Relationship Drift is an educational program that focuses on how personal relationships affect pilot decision-making and overall safety. The intended audience comprises of men and women, couples or singles (i.e., ground or office personnel), who all strive to enhance their current or future relationship to be an asset towards pilot safety in the aerial application industry.
The #1 goal is for the pilot to make it home to their family at the end of the day!
The Relationship Drift Program was developed in 2019 by a group of people within the aerial application industry who realized through personal experience, the importance of addressing how big a distraction personal relationships can be not only to the pilot, but also anyone else involved in the operation such as loaders, mechanics, office personnel as well as the owners themselves. Any distraction can negatively affect the safety of each and every flight.
Some of the topics presented in the program to help reduce distractions include:
|
Communication |
|
|---|---|
|
Finances |
|
|
Household |
|
|
Family |
|
|
You, the Couple! |
|
Relationship Drift is led by both a PAASS presenter and an ATHENA presenter. All participants start in the same room for introductions and a program overview. Afterwards, the group will be divided into two groups where the PAASS presenter will take the men to another room, and the ATHENA presenter will stay with the women. A series of questions is presented to each group using audience polling software to record anonymous responses. The goal of the questions is to generate discussion about a range of topics to gauge the audience responses that bring to light how vital healthy relationships are to overall pilot and operational safety. While the two groups’ questions are worded differently, they are paired up by topic, so the perspectives of the men and women can be shared and discussed separately in a SAFE, unassuming manner!
Once each group has completed its questions and discussed any concerns or interests, the men are brought back into the main room to rejoin the women. Then the responses to the questions from both groups are reviewed together so that both sides can see how the other answered the questions. The moderators will then lead a discussion of any notable responses and encourage questions and comments from the audience.
Since 2019, the Relationship Drift Program has been presented annually at the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo, as well as at various state and regional conventions. Some states have received program approval for credits towards their recertification program. If you are interested in adding the Relationship Drift Program to your convention schedule, please follow the link below. Your state/regional convention is required to have both the PAASS and ATHENA Programs to ensure that the appropriate presenters are available.