I.   OBJECTIVE

  1. TALPA MDA Pilot Peer Support Network Program is dedicated to optimize the quality of mental and physical wellbeing services through a holistic approach to the health and wellbeing.
  2. This program aims to enable all pilots serving for all airline operators based in Turkey exchange ideas, either professional or personal with Peer Volunteers having necessary trainings, in a rule (as defined here)- and volunteerism- based, safe, secure and independent setting, and thus to reduce their potential stresses, and to keep their mental wellbeing at the maximum levels.
  3. Our program is designed to help airline pilots to create a full and healthy life.
  4. The acronym of this program is TALPA-MDA (TALPA Peer Support Network), and maximum respect to the confidentiality and privacy of the personal data is an essential requirement of it.
  5. TALPA-MDA aims to be the first-choice go-to platform for pilots to find solutions to the potential personal issues or mental wellbeing problems not only of themselves but also their peers.
  6. TALPA-MDA is designed to help pilots identify and rehabilitate potential stress, challenges and problems, either in their private or professional lives, in terms of themselves, immediate circle or their airline operators through support of professionals in the field, and to provide anonymized statistical data and advices to airline operators in terms of solution process, and, if his/her conditions require him/her taking a break from flights, provide an appropriate treatment to restore him/her with an improved psychological wellbeing into flight duty.
  7. TALPA-MDA aims to provide independent and measurable service by ensuring maximum levels of privacy and mutual trust, supported by airline operators and pilots.

II.  FORMATION AND OVERSIGHT

  1. TALPA-MDA is an autonomous program steered by the Economic Establishment of Turkiye Airlines’ Pilot Association.
  2. TALPA-MDA has Peer Volunteers, selected on a volunteering based, with required training, from all airlines operators, as well as psychologist specialized in aviation, and support staff in sufficient qualifications and number to steer and manage the program.
  3. This psychologist and support staff will train, organize and support Peer Volunteer Pilot group.
  4. Peer Volunteers will act as an interface between client pilots and program. Peer Volunteers will conduct first interview with applicant pilots who seek help for their problems or mental wellbeing. If they consider applicant pilot needs help beyond a simple heart-to-heart talk, then they will provide guidance to him/her. Psychologist and other staff will provide professional opinion to Peer Volunteer.
  5. Program will be administered by the designated administrative staff (Program Manager and Coordinators), and steered, audited and supervised by the Supervision Committee.
  6. Program will be funded by the contribution fees to be paid by airline operators which have subscribed to the program. As a rule, Airline Operators have no control over the program, except for information they may request from Supervision Committee.

III. PEER VOLUNTEERS

  1. Peer volunteers include the airline pilots, who, preferably, actively fly at airline operators.
  2. During launch of the program, notices will be sent to all airline operators to collect applications for training as a Peer Volunteer. Then, a personality inventory survey will be applied to all applicant pilots. After evaluation of inventory, an interview will be conducted to complete the Peer Volunteer selection stage.
  3. Then, Peer Volunteers are divided into groups and the basic training process is commenced in line with the regulations.
  4. Followed by basic training, Peer Volunteers are provided with “Continuous Professional Development” training spread over a year. This training is provided by TALPA-MDA.
  5. Peer Volunteers will meet monthly as a group to exchange continuous professional development and their personal practices. Meetings can be online or face-to-face.
  6. Peer Volunteers must be supported in all their own activities by their own airline operators, and TALPA.
  7. Peer Volunteers will be steered and supported by the program staff in every each case that has been referred to them.
  8. Peer Volunteers will be remunerated only for the time they spent for the training they will receive under TALPA-MDA program. As remuneration policy will vary according to the airline operators, remuneration will be determined in coordination with relevant airline operator. Apart from this, Peer Volunteers will work in the cases on the volunteering basis, therefore, pro bono work is of essence.
  9. TALPA-MDA recommends that priority should be given to Peer Volunteers because of their qualifications, training and past practices, however, subject to the synthetic and line coach selection principles and procedures of the airline operators.
  10. TALPA will assign Peer Volunteers to the cases in consultation with the Oversight Committee.
  11. To represent the Peer Volunteers, at least one Peer Volunteer will be a member of Oversight Committee, and responsible for forwarding evaluations and other communications of Oversight Committee to other Peer Volunteers.

 

IV. MANAGEMENT

  1. Oversight Committee is composed of following members;
  2. TALPA MDA Program Manager;
  3. 1 full and 1 reserve Flight Operations Representatives to represent airline operators;
  4. Airline Operators Flight Physician (if any);
  5. TALPA Medical Advisor;
  6. Representative of Peer Volunteers;
  7. Legal Counsel (if necessary).
  8. Oversight Committee convenes every four months to evaluate summary reports, prepared by TALPA-MDA and anonymized as per Personal Data Protection Act, and review then-current and latest developments and issues. Committee also reviews the reports of the Peer Volunteers, and provides additional training recommendations to Peer Volunteers, if deemed necessary.
  9. Oversight Committee also provides recommendations on the Safety Management System (SMS) of the airline operators in order to support health of the pilots, when necessary.
  10. Oversight Committee may not access to the personal data of the pilots and any data disclosed via program, except for anonymized data provided by TALPA-MDA.

