Are you ready?
From 14 February 2021 EASA regulations come into force requiring all AOCs to provide their pilots access to a (peer) support programme.
The Centre for Aviation Psychology promotes psychological well-being through confidential access to our specialist psychologists and resources.
In response to the wake of the German Wings incident and to meet future EASA and FAA directives, the Centre for Aviation Psychology was established in 2016 to support aviation professionals (e.g. pilots, airlines, flight schools, cabin crew, air traffic controllers and AMEs) as they adapt to this new and emerging landscape.
We know that there are problems to be solved by those in Aviation - and we know that these issues are incredibly sensitive. We believe they require practical delivery with professional expertise. Our teams provide the reassurance you need on both fronts - we have years of clinical expertise and a track record of delivering large scale, organisation wide interventions.
Over 10K pilots now have confidential access to a network of trained Peer Volunteers through our managed support programmes.
NEWS & EVENTS
Auditório da Direção de Infraestruturas Aeronáuticas da ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal - 15 MAI 19
Peer Support Programmes: Our answers to the most frequently asked questions – Robert Bor and Aedrian Bekker, Centre for Aviation Psychology.
Click here for more info.
AEROSPACE MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
LONDON / DAY 1 - 22 MAY 2019
Aerospace Mental Health and Wellbeing
ROLE OF THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL IN PILOT PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMMES, LETS GET REAL
Speaker: Rob Bor, Clinical & Aviation Psychologist, Centre for Aviation Psychology.
EBAA Annual BizAv Safety Conference Day 1 Thursday 29 November 2018
Cologne 29-30 November
EBAA’s Annual Business Aviation Safety Conference has established itself as Europe’s premier event dealing with all of the critical elements related to safety management, including data analysis and performance review.
Aviation professionals from across Europe and beyond came together on the 29th and 30th November to learn best practices from recognized industry experts, discuss and analyse case studies, discover the latest technology and upscale their safety expertise and excellence. The Safety Conference attendees received new perspectives and engaged in candid discussion and debate on how to make business aviation safer.
The conference was an excellent opportunity to meet all stakeholders: Operators, Regulators, NAAs, FBOs, financiers, etc.
Aedrian Bekker spoke about CAP launching a new Peer Support programme for Business Aviation.
Gill Green spoke about the value of good psychological selection practice in selecting the business aviation pilots.
PACDEFF/AAvPA 2018 Interim Conference Program Structure
Sydney 7-9 November
PACDEFF/AAvPA 2018 Interim Conference Program Structure
7-9 November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Coogee Beach, Sydney.
PACDEFF 2018 will be a three day conference consisting of two days of world class presentations and one day of contemporary and relevant workshops.
Robert Bor has been invited as an international speaker for the first day.
33rd EAAP Conference
Dubrovnik, Croatia - 24-28 September 2018
Connecting People, Organisations and Technology in Aviation
The 33rd EAAP Conference was held from 24-28 September 2018 at the Hotel Dubrovnik Palace in Croatia. A record number of 264 Aviation professionals made this year's EAAP conference a huge success!
International Pilot Peer Assist Conference (IPPAC)
Dallas October 29-30, 2018
Aedrian Bekker and Robert Bor were speaking on Day two of the IPPAC event in Dallas.
This event is for pilot peer volunteers, medical and mental health professionals in the aviation field, and organizations looking to develop a robust pilot-assist program at their airline. The conference includes lectures on suicide prevention by Dr. Tom Joiner; FAA protocols by Dr. Mike Berry, FAA Federal Air Surgeon; FO Jeff Skiles from US Air flight 1549 Hudson River landing; along with leaders in the global aviation mental health field, innovators in respective pilot assist programs, and more.
The conference was a place for leaders, peers and administrators across pilot groups to collaborate and help reduce stigma, and open doors for pilots seeking help for mental health issues that may be affecting their lives.
Today, the European Union published new safety rules on air operations, including new provisions to better support the mental fitness of air crew. The Regulation includes the following safety measures:
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Support programme: all pilots working for European airlines will have access to a support programme that will assist and support pilots in recognising, coping with, and overcoming problems which might negatively affect their ability to safely exercise the privileges of their licence.
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Alcohol testing: As an additional safety barrier, alcohol testing of pilots and cabin crew for all European and foreign airlines who fly into the territories of the European Union, has been added. Alcohol testing is already a well-established practice in some Member States and with this Regulation alcohol testing will now be extended to all EU Member States within the next two years.
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Psychological assessment: European airlines will perform a psychological assessment of their pilots before the start of employment.
