Laila Stein is a flight operations specialist for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and a member of the Pilot Mental Health Campaign Board of Directors. Through both roles, Stein aims to help share the perspective of young aviation professionals with stakeholders as well as communicate significant and relevant changes to affected populations.
Stein entered the world of aviation mental health with the publication of her undergraduate thesis titled “Mental Health in Aviation: A Study of Aviation Students on Their Perceptions of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Rules Governing Mental Health.”
Laila holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Flight Science and Management and Operations from Western Michigan University. She also holds FAA Commercial and Certified Flight Instructor Certificates.
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Pilot Mental Health Campaign
@PilotMHCampaign
Q: What drew you to business aviation, and what drives you to engage with aviation students?
I love sharing the business aviation industry with students because it is not talked about enough in training programs. Nowadays, people may feel pressure to have their careers all figured out from the beginning, or that you have to go down a certain path to reach your goals. Both of those ideas are false.
“It was a series of closed doors that led me to be in the right place at the right time to end up where I am today.”
For me, it was a series of closed doors that led me to be in the right place at the right time to end up where I am today. I ended up in business aviation by accident, which I am learning is not uncommon. At Western Michigan University’s flight program, I learned about airlines and their cadet programs – which is common for university programs. But I knew I didn’t want to become an airline pilot, so I spent a lot of time searching for alternatives. I eventually stumbled upon aviation advocacy work through one of my passions, which is mental health reform in the aviation industry.
Q: What challenges do younger people face now in terms of navigating their mental wellness while pursuing aviation careers?
One of the biggest challenges is the difference between how younger people approach mental wellness and how the industry addresses it. On the whole, younger people have accepted mental wellness as a fact of life, much like physical health, where it can take a variety of solutions to manage depending on the person. However, I see a lot of hesitancy from the industry to accept mental wellness as something we can address, and I see concern from many younger people who feel like they may not fit in or be accepted because of it.
We should be encouraging people to take care of their mental health however they need to, because healthy people are safe people. Also, encouraging talk therapy and reducing the wait time for medications is crucial.
Q: What reliable aviation resources are available to help them with the FAA medical certificate process?
NBAA partnered with the industry and the FAA on a checklist that walks new and returning medical applicants through MedExpress form 8500-8. The checklist offers a preview of questions that will be asked on the medical application, and what information you may need to provide.
Even if you’ve previously applied for a medical application, when reporting something new to the FAA like a mental health condition, it is important that you first take a look at The Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs). Information in the guide can help ease frustration and confusion, which could possibly speed up your application time. However, it can be hard to understand, so I also recommend the FAA’s AME Guide: Know Before You Go.
Review information and resources about aviation medical issues at nbaa.org/medical.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.