V. TALPA-MDA PROGRAM

  1. Program carries out monthly planning of the Peer Volunteers in coordination with the airline operators, and is responsible for seamless implementation of the services.
  2. TALPA-MDA, however not being an “emergency” application center, provides necessary conditions for handling of an emergency case.
  3. It is responsible for providing and maintenance of all necessary communication channels to enable for pilot to apply to the program.
  4. It reviews every each report created in the Program and, when necessary, makes necessary interventions.
  5. If requested, it provides support and advices to Peer Volunteers.
  6. It conducts the continuous professional development meetings of Peer Volunteers.
  7. It provides infrastructure to the Oversight Committee, and necessary supports to data reporting services.
  8. It acts as a Data Controller for the purposes of Program.
  9. It communicates with the health unit, if any, of the airline operators for any case requiring intervention.

 

VI. PEER SUPPORT METHODS

  1. Pilots seeking personal support communicate via digital media or phone lines dedicated to the TALPA-MDA program. All communication will be stored in a encrypted, password-protected and dedicated data management system that is only accessible with joint signature of the following managers of the TALPA-MDA, and to be accessed only in the case of legal requirement.

Joint signatory authorities include:

  1. TALPA MDA Program Manager,
  2. Representative of Peer Volunteers,
  3. Flight Operations Representative of Airline Operator.
  4. Details are shared with Peer Volunteer who will communicate with the applicant.
  5. As long as the conversations with Peer Volunteer produce desired results, the support process will only be continued between Peer Volunteer and client pilot.
  6. After conversations, if it is understood that higher level support is required, client pilots will first be referred to the psychologist of the program, and then, i.e. for more serious cases to be decided by the psychologist of the program, to the appropriate medical institution.

VII. PEER INTERVENTION METHODS

  1. Peer Volunteers may report their concerns and opinions on a particular program participant online/via phone over Peer Intervention Process. These reports are kept on record.
  2. Peer Volunteer accepting the case meets with psychologist and assesses the case.
  3. If psychologist decides further details are required, he/she requests a second Peer Volunteer for direct communication with reported pilot. This Peer Volunteer works with pilot to understand the situation, and, if he/she develops concerns, refers the pilot to apply to the Medical Unit of his/her airline operator and actively encourages him/her to do so.
  4. If a reported pilot denies help calls without any reasonable explanation, Peer Volunteer returns the case to the psychologist. Then, psychologist directly communicates with the reported pilot, and decides if the case should be escalated further.
  5. After these communications, if psychologist concludes that reported pilot constitute a threat to the flight safety, escalates the case to the Medical Unit of the pilot’s airline operator in coordination with the Program Manager. If it is finally decided by the airline operator that a threat actually exists, an intervention is made to the flight schedule of the relevant pilot, using TALPA-MDA program operations methods instruction.
  6. Pilot is requested to report to Medical Unit of the relevant airline operator to learn which treatments are necessary for him/her safe return to the flight.
  7. Flight Operations unit of the Airline Operator informs Operations Crew Planning Unit only specifying “client pilot has certain health issues”. No further detail may be communicated as the privacy process still applies.

VIII. PRINCIPLES

  1. TALPA-MDA ensures and maintains the highest level of privacy and confidentiality.
  2. For this, program provides its services in full compliance with privacy and confidentiality principle. All conversations between peer volunteers and client pilots shall always remain secret and in confidence.
  3. The exceptions to this privacy and confidential include;
  4. If pilot has a serious self-harming risk;
  5. If pilot poses serious safety risks to other people;
  6. If disclosure is legally mandated.

The authority to decide if a case falls under one of above exceptions lies with TALPA-MDA.

  1. Only anonymized data shall be provided to Oversight Committee.
  2. Neither airline operators nor another unit may intervene in any stage of day-to-day operations of the program.
  3. A pilot may not rely upon strict confidentiality and privacy rules of the program to evade a disciplinary action. Any information shared by client pilot by virtue of this program (except for exceptions listed above) must remain and be kept in strict confidence and secrecy and such information may not be used in any discipline-related action.
  4. Program operates under the legal requirements and recommendations as set forth in EASA CAT.GEN.MPA.215

IX. NON-DISCLOSURE AND PROVISIONS OF PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION LAW

  1. Any kind of information, data and document collected by virtue of the TALPA Peer Support Network (Program) shall be treated and referred as “Confidential Information”, and kept secret with due care and prudence, and shall not be disclosed and/or transferred to any real or legal entity, except for those who need to access such data for the implementation and purpose of the Program, for an indefinite period time, including after cessation of the Program for any reason, and shall not be used for purposes other than the fulfillment of the obligations imposed by this Program upon the concerned persons.
  2. During and after the implementation of Program, all laws and regulations on the personal data protection and/or privacy/confidentiality shall be complied with, including particularly Personal Data Protection Act No 6698 (“the Act”), effective in Republic of Turkey, as well as secondary legislation based upon the Act.
  3. Any kind of technical and organizational measures shall be taken, which ensure maximum security level, that are appropriate to the nature of the Personal Data in order to prevent all personal data collected and disclosed within the Program against illegally processing and access, and to maintain secure retention of them.
  4. All parties to the Program will be informed of the sensitivity of the personal data and their confidentiality obligations, and will act accordingly thereof. Personal Data collected under the Program shall be used as necessary and relevant and limited to the purpose of the Program, and data subject shall be informed where it is necessary to obtain explicit written consent of the data subject pursuant to the Act No. 6698 for transferring of personal data to 3rd real or legal persons, and data sharing shall only take place after obtaining explicit consent from the data subject which will be given at his/her free will.
  5. Those who are in breach of the applicable legislation on the protection of personal data collected during the implementation of Program shall solely be responsible for administrative, civil or criminal sanctions, and liable to compensate any kind of claims of the injured parties including, without limitation, direct and indirect damages, all which will arise from said breach.