Industry leaders discuss pilot mental health, safety in the maintenance shop, and rotary-wing operations
Clearing the path back to the cockpit
By Ian Blair Fries, MD
Senior HIMS AME, MRO, SAP
Having served as an aviation medical examiner (AME) for decades – especially as a human intervention motivational study (HIMS) AME for the past 17 years, my mission is straightforward – to help pilots recover their health and their medical certificates, guiding them back safely to the cockpit.
My journey in aviation medicine began in 1975 as a US Air Force flight surgeon. After leaving the military, I became an AME. A major shift occurred about 17 years ago, when FAA first began granting special issuances to pilots taking one of 4 antidepressant medications.
They needed physicians to manage these complex cases, which involved psychiatric and neuropsychological evaluations. I trained to become a HIMS AME, expanding my role to help pilots not only with mental health conditions, but also with substance dependence, joining a program designed originally for alcohol and drug issues.
The progress since then has been significant. We now have 9 accepted medications, and there’s greater acceptance that a pilot with a treated condition can be safe.
The HIMS program itself is spectacularly successful. A pilot who complies fully has an 85% chance of getting their medical back – even those with multiple DUIs or serious issues like heroin or fentanyl dependence. We’re not just processing paperwork.
We’re helping people get their lives back. The relapse rate in the program is only about 15%, which is far lower than in the general population.
When a pilot comes to me, I am direct about 3 things. First, it will take longer than they want – often many months, and sometimes a year or two. Second, it will be administratively complex. And third, it will be costly, as health insurance typically does not cover HIMS. But I also give them hope. If they commit, there’s an 85% chance they will fly again. That’s how I motivate them.
My advice to any pilot struggling is to come forward sooner rather than later. You can even start the conversation anonymously – talk to me about a “friend” if you think that may help.
The ability to recognize a problem and discuss it is the first step to recovery. Even a relapse does preclude recovery and return to flying. Remember, the primary question should always be, “What is best for my health?” not “What will FAA think?” Get the care you need first. We’ll work with FAA afterwards.
While the medical outcomes are positive, the system itself needs improvement. Our communication with FAA is often slow and opaque, relying on outdated software. Pilots deserve a more efficient, transparent process.
Furthermore, as experienced HIMS AMEs, we should have more authority to grant special issuances in the field, subject to FAA review, just as a pilot examiner issues a certificate on the spot.
I do this work because I enjoy helping people. Seeing a pilot recover and return to flying puts a smile on my face – and on theirs.
My goal is never to keep a qualified pilot out of the cockpit, but to ensure they return to it safely, for their sake and for the safety of everyone who flies with them.
Safety must be a pilot’s compass
Pilots are the final line of defense against the inherent risks that come with working with complex machinery and volatile weather.
By Michael Zangara
Chief Pilot
Arkansas Children’s Hospital
Over my 30-year career and nearly 12,000 flight hours, one principle has guided every decision – a commitment to safety. This mindset wasn’t just taught. Instead, it was built through experience and cemented by responsibility.
My early career was defined by meticulous training. I spent over 4400 hours as a Robinson production test pilot and instructor, where I learned that mechanical knowledge and rigorous procedure are the foundations of safe flight. I understood that a safe helicopter could be mismanaged, so precision mattered.
Later, I trained countless pilots, often acting as a “pre-examiner” to drill them on maneuvers and decision-making.
My goal was always to send them for their check rides so prepared that failure wasn’t an option. That foundation in excellence is the first layer of safety.
My perspective deepened with every role. Flying single-pilot IFR medical missions for STAT and now for Arkansas Children’s Hospital, I learned that operational safety means having the tools and the courage to say “no.” We don’t push into bad weather. With our S-76D, we file IFR, use night vision goggles (NVGs), and leverage advanced avionics to create a structured, safe environment.
My time in the Northeast flying dual-pilot corporate operations reinforced that safety is a team discipline, built on communication and shared vigilance.
Today, leading a hospital-based helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) program, safety is my core mission. We don’t do scene flights.
We perform controlled, IFR transfers for critically-ill children. We mitigate risks like bird strikes by understanding our environment and using technology.
Most importantly, we invest heavily in recurrent training. Every pilot goes to FlightSafety International (FSI) annually. And our new hires undergo months of training before flying a solo mission. There are no shortcuts.
My advice to the next generation is rooted in this “safety first” ethos – Never be afraid to turn down a flight.
Your primary duty is to bring everyone home. Stay current, know your aircraft’s systems intimately, and treat proficiency not as a requirement, but as a personal responsibility. The industry has given me an incredible career, but it has also entrusted me with lives.
That’s a sacred trust that we as pilots must uphold every time we lift off, and it’s the most important contribution that we can make.
Flight safety starts at the maintenance shop
By Charles Amento
VP/Director of MRO Services
Banyan
For the past 27 years, my world has been focused on ensuring that aircraft are not just airworthy, but exceptionally safe. I’ve built my career upon this responsibility. I started as an A&P mechanic on the floor right here at Banyan 20 years ago.
I worked my way up, from crew leader to shop supervisor, director of maintenance, and now to my current role, where I oversee all our technical departments, including maintenance and avionics for our Part 145 repair station.
This journey from the toolbox to leadership has given me a profound respect for every bolt, wire, and system that keeps an aircraft flying.
At Banyan, we are a full-service operation.
We work on about 14 different airframes, from single-engine turboprops like the Pilatus PC-12 all the way up to Bombardier Challengers and Globals, Dassault Falcons, and Gulfstreams.
We’re an authorized service center for Pilatus and HondaJet, and a Honeywell channel partner for engines and APUs. On any given day, we have 40 to 50 major maintenance projects in progress, staffed by a team of 55 highly-skilled A&P technicians and avionics specialists.
Our core mission is safety, and it begins with expertise. We combat the industry-wide challenge of experience with rigorous in-house training, on-the-job programs, and formal training with OEMs and companies like FlightSafety Intl and CAE.
But our most critical safety protocol is our Required Inspection Item (RII) program. Simply put, 2 sets of eyes are on everything.
When a technician completes a task, a designated floor inspector must verify that all procedures were followed, proper tooling was used, and manuals were current before an aircraft is returned to service.
This “double-check” culture is non-negotiable.
I often advise Part 91 flight departments that, while handling minor tasks in-house is feasible, major maintenance should go to a reputable Part 145 repair station.
The tooling, specialized expertise across airframe, engine, avionics, hydraulics, and systems, and structured safety processes are resources that a single department simply can’t match.
When choosing a facility, ask the hard questions – What training do your technicians have? Is your tooling updated? Do you have a formal inspection process?
To young people considering this career, I say this – It must be a passion. We deal with lives every day. It’s fast-paced and incredibly rewarding, but it demands unwavering focus and a love for aviation technology.
At Banyan, we foster this through our apprentice program, pairing new A&Ps with seasoned mentors for a year of guided, hands-on training in best practices and safety.
Maintenance is the fundamental pillar of flight safety. It’s the unseen work that enables every safe takeoff and landing.
My team and I at Banyan are committed to being that pillar, ensuring every aircraft that leaves our care does so with absolute integrity. It’s a responsibility we hold sacred.