WHAT IS EPPSI?

In early 2016, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) suggested to make PSP mandatory across Europe to ensure they are available in each and every CAT operator and every EASA Member State, building on best practices from other programmes.

This is why ESAM, ECA, EAAP and Mayday Foundation set up the European Pilot Peer Support Initiative – EPPSI – to promote best practices and to facilitate communication and exchange between stakeholders engaged in or planning to engage in PSP.

WHY PEER SUPPORT?

Peer Support Programmes (PSPs) have proven successful in assisting pilots and other safety-sensitive crew that asked for help by listening to them and signposting them to professional assistance where necessary. While today’s PSPs may cover substance abuse issues (mainly alcohol dependency) as well as training, performance and work-stress related issues, there is a need to further extend them to mental health and mental wellbeing assistance.

EPPSI Launch Seminar 2017

The EPPSI Launch Seminar took place on Febuary 2nd, 2017 in Frankfurt. Go to the Event Reports page for the presentations and pictures.

“The independence of our Foundation helps a lot as it makes pilots trust the programme.”

Gerhard Fahnenbruck, Mayday Foundation Mayday Foundation

“Trust is really the main issue: Trust from the pilot, trust from the company and trust from the regulator. We need the buy-in of all those three parties.”

Tanja Harter, IFALPA Tanja Harter, IFALPA

“We need a shift in mentality: you are not ‘grassing up’ a colleague but helping, when referring him or her to the programme.”

Dave Fielding, BALPA Dave Fielding, BALPA

“What is in it for an employer? Getting help to people before their individual point of crisis is reached, where they would be going long-time sick. This was previously was the point we first heard about it”

Charlie Maunder, British Airways Charlie Maunder, British Airways

“EPPSI is a platform to exchange and promote best PSP practices among stakeholders – so please join!”

Paul Reuter Paul Reuter, EPPSI Chairman

“EASA is very much in favour of initiatives like EPPSI, as we believe in safety promotion initiatives by stakeholders.”

Julia Egerer, EASA Julia Egerer, EASA