Four common medications identified

Following a multiyear evaluation—and one of the most interesting debates among civil aviation medical certification specialists—the FAA announced that it will allow special issuance medical certification for pilots who take four common medications for certain types of depressive disorders. Beginning April 5, the agency will consider for all classes of medical certification the use of Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft), Citalopram (Celexa), or Escitalopram (Lexapro). For several years, AOPA has advocated allowing pilots with conditions well controlled by this type of medication to fly. Before deciding to allow the medications, which are all SSRIs, the FAA conducted an extensive review of literature assessing the risks and benefits of antidepressant usage. It evaluated the experiences of Transport Canada and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in Australia, both of which have allowed antidepressant use in the cockpit for years, and recommendations from AOPA and other aviation organizations. For more information see AOPA Online (www.aopa.org).

Students protest decision to close DWC flight school

80 students are "stunned"

Students and alumni of Daniel Webster College (DWC) are protesting the decision to ground the flight operations major. In March, the school’s new owner, ITT Educational Services, publicly announced its intent to close the program. The college is one of the largest flight training providers in the Northeast and began in 1964 as the New England Aeronautical Institute. ITT purchased the nonprofit school last year when it was struggling with large debt payments. Doing so allowed it to immediately gain a more respected regional accreditation, but its plans always were to grow the school through distance learning, according to Aidan Seltsam-Wilps, the school’s chief instructor.

School representatives said the company is committed to offering current students the classes they’ll require to graduate in a reasonable amount of time. But, said Seltsam-Wilps, “I’m certain that ITT would prefer all our students to leave now.”

The school currently has around 80 students in its flight program, 36 of which just started last fall as freshman. “They’re stunned. They’re scared,” said Seltsam-Wilps. “The real kicker is that it’s difficult to get another application into another school this time of year.” The faculty is reaching out to other aviation schools in the region and around the country to allow their students to apply for transfer now, he said.

On March 30, 40 students and alumni turned out to protest. Marcia Wescott, a DWC alumna who helped organize the protest, said the range of participants was great. There were current flight students, alumni, and even DWC students from unrelated majors, she said. Wescott said that everyone at the school was wearing the school colors in support of the event. “Even if they couldn’t attend, they were there with us in spirit.”