Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Mike Whitaker announced today that the agency has officially established the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee (ARC). 

The ARC will provide recommendations to the FAA on ways to identify and break down any remaining barriers that discourage pilots from reporting and seeking care for mental health issues. The ARC will also consider the same issues for FAA air traffic controllers. 

The rulemaking committee will submit its recommendations to the FAA by the end of March 2024.  

The FAA will soon name experts from the aviation and medical communities who will serve on the committee. Their work will build on the FAA’s previous work to prioritize pilot mental health.