OUR PROMISE
When was the last time you mentioned anything other than perfect stability (i.e. I’m stressed about my checkride, anxious about the weather, someone I loved just died, I’m worried about furloughs and how I’ll provide for my family). Do you remember the response you got from another pilot in the room or at work? I’ll bet it went something like “I’ll pretend I didn’t just hear that.” Or “Just don’t tell the FAA!” And my personal favorite that was told to me for many wasted years, “Make sure a doctor never gives you a mental health diagnosis. That’s game over. You should probably just should stay away to be safe.” TO BE SAFE. That’s ironic.
We’re here to tell you that is absolutely ridiculous. It’s ignoring the basic fact that you were a human before you became a pilot. You should be able to live just like everyone else. Enjoy the amazing times, and have someone to turn to for the tough times. God knows in this industry you’ll get no shortage of either. I’m sure many people reading this would agree that being a pilot is one of the most amazing careers you could be blessed with, but it is also one of the most stressful and hardest to balance life.
The team at Project Open Skies promises to be a voice of reason when you forget the facts. We promise to offer a safe place to talk about anything, where you won’t have to worry about losing your livelihood. We promise to do everything in our power to change the taboo, and, with a little luck, change the regulations. We promise to offer support in all forms, just tell us what would help you. Because chances are you are not alone. No one is.