Peace of mind.
At every altitude.

Aviation psychology considers psychological wellbeing in the context of an aviation career. Alongside the wider scope of psychological services, it takes account of shift work, high responsibility, teamwork and life between flights.

Who it is for

• Pilots and cabin crew seeking support with professional or personal challenges.
• Air traffic controllers, engineers and technical specialists working under demanding conditions.
• Other aviation employees facing change, stress or relationship difficulties.

Choosing the right approach

The first conversation helps clarify your needs and identify a suitable service. Individual psychological support, peer support and psychological assessment have different goals and should not be confused. A consultation does not automatically constitute a fitness-for-duty assessment.

A Pilot Peer Support Programme enables trained colleagues to help aviation professionals seek support. Shared professional experience makes it easier to discuss challenges that may be difficult to explain to someone outside aviation.

What matters in a programme

• Clear limits to the peer role: peers offer support and guidance but do not replace a psychologist or doctor.
• Peer training, professional oversight and access to specialist referral.
• Clearly defined confidentiality rules and procedures for serious safety concerns.

Confidentiality and EASA

CAT.GEN.MPA.215 and related EASA guidance describe the principles of flight crew support programmes. Confidentiality is the foundation of trust, but does not mean there are no exceptions in any circumstances. The applicability of requirements is assessed for each organisation.

Source: EASA, CAT.GEN.MPA.215 ↗

Online support lets you reach out whether you are at home or between flights. Zenify provides for requests around the clock; consultation availability and response times need to be confirmed when you make contact.

Preparing for your first contact

• Indicate your preferred contact method and time zone.
• A general description is enough for the first request; do not share sensitive information through an unverified channel.
• Ask which consultation languages and formats are available in your country.

What 24/7 availability means

Being able to send a request at any time does not guarantee an immediate response from a specialist. Online psychological support does not replace local emergency services in a situation of immediate danger.

Psychological assessment during recruitment is tailored to a specific professional role. Pilots, cabin crew, controllers and technical specialists each have a distinct context: a single universal test cannot describe every aviation requirement.

Planning the assessment

• Define the role, assessment objectives and relevant professional attributes.
• Agree on methods, assessor qualifications and applicable requirements.
• Explain to the candidate how results will be handled and feedback provided.

Assessment and support are different processes

Candidates should understand why an assessment is being conducted, who will receive the results and how they will be used. Seeking psychological support serves a different purpose and should not be presented as a selection procedure. The terms of each process need to be explained separately.

People may have different needs after a difficult event. Crisis & Critical Incident Support offers psychological support for personnel and helps organisations establish an appropriate support process.

What to discuss when reaching out

• Whether you need individual support, team support or a consultation for a manager.
• How to ensure voluntary, clear and confidential contact.
• When another specialist needs to be involved.

Scope and limits

Psychological support does not replace emergency response, medical care or an aviation occurrence investigation. Procedures, specialist availability and organisational involvement are agreed separately. Do not publish details of people involved in an incident in an open form.

Training & Workshops supports the development of aviation teams, peer supporters and managers. Programmes should match participant roles: a supportive peer conversation, a management decision and a psychological consultation require different skills.

Topics to agree on

• Psychological wellbeing and a culture of seeking help early.
• The peer role, confidentiality, limits of competence and specialist referral.
• Supporting employees as a manager and establishing clear channels for help.

How programmes are designed

Before training, the audience, professional tasks, format and intended outcomes are clarified. Content, duration and trainer qualifications must be confirmed for each event. This page does not claim to provide EASA accreditation or certification.

Corporate aviation psychology services help establish a clear system of support for personnel. Programmes should reflect the organisation's structure, professional roles, applicable requirements and the actual capacity of the support service.

Programme components

• Assess organisational needs and design the support pathway.
• Develop peer support and train participating colleagues.
• Agree on candidate assessment, training and support for managers.

What to agree before launch

Identify responsible specialists, live support hours, response times, data access rules and procedures for complex situations. Compliance with applicable EASA requirements is assessed for each programme; mentioning EASA does not imply agency endorsement of the provider.

Source: EASA, CAT.GEN.MPA.215 ↗