Evaluation of mental health within the framework of EASA FCL Class 1 for pilots
On 30 January 2019 the guidelines for EASA Class 1 were changed to include, in addition to a medical examination, an evaluation of mental health and drug testing. The guidelines state that a comprehensive evaluation of mental health shall be included as part of the first aviation medical examination for Class 1.
This evaluation of mental health is thus not the same as the aviation psychological aptitude testing, which is also required for, among other things, application to a vocational integrated flight training program. The aviation psychological aptitude testing tests one’s cognitive and operative capacities, for instance spatial and perception, whereas the evaluation of mental health is a screening and evaluation of one’s psychiatric condition.
Note that you must have had your doctor’s appointment (EASA FCL Class 1 for pilots) before scheduling your psychological evaluation.
What’s going to happen?
The evaluation of mental health lasts a total of three hours. First you’ll fill in a number of evaluation ability forms, and then you’ll meet one of our aviation psychologists. The psychologist will ask you questions about things such as your background, any illness history, and your life situation. You will thus not undergo any tests when you meet the psychologist but will instead simply talk and answer questions. The results of the evaluation will then go directly to the aviation physician you saw first, and he or she will be the one to tell you how it went. In other words, you won’t hear the results at the time of the mental health evaluation.
No preparation is necessary, but you’ll need to bring a valid driver’s license, passport, or national ID. You’ll also need to bring your admission documents from your visit to the aviation physician, as well as the two tests you were given (AUDIT and DUDIT).