Context
The 85 percent figure traces to a 1993 study in Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine that measured how many pilots returned to flight duties after treatment, and reported a 13 percent relapse rate in the same paper. It has since been cited widely as a long-term abstinence rate, which is not what it measured.
FAA HIMS Program – Evaluating Success Rates, Outcomes, and Oversight
For decades, the FAA’s Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS) program has been hailed as a model for professional recovery. But how accurate are the success rate claims? What protections exist for participants? And how does HIMS compare to similar programs for doctors, lawyers, and pilots in other countries?
Our comprehensive research report dives deep into these questions and provides a data-informed analysis of HIMS outcomes, oversight, and the experience of those within the program.
FAA HIMS Success Rates: Separating Fact from Fiction
This report is intended to inform policymakers, aviation professionals, and the public about the strengths, weaknesses, and necessary reforms surrounding one of the most powerful – and controversial – recovery monitoring programs in aviation.
✉️ Questions? Contact us at p4hr@pilotsforhimsreform.org