Click here to find out more
Aerospace Medical Association 89th Annual Scientific Meeting
Aerospace Medical Association 89th Annual Scientific Meeting at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, Dallas,TX, May 6 - 10, 2018. http://www.asma.org/
Aedrian will be presenting on:
“PILOT PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN EUROPE - OBSERVATIONS & LESSONS FROM THE FIELD,”
And Rob is presenting on:
“MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT AND PILOT SELECTION: HIGHLIGHTING THE CORE ISSUES"
Aircrew Mental Health: Going Beyond Compliance
Aircrew Mental Health: Going Beyond Compliance
24 May 2018 - No.4 Hamilton Place, London
The spotlight on aircrew mental health as significant topic was triggered by the Germanwings tragedy in 2015. Since then the industry has moved forward in response and the discussion has broadened beyond the thankfully rare extreme events of this nature and looked towards the issue of supporting aircrew mental health as a proactive stance impacting both air operation safety and staff wellbeing.
We are pleased to announce that Prof Robert Bor HonFRAeS, Consultant Clinical Psychologist will be the Keynote Speaker, followed by:
SESSION 1: LATEST EXAMPLES AND GLOBAL ACTIVITY Session Chairman: Aedrian Bekker, Director, Organisation Solutions and Business Development, Centre for Aviation Psychology
https://www.aerosociety.com/events-calendar/aircrew-mental-health-going-beyond-compliance/
European Pilot Peer Support Initiative (EPPSI) – PEER SUPPORT: GETTING IT RIGHT
European Pilot Peer Support Initiative (EPPSI) – PEER SUPPORT: GETTING IT RIGHT
20-21 June, Frankfurt
The European Pilot Peer Support Initiative have organised a 2-day workshop on aircrew peer support and how to get it functioning effectively.
Robert Bor and Aedrian Bekker will be playing an active role in this inaugural conference.
Agenda Highlights:
• What Peer Support System for my organisation?
• Selection, Training & Currency of Peers
• Peer Support, SMS and Oversight.
73rd IFALPA conference - Luxembourg 2018
Spring 2018
Aedrian Bekker was pleased to have been invited to present at the 73rd IFALPA Conference, held in Luxembourg from the 16th to 19th March this year.
Aedrian presented results from a 5 year project which has investigated the psychology of pilot - customer interaction and its significant impact on customer satisfaction.
BPS position statement Aviation and aerospace psychology: Pilot mental health and wellbeing
Winter 2017
We are proud to have participated in the British Psychological Society’s position paper on pilot mental health and wellbeing. Chairing the task force, Rob played a pivotal role in articulating our profession’s position to this new and emerging field. The paper details the challenge of pilots and mental health; the state of the profession in dealing with this; the particular considerations in assessing and treating; as well as future trends in this rapidly evolving field. Keep an eye out too for Aedrian’s contribution to the particular challenge of pre-employment assessment of pilots.
Professor Robert Bor awarded Honorary Fellowship by the Royal Aeronautical Society
The world’s highest distinction awarded for aerospace achievement
We are tremendously proud of Rob’s recent award of Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS). Receiving this award from one of the world’s oldest and most influential aeronautical society is a daunting prospect. It is the world’s highest distinction for aerospace achievement awarded only for the most outstanding contributions to the aerospace profession. Awarded to a single person a year, Rob now shares this award with royalty (HRH Duke of Edinburgh; HRH Prince of Wales; King Jordan), and aviation pioneers and heroes that have shaped global aviation such as Douglas Bader, J. W. Dunne and Tim Peake. Well done Rob for such a prestigious award and a career dedicated to such an important topic!
See the full write up here from the RAeS and the article in the BPS’s The Psychologist.
And see who else Rob shares this award with here
Summer 2017
We can now announce that work has begun on building the world's most relevant online resource for pilot mental wellbeing. Project Waypoint is a collaborative project between CAP, AOCs and their pilots. A unique and innovative solution, the project pools knowledge and expertise from the professionals with practical solutions and lived experiences from pilots. 'Depression' is our demonstration topic - find out more here.
Summer 2017
In the same week as a Canadian aircraft engineer went public with his experience of depression, our co-founder Aedrian Bekker was interviewed about the role that Peer Support Programmes can play in Aviation - and the challenge for smaller airlines to be able to offer the same support. Read the article here or watch the TV coverage here (starts at the 4:55 mark).
CAP founder awarded recognition
Summer 2017
Our co-founder, Professor Rob Bor has just received the Boothby-Edwards Award by the Aerospace Medical Association in recognition of his contribution to their pilot mental health working group.
Summer 2017
We were delighted to present at Transport Canada's very first Fit to Fly Workshop, which took place in Gatineau, Quebec, from June 6th to June 7th, 2017. The Workshop centred on supporting aviation personnel with mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders in the interest of aviation safety.
May 8th-14th 2017
Find out how you can support the Mental Health Foundation's awareness week, download resources, fundraising packs and get involved.
Spring 2017