The Executive Council and Advisory Board Committee of the European Society of Aerospace Medicine (ESAM) are deeply saddened by the passing of our esteemed member and colleague René Maire on 23 February, 2026.
Dr. med. René Maire was a passionate cardiologist who has been working in his cardiological practice in Maennedorf, Switzerland, between 1995 and June 2022. He has been delegate of the Aero-Club of Switzerland within the Medical Commission of the FAI between 1981 and 2015. He has been president of the FAI Medico-physiological Commission (CIMP) for three years and was appointed Honorary President. He was active as AME and Chief Cardiological Expert of FOCA (Federal Office for Civil Aviation, Switzerland) from 2010-2019.
Since 2012 he has been an active member of the Advisory Board of ESAM and was Chair of the Cardiology Circle of Experts group of ESAM until 2024. He was also an enthusiastic team member of the group conducting the EASA project on “Age Limitations of Commercial Air Transport Pilots” in 2019. From 2022 to 2025 he was the “engine” of the scientific research group conducting the EASA project “New treatments and diagnostic measures for cardiovascular diseases – Pilots and ATCOs Cardiovascular evaluation” (CaVD-PACE). In this context we have intensively worked together with René and each of us has experienced him as a fine colleague and a very valuable team member. His commitment to the CaVD-PACE project was unparalleled and he was very proud when he and the team presented the results at the EASA Conference on Advancing Health Management in Aviation in November 2025.
René made an important contribution to aviation medicine through his clinical work, his work in ESAM, and his contribution to several EASA projects.
We will remember René as a hospitable friend and a dedicated colleague.
His presence will be sincerely missed.
Ries Simons,
Past Chair of the ESAM Advisory Board
Technical Lead CaVD-PACE
