Condition guide

ADHD and your CASA medical.

An ADHD diagnosis — or a stimulant prescription — is not an automatic bar to holding an Australian pilot medical. What CASA looks at is the diagnostic quality, current stability, and demonstrated functional capacity for safety-critical work.

Overview

ADHD & flying — the honest picture

Adult ADHD is common and treatable. In an aviation context the questions are practical: is the diagnosis current and well-founded, is treatment stable, and does day-to-day and cockpit-relevant functioning meet the standard?

Pilots who received a childhood diagnosis, or who are considering adult assessment, often worry that raising ADHD will end their career. Non-disclosure carries a much larger risk than a properly evidenced disclosure with a structured report.

Aeromedical considerations

How CASA typically looks at this

CASA's approach is case-by-case. Typical areas of interest include: diagnostic history, current symptom severity, stimulant vs non-stimulant treatment and stability on it, side-effect profile, cognitive performance on validated testing, and functional evidence from work, training and simulator performance.

Some medications are considered on a case-by-case basis. We help you prepare so the report anticipates the specific questions your DAME and CASA AvMed will ask.

Our assessment

What we do and how we report

A structured DSM-5-TR diagnostic interview, developmental history, standardised rating scales, and — where indicated — cognitive/neuropsychological testing of attention, working memory and processing speed. Reports separate history, symptoms, objective findings, functional implications, risk and protective factors, and recommendations.

  • A defensible current diagnosis (or explicit rule-out) with developmental history
  • Validated symptom measures and cognitive testing where relevant
  • Documented treatment history, current regimen, stability and side-effects
  • Functional evidence from work and training environments
  • A clear opinion on suitability for safety-critical duties and any recommendations

FAQs

Common questions from pilots and DAMEs

+Will an ADHD diagnosis automatically end my flying career?
No. CASA assesses each case on its facts. Many pilots hold current medicals with a history of ADHD; what matters is the evidence base for the diagnosis, treatment stability and functional capacity.
+I take stimulant medication. Is that always disqualifying?
Not automatically. Certain medications are considered case-by-case. Your DAME can advise on current CASA policy; we can provide the assessment and reporting to support that conversation.
+Should I stop my medication before assessment?
Not without discussing it with your prescriber. We assess both on- and off-medication questions carefully and never advise stopping treatment without medical input.

General information only, not clinical or aeromedical advice for your individual case. Aviation Psychology Australia provides an independent clinical opinion and does not determine whether a medical certificate is issued — final certification decisions remain with CASA and the relevant aviation medical decision-makers. We are not part of, employed by or endorsed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.