Description

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex and debilitating condition that can affect every aspect of a person's life.

This article provides some guidance concerning the psychological effects traumatic events can cause. Fortunately, for most professional pilots and Air Traffic Control officers, such events are uncommon but when they do occur it is important appropriate action is taken to ensure flight safety is not compromised and for the benefit of the individual(s) involved.

Traumatic events (called critical incidents) are those which involve an individual being exposed to an extraordinary situation (usually life-threatening, or believed to be life-threatening) which, depending on the circumstances, is perceived with a varying degree of fear, horror and or helplessness. Examples in aviation include: