Podcast: Mental Wellness and Business Aviation, Part 1

Oct. 30, 2023

Mental wellness continues to be a common, if uncomfortable, subject throughout the nation’s aviation community. In the first of a two-part series, experts share their perspectives about where the business aviation community stands on mental wellness matters, and what pilots might expect if they disclose a concern such as anxiety or depression to their aviation medical examiner. “In the past, it was very much not a thing that you wanted to talk about — mental health issues — when it came to the FAA,” notes aerospace medicine physician Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn. “What we have [now] seen with the FAA, with their language, as well as their policy changes, is that, indeed, they are starting to realize that pilots are human.”
In this episode of NBAA’s “Flight Plan,” host Rob Finfrock speaks with:
  • Dr. Clayton Cowl, prior chair of the Division of Public Health, Infectious Disease and Occupational Medicine at Mayo Clinic, and a 20-year aviation medical examiner
  • Mark Larsen, NBAA’s director of safety and flight operations
  • Lee Rafalko, scheduling and finance manager for Corteva Agriscience and chair of the Fitness for Duty Working Group of the NBAA Safety Committee
  • Dr. Greg Vanichkachorn, aerospace medicine physician and section chief for transportation medicine at Mayo Clinic

Podcast Episode
The NBAA Flight Plan podcast, which ran from 2009 to 2025, provided an overview of important developments affecting NBAA members, and the association’s work to advocate for their interest. The archive of past episodes will remain available for your enjoyment. Please note that no new episodes will be released.

June 11, 2025

NBAA Welcomes House Committee Passage of Pilot Mental-Wellness Legislation

NBAA commended the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee for approving a bipartisan bill to help more aviators access mental health care, should they need it.
Read More

June 11, 2025

MedXpress Upgrades Offer Critical Information and Guidance to Pilots

NBAA welcomes recent upgrades to the FAA's MedXpress website to assist pilots in preparing for their next visit with an aviation medical examiner.
Read More

June 2, 2025

NBAA Flight Plan Podcast Signs Off: Recapping 15 Years of Aviation Insights, Industry Updates

As the NBAA Flight Plan podcast comes to an end, host Rob Finfrock looks back on some of the most popular topics featured over hundreds of episodes.
Listen Now

May 12, 2025

Podcast: ‘Flight Safety Detectives’ – AMTs are Key in Accident Investigations

The podcast hosts and former NTSB members share personal insights on why aviation maintenance technicians are important in aircraft crash probes.
Listen Now