FAAST Webinar Highlights USHST Peer Pilot Program

Leaders from the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) outlined the structure and goals of its new Peer Pilot Mental Health Support Program during a recent FAA Safety Team (FAAST) webinar. The program is a confidential, peer-to-peer resource designed to address mental health challenges within the rotorcraft community.

USHST officially launched the peer-to-peer assistance for personal and professional challenges last year at Verticon, marking an expansion of the organization’s safety portfolio beyond technical recommendations into mental well-being.

Chris Baur, CEO of Hughes Aerospace and industry co-chair of USHST, described the program as a long-overdue step for vertical aviation. “No amount of training prepares us for the internal burdens we sometimes carry alone,” Baur said. “The stigma around mental health support is lifting…it’s about time vertical aviation had a peer program of its own.”

The program is modeled in part on airline peer-support systems and is open not only to helicopter pilots, but also to mechanics, crewmembers, and fixed-wing pilots seeking support. Baur emphasized that the service is confidential, independent of employers and regulators, and free of charge. “This program is here with no judgment, no reports—just real people ready to listen,” he said.

Operational oversight and clinical support are provided by the Centre for Aviation Psychology. Aedrian Bekker, a clinical aviation psychologist and the center’s operations director, said the goal is to connect aviators with peers who understand the unique pressures of their work. “At the heart of it, this is about ensuring a pilot or an aviator in need can speak to somebody who speaks their language, who understands exactly what it’s like to be in their sector of aviation,” Bekker said.

Licensed mental health professional Jessica Auslander, who supervises peer counselors, said her role focuses on training, consultation, and escalation only when safety is at risk. Confiding in a peer “does not constitute a therapeutic interaction,” Auslander said, adding that confidentiality is breached only in rare cases involving imminent harm. “Talking to a peer…is not considered reportable because our peers are not licensed professionals.”

Program advocates emphasize that addressing mental health is not just a personal benefit but a safety imperative. By encouraging early dialogue, the program seeks to reduce the human-factor risks that contribute to errors and enhance overall flight safety across the helicopter community. Webinar organizers stressed that broader participation is key to reducing accidents and improving safety culture across the industry as a whole.

Peer volunteers are experienced helicopter pilots and crew trained to engage with colleagues on non-life-threatening mental well-being concerns, offering understanding and direction to additional resources when appropriate. Confidentiality is central, with support grounded in shared professional experience. In addition to one-on-one peer conversations, USHST promotes supplemental resources, including its online “Resilience Hub,” which offers self-directed tools and reference material on pilot wellness.

USHST peer volunteer Sean Gavin, an Air National Guard helicopter pilot, said his motivation for participating stems from firsthand experience. “It sure would have been helpful to have trained peers out there,” Gavin said, during some of the difficult moments in his career. “Being able to step in, listen, and help someone has been great.”

The webinar hosts indicated that the video will be available via SocialFlight.