Published on
February 25, 2016
By Captain Scott Schwartz, ALPA Dangerous Goods Committee Chairman
For years, ALPA has been advancing awareness on the hazards associated with the bulk shipment of lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are more volatile than many goods currently classified and shipped as “dangerous goods,” and yet most shipments are excepted from the regulations associated with dangerous goods. Why?
Lithium batteries can self-ignite when damaged, defective, or exposed to a heat source. They also burn incredibly hot, and FAA testing has shown that fires involving lithium batteries are unresponsive to halon, the traditional extinguishing agent used aboard aircraft.
These dangers were highlighted last week when the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission concluded that “hover boards” are too dangerous and asked manufactures and sellers to take these items off the market.
Published on
February 19, 2016
ALPA is the largest nongovernmental aviation safety organization in the world. Our union has worked tirelessly to always put safety first. And since our inception in 1931, the cornerstone of our organization has been, and will continue to be, advancing the lives and professions of ALPA’s pilots.
Our commitment is stated in the first objective in ALPA’s Constitution—“to provide representation for all members of the airline piloting profession; to promote the interests of that profession; and to safeguard the rights, individually and collectively, of its members.”
Published on
February 12, 2016
By Tim Canoll, ALPA President
On this day seven years ago, Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, N.Y., killing all 49 persons aboard, plus one on the ground. In the aftermath of this tragic accident, questions swirled, and the airline industry was put under a microscope.
At the conclusion of the official investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began to develop new pilot fatigue and first officer qualification and training rules. During this process, the FAA invited industry, labor, and government to work together on the effort to enhance safety. Through these collaborative and cohesive efforts, new regulations were implemented.
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Published on
February 10, 2016
By ALPA Staff
After the House of Representatives introduced its FAA reauthorization bill last week, ALPA quickly voiced our opposition to several components of the draft legislation, including the failure to properly and appropriately regulate the transportation and packaging of lithium batteries by air.
Published on
February 8, 2016
By Capt. Tim Canoll
The proposed FAA reauthorization bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives this week falls significantly short for airline passengers and air cargo shippers when it comes to advancing the high standards that make air transportation in the United States so extraordinarily safe.
A key reason for the extraordinary safety of our system is our commitment to providing airline pilots with the highest standards of training and qualification. Today’s first officer qualification and training requirements were prompted by Congress in 2010 following four fatal airline accident investigations that identified the pilots’ lack of training as a factor in the accidents. These regulations weren’t arbitrary, nor were they sudden––the safety-focused rules came out of an industry-wide effort led by representatives of the regional airlines. We are pleased the sponsors of the House FAA reauthorization bill recognize the importance of these regulations and agree that they must remain firmly in place. ALPA will vigorously oppose any attempts to change this regulation via amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill.
