Pilot Assistance: A Crucial Resource for ALPA Members During the Pandemic and Beyond

Health Watch

By John Perkinson, Senior Staff Writer

The COVID-19 global health crisis has placed a tremendous strain on North America’s labor force, compelling workers in all job industries and sectors to constantly readjust their professional and personal lives to meet the constraints of the latest virus variant. Not surprisingly, the resulting angst and uncertainty among U.S. and Canadian employees continues to manifest itself in a variety of physical and emotional wellness concerns.

Among these workers, airline pilots are no different. Fortunately, ALPA members have the vast resources of the world’s largest pilot union at their disposal to help them through these challenging times, including those administered through the Association’s Pilot Assistance Group. This important component of ALPA’s Air Safety Organization ensures that members have access to support and resources 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pilot Assistance provides confidential guidance and help to those confronting challenges with any aspect of their professional or personal lives that could impact their job performance or professionalism.

F/O John Taylor (United), ALPA’s Pilot Assistance chair, notes, “Ensuring that ALPA pilots receive the attention they need when health and general welfare issues arise is the mandate of this group. Pilot Assistance offers confidential support through a dedicated network of pilot representatives who stand ready to assist members in need.”

The Association’s Pilot Assistance structure includes

• Aeromedical, which addresses health and medical certification concerns;
• Pilot Peer Support, which offers help dealing with stress and anxieties, regardless of whether they’re work-related or of a more personal nature;
• the Human Intervention Motivation Study (HIMS), which covers chemical addiction and substance abuse issues;
• the Critical Incident Response Program, which deals with stress reactions that can result from accidents or incidents;
• Professional Standards, which handles professional or interpersonal issues that can affect operational efficiency and safety; and
• Pilot Assistance-Canada, which provides these same pilot assistance programs for Canadian members.

In addition to addressing these issues, these six Pilot Assistance disciplines host conferences and training events throughout the year and work with other aviation industry stakeholders to share information and promote policies as they relate to supporting pilots while ensuring the highest levels of safety. They also work together to raise awareness of health and well-being concerns to help minimize the social stigma often associated with asking for help.

“With the confidential nature of Pilot Assistance work, it’s difficult to highlight the many success stories of this extensive, groundbreaking program or reference the individuals who’ve worked so hard to return to the airline flight deck,” Taylor observes. “Everyone experiences events in their lives that require a helping hand. Through peer-to-peer support, Pilot Assistance provides these individuals with assistance and guidance when they need it most.”

Learn more about ALPA's Pilot Assistance Group.

This article was originally published in the March 2022 issue of Air Line Pilot.