Document Everything: A Guide to Protecting Yourself in the HIMS Program

For any aviation professional navigating the FAA HIMS program—whether you’re a pilot, air traffic controller, dispatcher, flight attendant, mechanic, or any other certificate holder—documentation isn’t optional—it’s survival.

Many participants don’t realize until it’s too late that their word alone will not protect them if someone later questions their compliance, their honesty, or their fitness for duty. Even seemingly minor encounters—like a quick phone call with a HIMS psychiatrist, a brief email exchange with your Independent Medical Sponsor (IMS), or an informal conversation with your chief pilot—can become evidence used against you or for you, depending on how well you’ve documented it.

This article will break down what to document, how to document, and why it matters.

Why Documentation is Critical

• Memory Fades. Even if you have an excellent memory, details blur over time—dates, exact wording, the sequence of events. You might not realize a small discrepancy will later matter until you’re defending yourself in front of an FAA medical officer or a company review board.
• HIMS Relies on Subjective Opinions. The HIMS program is often criticized for its lack of objective standards and the enormous discretion granted to treatment providers, monitors, and employers. Good documentation helps expose inconsistencies and protect you if you are accused of noncompliance.
• You May Need to Show a Paper Trail. If you ever appeal a decision to the NTSB or challenge a termination, your contemporaneous notes and records can become your most important evidence.

What to Document

Below are examples of what you should record. You don’t need to write a novel—just capture facts, dates, and direct quotes wherever possible.

1. Every Interaction With:

• HIMS AMEs (Aviation Medical Examiners)
• HIMS Psychiatrists
• Neuropsychologists
• Monitors (company or union-appointed)
• Independent Medical Sponsors (e.g., ALPA/AMAS)
• Union Representatives
• Company Management
• Peer Colleagues (if discussing program issues)

2. What to Capture:

• Date and time
• Method of communication (in person, phone, email, text, video conference)
• Names of everyone present or copied
• Main topics discussed
• Any instructions you were given
• Any opinions or judgments expressed about your progress or fitness
• Any threats, warnings, or ultimatums
• Any commitments you made or were asked to make
• Your observations about tone and demeanor
• Follow-up items or next steps

How to Document

While you can use notebooks or spreadsheets, our coalition recommends ChatGPT as the preferred and most efficient method of documentation.

ChatGPT (Preferred Method)
Many aviation professionals now use ChatGPT to streamline and standardize their records. This process works as follows:

• Talk-to-Text: Speak your notes into your phone or computer using voice-to-text.
• Paste the Rough Text into ChatGPT: The text can be pasted into ChatGPT to generate clean, professional documentation.
• Structured Formatting: ChatGPT can organize entries into clear, dated records.
• Copy-Ready Output: The formatted text can be copied into Word, saved as PDF, or archived in personal folders.
• Consistent Filing: ChatGPT can also help create standardized templates and file naming conventions (e.g., “2025-06-28_Call_with_Dr_Smith”) to keep everything well-organized.

This approach ensures records are timely, consistent, and ready to use if questions ever arise about compliance or credibility.

Other Options (if preferred):

• Dedicated Notebook
• Digital Journal or Spreadsheet
• Email Summaries
• Audio Recordings (where legal)
• Saving Original Correspondence

Tip: Whatever method is used, always ask:
If someone challenged my version of this event a year from now, could I prove what happened?

Special Situations to Document Extra Carefully

• Any disagreement over test results or treatment recommendations
• When you’re told to do something you don’t believe is required by regulation
• When you feel you’re being retaliated against
• When a provider contradicts their own prior advice
• When you attempt to clarify unclear instructions

Why This Protects You

Many aviation professionals assume “being agreeable” will shield them from trouble. But the reality is:

• You can be 100% compliant and still face allegations of noncompliance.
• Personal recollection alone is not persuasive evidence.
• Documentation makes it harder for someone to rewrite history.
• A consistent, organized record demonstrates professionalism and credibility.

Final Thoughts

The HIMS system can be a bureaucratic maze. Good records are your flashlight, your compass, and your shield.

Start documenting today. Even if you haven’t done it before, it’s never too late to begin.

Pilots for HIMS Reform encourages all participants—pilots, controllers, flight attendants, mechanics, dispatchers, and other certificate holders—to make ChatGPT your go-to method for recording and organizing everything.

Together, we’re stronger—and better prepared.