Jóhann Wium

Independent psychologist working with organisational stakeholders, operators and individual aviation personnel. Some recent projects include:

• Counselling and assessment of aviation license holders, either with individuals seeking treatment for mental health concerns or as a part of an aeromedical assessment for an aviation medical examiner.
• Causal factor analysis following a significant non-compliance issue with a large-area ATC service provider. This included interviews, comparative analysis, stakeholder liaising, report writing and reporting directly to the Competent Authority. 
• Review and recommendations of change for communications to aviation license holders regarding aeromedical issues. 
• Assistance in development of a job aid for accident investigators to determine the effect mental health may have had in an aviation incident or accident. 

Representing aviation mental health professionals (MHPs) both within peer support programs and those providing external support. Lead the group that authored Working Paper 334 (Promote the Development of Peer Support Programmes in Aviation) and Information Paper 501 (Summary for the Evidence of Peer Support in Aviation) with ITF, IFALPA and IFATCA that was submitted and accepted by the 42nd session of the ICAO Assembly in Montréal 2025. 

International Liaison responsible for furthering cooperation with our non-European partners and other associations involved with aviation psychology, human factors and aeromedicine. Part of the Advisory Group asked to develop and publish recommended best practices in the selection of pilots, air traffic controllers, air crew and other aviation personnel. 

Contribute to the design, development and evaluation of ICAO’s aviation psychological and mental health Standards, Recommended Practices and guidance material and enhance awareness and training related to psychological wellbeing and mental health in aviation.

Notable accomplishments

• Managed and organised the work of ICAO's Mental Health Working Group (MHWG), a multi-national expert group with a geographical representation of ICAO member states, aviation industry representatives and medical specialists. In that role I collated and developed the Aviation Mental Health Terminology with over 250 terms identified, investigated and defined; investigated the current state of peer support in aviation to determine common and possible best practices; and provided an overview of allowed SSRIs in aviation that lead to multiple States allowing additional antidepressant medication for pilots and air traffic controllers. 
• Represented ICAO's Aviation Medicine section on occasions, such as at the International Conference of Aerospace Medicine (ICAM), the International Pilot Peer Assist Coalition (IPPAC), the European CISM Conference, the International Aerospace Neuroscience Consortium (IANC) and more.   

Directed and planned human resource and security functions for Isavia ANS, Iceland’s air navigation service provider. Oversaw employee contract negotiations, hirings, terminations and other HR functions.

Nominated post holder and responsible for Security toward ICETRA (Icelandic Transport Authority) and nominated security officer for both EU and NATO. Responsible for physical/cyber security, security risk assessments and applications for security clearances. 

Notable accomplishments

• Project lead on the implementation of the Human Factors Requirements of EU regulation 2017/373 for air navigation service providers. This required creating new policies and procedures regarding use of psychoactive substances and alcohol/substance abuse as Iceland had no comparable regulatory requirement. Among my tasks was developing procedures for screening employees, developing management response protocols if employees tested positive, designing employee appeal processes, mapping available treatment options and more. 
• Covid-19 crisis coordinator. Part of a small team who oversaw crisis coordination for Isavia and all subsidiaries in Iceland and Greenland. The team developed intra-company Covid responses, created mental health support initiatives, communicated with employees on recent developments of the pandemic and worked with national authorities on restrictions on air travel and arrival quarantines. In March of 2021, the team also coordinated response during the eruption of Fagradalsfjall that was within 20 km of Iceland's largest international airport. 
• Project lead on the implementation of stress and fatigue management for air navigation services in both Iceland and Greenland. This included developing resilience training for operational personnel, guidelines for critical stress management and identification of personnel compromised by acute stress, point-of-contact method for stress reporting and more. 

Applied principles of psychology to HR and operational problems within an aviation setting. Oversaw psychological testing of applicants, employee surveys, psychosocial risk assessments, employee wellbeing initiatives and more. 

Notable accomplishments

• Oversaw student ATCO selection for both Iceland and Greenland from 2014 and onwards. This has included a complete overhaul of ATCO student selection when Iceland's ATC collegiate approach was terminated, development of modular assessment centers in line with recent research, the creation of a novel task-based stress resistance measure, introduction of game-based assessments, specific analysis of applicant risk seeking/avoidant behaviors and much more.   
• Project manager for the implementation of Just Culture policies and procedures pursuant to EU regulation 376/2014. This included revising methodologies for occurrence analysis, liaising with employee unions, designing interventions to increase employee trust in management and working with senior management on disciplinary action transparency. 
• Developed and delivered Crew/Team Resource Management and Human Factors training for air traffic controllers, flight data specialists, radio operators, aerodrome flight information services, airport security, fire & rescue and safety personnel.  
• Responsible for mental health and wellbeing initiatives, including a self-assessment burnout questionnaire with individually-tailored recommendations, organisational health check surveys, psychosocial risk assessments and more. 
• Operational support for air navigation, aerodrome, airport security and meteorological services. Included assistance in occurrence investigation, human error analysis, MET user surveys, flight information quality assessments, and creating stress and critical incident stress management guidelines for employees and managers.