incidents take place. Flying is remarkably safe.But incidents such as this cause concern. Why are some pilots unwilling to report a fellow pilot to management?
Because they are tested for signs of psychological problems every year. Because they are likely to be treated by physicians. Because they are supported by the airlines. Because they might be fired.