Paul Poloka (MSc, GMBPsS)’s Post

🚀 As I've always said, if you want to advance a cause at a quicker pace, model those who are already where you want to be... Or are at least 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨. Take a look at what conversations are happening in aviation 𝑺𝒂𝒇𝒆𝒕𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑺𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒔. This is definitely worth your time. #sms #psms #aviation #mentalhealth #safety

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has released an evaluation report on the implementation of support programs, psychological assessments of pilots, and policy on prevention and detection of misuse of psychoactive substances. The report found that a high percentage of responding operators report that the implementation of the provisions is at the operational stage, although for certain elements it may still be incomplete. The major constraints that play or have played a role in implementation include difficulties in finding mental health professionals and peers, the lack of a qualified mental health professional, and the lack of adequate training and resources. This is a must-read for all aviation post-holder A summary article can be found on the #AirOps Community Site 👉 https://lnkd.in/d3gAWzgh #easa #aircraft #aircraftmaintenance #aircraftengineer #aircrafttechnician #aircraftmaintenanceengineering #B1engineer #b2engineer #pilot #flightcrew #safety #aviationsafety #aviationjobs

The aviation industry takes a monumental stride towards mental health awareness and support! The recent report from the Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee, under FAA guidance, presents comprehensive recommendations to address mental health challenges in aviation. The report highlights crucial issues like screening processes, barriers to seeking help, and the need for education and awareness. These recommendations aim to foster a culture where seeking mental health support is not just accepted but encouraged, promoting safety and well-being in the skies. Learn more about the positive changes in aviation mental health: https://bit.ly/3UdWdQQ #AviationHealth #MentalHealthAwareness #aviationsafety

It is so important that this topic is finally gaining traction. Great work to all those who brought the issue to the forefront of our industry, let’s keep up the momentum! #mentalhealthawareness #aviation #aviationsafety

19 years ago today I woke, from the little sleep I had, feeling numb and in shock. Most of the Navy Fleet Air Arm would have been the same. We had learnt the night before that a Sea King had crashed in Indonesia, one of the aircraft that had been responding to the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and there were fatalities. We spent the rest of the night going through the list of the aircrew on the deployment, wondering who, knowing it would be some of our friends. It was a long few days before we had confirmation of the names of those who lost their lives: Aircraft Captain LEUT Paul Kimlin, RAN Pilot LEUT Jonathan King, RAN Aviation Warfare Officer LEUT Matthew Goodall, RAN Aircrewman LSA Scott Bennet, RAN Medical Officer LEUT Matthew Davey, RAN Medical Assistant SGT Wendy Jones, RAAF Medical Officer SQLR Paul McCarthy, RAAF Nursing Officer FLT Lynne Rowbottom, RAAF Medical Assistant PO Stephen Slattery, RAN The accident investigation team found that the physical cause of the crash was a missing split pin. A small pin that is designed to prevent a flight control nut from vibrating loose. It was a maintenance error but it was also so much more than that. Levels of checks hadn’t identified the missing pin. Within maintenance at the time there was no education or understanding of the impact of distraction, fatigue, pressure (perceived or actual), there was little to no avenue for the maintenance crews to articulate the issues, and no one wanted to listen. Increase in risk of long humanitarian deployments was not considered. The attitude of the organisation at the time was “can do, will do”. The true cause of the accident was the organisational culture. 19 years seems a long time and many things have improved across Aviation, both defence and civil and in other industries. Organisations are considering the impact of the culture on behaviours and decisions. Teams are being educated on human limitations (fatigue, distraction, mental and physical health), improving and using risk management tools (rule of three, PEAR model), enhancing communication to make workplaces safer. There is still so much we can do to improve safety in our workplaces, to continue to learn from our past mistakes. Please take a moment today and ask yourself; is my organisation equipping its workforce with the tools, knowledge and time to be effective and prevent accidents? what is our culture? can I or others speak up? Remember those who have died in workplaces and those impacted. Don’t let the lessons learnt be lost amongst the clutter of today's content. Lest we forget.

🎉👏🏼🎉👏🏼WIT Win🎉👏🏼🎉👏🏼🎉 Medical Standards Directory Implementation for Non-Ejection Seat Crew Positions Anthropometric Standards. Effective 2 August 2024, anthropometric standards for non-ejection seat crew positions (i.e., CSO/WSO) were aligned with anthropometric requirements for their specific roles onboard the aircraft. Due to the previous lack of data, these positions were held to the pilot crew position anthropometric data, when in fact these positions did not require the same anthropometric requirements. Changing the sitting height requirement from 33” to 31” opens the demographic aperture to a larger portion of our society while maintaining aircrew safety and mission effectiveness. Big shout out to our partners at the Airmen Accommodation Lab (Christopher D. and team) and LOE 5 Anthropometrics for their continued efforts to evolve our anthropometric standards to eliminate arbitrary barriers and requirements in aircraft acquisition and manning! #GSD

For countless aviators, the dream of soaring through the clouds has turned into a bureaucratic nightmare. Aeromedical reform, while finally gaining traction, has been delayed for far too long, leaving a trail of pilot careers grounded and lives shattered. I'm digging deep into this critical issue for my next Twin and Turbine article, and the stories are heartbreaking. Pilots are trapped in a system ripe for modernization: Outdated standards: Medical certifications cling to antiquated practices, ignoring current evidence-based science. Opaque bureaucracy: Special issuance processes are shrouded in secrecy, leaving pilots lost and frustrated. Mental health stigma: Support for aviators facing mental health challenges is woefully inadequate and inaccessible. This must change. Now. Join me in urging Michael Whitaker and the Federal Aviation Administration to address these crucial concerns through their newly formed Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee (ARC). Remember, safer skies don't come at the expense of mental wellbeing. A humane, respectful, and efficient approach is vital for pilots, controllers, and everyone who relies on aviation. Please, take action: 👉 Share this post to raise awareness. 👉 Watch the NTSB Summit Part 1: https://lnkd.in/grtGG3HZ 👉 Contact your representatives and demand real, actionable change. Together, we can ensure no more pilots fall victim to a broken system. #FAAReform #MentalHealthMatters #AviationSafety

For those involved with, or have training in, Accident Investigation, this "B Roll" of the NTSB (no audio), suggest this is really insightful watching highly skilled investigators 'doing what they do'. [it's difficult to imagine doing this while stood in a swamp, or up the side of a mountain, or anywhere in-between...] #ntsb #accidentinvestigation #workedexample #aviationsafety https://lnkd.in/gEfRGkHE

The FAA ARC (Aviation Rulemaking Committee) report on Aviation Mental Health was released today. Lots of great work here by a talented group of experts on aviation and mental health. Included are key recommendations to improve aviation safety and enhance the quality of life for aviation professionals. Key takeaways: The FAA should develop a non-punitive pathway for reporting previously undisclosed mental health conditions, treatments, or medications. The FAA should change its policy and medical application instructions to allow pilots/controllers to participate in psychotherapy (talk therapy) without requiring disclosure during aeromedical screening. https://lnkd.in/gXCwktuB

We are pleased to see the FAA's updated AME guidelines regarding mental health. Our Director of Aviation, Joseph LoRusso recently commented on the news, “While this is encouraging, it does not completely address the FAA's systematic attack on our nation's veterans, which includes both medical AND legal components. We hope this effort by the FAA's aeromedical division is reciprocated by the FAA's Office of the Chief Counsel.” What’re your thoughts on the recent AME guideline update? #aeromedicalreform #mentalhealthmatters #faa #aviationnews #pilotlife #flying #aviationsafety #pilotslicense