Influencer and Voice of the Pilot Mental Health Campaign Receives her Medical

Months after the Federal Aviation Administration pulled her medical on bogus mental health-related claims, Xyla Foxlin has returned to the skies. While this is an exciting development, the Mental Health in Aviation Act remains in Congressional limbo… meaning the work is far from over.

Xyla first went public with her story after losing her medical for seeking therapy and being on birth control. Her viral video, “The FAA is in Crisis”, sparked national attention and led to more than 3,300 messages sent to lawmakers in support of reform. This sense of urgency carried into the introduction of the Mental Health in Aviation Act in April, though the bill currently remains stalled in Congress.

Within days of having her medical finally restored, Foxlin got her 1946 Cessna 140 in for an updated annual and was ready to fly.

“The engine started on the first try… it never starts on the first try,” she said. “It felt so much like the airplane wanted to fly just as much as I did.”

Beyond her advocacy, Foxlin is a well-known engineer, YouTuber, and STEM educator. Her channel, which has drawn over 35 million views, features everything from aircraft building to rocketry. She recently received the Sloan Foundation’s first $100,000 YouTube grant to document the construction of a wooden airplane from raw lumber, based on 1929 blueprints.

Despite her return to flight, Foxlin says the work isn’t done. Thousands of other pilots are still grounded by outdated aeromedical policies. She’s again partnering with the Pilot Mental Health Campaign (PMHC) in hopes of raising $75,000 for continued advocacy and education, including by launching a new fundraiser offering merch items to support the cause.

“Outdated FAA policies are forcing pilots to choose between their health and their ability to fly,” she said in an August social media post. “Every pilot deserves to seek help without fear.”

FMI: www.pilotmentalhealth.org