Workshop: Mental Wellness in Global Aviation: Boundless Frontiers and Relentless Progress

This workshop convenes leaders in operational aviation medicine, peer support, safety science, and regulatory policy to explore emerging innovations that advance mental health as a core component of aviation safety, readiness, and performance. It includes sessions on the Safe Haven concept of cooperative pilot/ATCO medical qualification policies without direct regulatory involvement, incorporating SMS concepts in medical policy decisions, an initiative to mirror a medical ASAP program similar to those used to improve operational flight safety, and establishing peer support programs for all aviation safety professionals.  Together, these interactive sessions explores mental wellness not as an individual liability but as a system level safety priority requiring integrated solutions and ongoing progress. Small group discussions will synthesize lessons learned and identify practical next step actions aviation stakeholders can adopt to transform mental health into a proactive safety capability.