Page 9 - World Airnews Magazine November 2020

PILOTS IN PILOTS IN
CRISIS CRISIS

WAN: WHAT SHOULD THEY DO? not be able to pass).
WHAT SHOULD THEY NOT DO? IN A Market yourself and seek career guid- Some senior captains find it very difficult

PRACTICAL WAY CAN YOU PLEASE ance if needed. to get their confidence back after a job loss

DESCRIBE A PERSON’S BEST COURSE 7. Use your time wisely – upskill & reskill and it takes them a very long time to gain

OF ACTION? Develop new skills, and pick up skills it back. A lot of them decide to take early
AS: The best practical survival strategies are: that will help you succeed in a non- retirement because they just can’t face yet

flying role. Make use of the very many

1. Don’t go it alone – Seek support. free resources available. another downturn in the industry. Many se-

Get help navigating the grief-like feel- nior pilots decide to leave the industry and
ings and help to create a plan to move WAN: WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR embark on a completely new career. Some
forward. Don’t engage in self-defeat EXPERIENCE? HAVE YOU SEEN A others see it as an opportunity to continue

and avoid behaviours that will keep RISE IN THE AMOUNT OF CASES working in the aviation sector but in a very

you in a cycle of negativity. YOU ARE DEALING WITH? different capacity.

2. Keep a routine AS: There has been a sharp increase

Get outside, seek out adventure and in the number of cases I handle on the WAN: I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT

fresh air. Make a conscious effort to career support side. Pilots however, THE RATE OF SUICIDE AMONG
EX-PILOTS IS CLIMBING. ARE YOU
surround yourself with people who typically use a career transition coach
support and inspire you – avoid those as an emergency room, after all else AWARE OF THIS? WHAT HAS BEEN
who are angry. has failed and they have been rejected YOUR EXPERIENCE OR KNOWLEDGE
3. Structure your day many times. They have the “I can do it” OF THIS?
Reconnect with things you haven’t on my own attitude which is of course AS: Sadly, some pilots do get to the stage
done for a while - hobbies you let slip, not helpful in a situation when you could when they are so depressed that they are
volunteering, friends, or family will really do with some professional help. having thoughts of suicide or self-harm.
reinforce the fact that your identity is Thankfully, I’ve not encountered such client

more than a job. WAN: HOW DAMAGING WOULD during the course of my practice so far but

4. Make a realistic assessment of your THIS BE TO A PERSON’S PSYCHE – I’m aware that this is a widespread issue
ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE MORE

financial situation EXPERIENCED OLDER 50 YEARS AND currently in the industry.
If you think that you may be out of ABOVE PILOTS - AND ONCE THE WAN: IS THERE A FACILITY OR
work set out all your necessary ex- CRISIS IS OVER HOW WOULD THEY RESOURCE WHERE PILOTS CAN GO
penses and exactly what you need to BE ABLE TO REGAIN CONFIDENCE TO SEEK HELP? WHERE SHOULD
survive. Talk to lenders and mortgage TO BE ABLE TO BE IN CHARGE OF AN THEY GO TO RECEIVE HELP OR

companies to re-negotiate deals and AIRPLANE AGAIN? SUPPORT?

be brutal about cutting out ‘discretion-

ary spending’. Involve your family in AS: The negative impact of a job loss is AS: Some of the best resources available to
this process and brainstorm ideas. very damaging at any stage of a career. It pilots who need help are:

5. Create new CVs and covering letters is particularly true when it comes to the • Centre for Aviation Psychology:

One for pursuing any flying opportu- 50+ generation. They normally take longer https://www.centreforaviationpsychol-

nities that may occur and another for to recover from the shock. Many senior ogy.com/careersupport

any nonflying jobs that you may wish pilots just can’t imagine life outside of the • Resilient Pilot or resilientpilot.com - a
cockpit. This is particularly true for those

free peer support network offering

to apply for. In the latter case whilst
THERE IS HELP FOR PILOTS the technical aspects of flying may be who have not really done anything else resources and mentors to help aspiring

outside of flying. They need a lot of help
and experienced pilots remain connect-
irrelevant, the ‘competencies’ will be
and many of your managerial skills can and coaching to make them realise that ed with the airline industry.
be referenced. their skill set is highly transferable and • Cockpit Coaches or Cockpitcoaches.
6. Sign up to recruitment sites & get valuable in many other sectors. At the com – helps support pilots navigate

than most as the impact on the air travel how they worked harder than the guy good at networking end of this these people have been highly through turbulent times in the aviation

industry generally, and on job security sitting next to them and what a terrible There will, of course, be fierce compe- trained, vetted and have been through industry and helps them create new

rigorous assessments (most people would

rpad Szakal, a former aviation specifically, has been profound and is likely mistake the company made in letting tition for jobs that become available. and powerful opportunities. Q

Alawyer and now an executi ve to remain so for some time to come. them go.

search and leadership assessment profes- It is particularly difficult for pilots be- • Bargaining: This is a reaction some

sional offers his advice and guidance to cause they very often don’t just lose their pilots have when a situation feels Who is Arpad Szakal?

aviation professionals battling to cope with jobs/uniform but their whole identity. It hopeless. And the loss of a job can

having lost their jobs. He spoke to World is much more than a job for them. It is a feels like a desperate time. Some Arpad Szakal has specialised
Airnews editor Heidi Gibson passion and something that is very close to pilots try to bargain their way out of a expertise in the engineering,
their heart.
bad situation.

WAN : THE COVID-19 CRISIS From my experience, working with flight • Depression: Depression is the next infrastructure and manufacturing

HAS CAUSED PANDEMONIUM crews around the world is that they all go stage of the process and can really hit sectors, as well as aerospace
THROUGHOUT THE AVIATOR through the five stages of grief. These are: people hard. You may not get offered and defence. He has worked

SECTOR. AS FLEETS ARE GROUNDED • Denial: This is a basic survival instinct the first, third or even the tenth job at the aviation departments

– AIRLINES ACROSS THE WORLD that surfaces when we face an you apply for. “I am never going to of two leading international
– HAVE HAD TO LAY OFF PILOTS, unpleasant or trying situation. Pilots find a job!” is what a lot of pilots keep law firms in London where he

TECHNICIANS AND OTHERS. BRIEFLY don’t always give themselves enough telling themselves. handled EU regulatory cases
DESCRIBE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL time to properly process the news and • Acceptance: Finally, pilots come to the including passenger rights. He

PROCESS THAT A PILOT WOULD grasp their new reality. acceptance stage of the grieving pro- helps aviation professionals to
GO THROUGH HAVING BEEN TOLD • Anger and Disbelief: These emotions cess. They come to accept the current relaunch their careers in other

THAT THEY CAN’T FLY AND ARE are typically the next feelings pilots situation and can finally let the past go. sectors. Do you need specific

NOW FORCED TO TAKE VOLUNTARY move through. They very often ask It is really important to spend enough help? Centre For Aviation

RETIREMENT OR HAVE BEEN themselves, “How could they do this to time in each of these stages as all of them Psychology email: arpad@

RETRENCHED. me?” They very often ruminate over all are important to help with the healing centreforaviationpsychology.com

AS: Pilots are arguably more affected the great things they did for the airline, process after a job loss.

World Airnews | November / December 2020 World Airnews | November / December 2020
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