A not-for-profit initiative is using a blended mentoring and coaching approach to support pilots and cabin crew.
Resilient Pilot was created by crew for crew in response to Covid to help pilots and cabin crew feel supported, keep current and stay connected with the airline industry, regardless of current career status. The initiative also has much to offer beyond Covid.
The aviation industry is in crisis, negatively impacting many of its workers. Although the Covid-19 pandemic hit airlines harder than any other aviation subsector, it wasn’t doing particularly well before then. However, airlines haemorrhaged $168 billion in economic losses in 2020, according to an analysis by McKinsey (https://mck.co/3xchlgw) published in March 2022, which says: “Although the temptation is to pin the blame solely on the pandemic-induced plunge in passenger traffic, that would be to ignore the airline industry’s underlying and long-term health problems.”
Resilient Pilot was founded by Stuart Beech, an A380 pilot and Karen Bath, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the airline industry.
Samantha Sloan of 123 People Development is a director of Resilient Pilot specialising in training and development. Sloan, who holds an EMCC European Quality Award, trains and develops the mentors and accredits them through the EMCC. “I’m also a specialist mentor, so mentees come to me for mindset and personal development mentoring for the main audience, pilots and trainee pilots,” she said.
Resilient Pilot focuses upon three core elements: competencies, wellbeing and diversity, providing “resources for continuous personal and professional development to help maintain skills, competencies, confidence and connections; and encourage diversity across the industry”. It strives to “continue conversations across the industry to help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.”
Recent surveys by Resilient Pilot revealed that 83% didn’t have access to other peer support programmes, 65% felt Resilient Pilot was bridging the gap for airline peer support programmes and 58% that the mentoring will help them regain employment.
Resilient Pilot’s services are predominantly free, although it does offer monthly subscription membership tiers for discounts on workshops and simulator training.