Pilots from 16 nations representing 13 pilot associations attend a four-day meeting in London, England, in April 1948 during which they forge an agreement leading to the formation of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations.

Editor’s note: As ALPA prepares to celebrate its 85th anniversary this July, “Celebrating 85 Years,” a series of articles, takes a look at the issues, events, and people who helped shape today’s airline industry and the piloting profession.

During a historic, post-World War II conference in London, England, airline pilots from 16 countries represented by 13 member associations agreed to join forces to ensure that the pilot perspective would be considered in future international aviation policy making. Capt. H.B. Cox (American), serving as proxy for then ALPA president Capt. Dave Behncke, signed an agreement on April 7, 1948, with the other attending pilot delegates that would establish the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA).

Regarding the event, Air Line Pilot reported, “Close-knit worldwide cooperation and a stronger welding of the bonds of solidarity between air line pilots of the various nations is a step closer to reality today….”

The interim memorandum of federation outlined three important protocols for participation. It specified channels of communication the pilot unions would use to discuss issues of mutual interest, directed member pilot associations to share their concerns with international decision-making authorities, and created a federation to strengthen and “magnify” the airline pilot voice in furthering policy objectives.

Out of many, one

Looking back, this momentous meeting and the organization that arose from it are the culmination of several events. World War II brought about dramatic advancements in aviation technology, including longer-range airplanes and turbojet engines. Droves of citizens learned to fly on the military dime while manufacturers produced aircraft at peak production rates to meet the needs of the ongoing war effort. All the while, airlines looked forward to tremendous growth opportunities once the conflict ended.

On April 18, 1943, more than a year before the D-Day invasion of Europe, airline pilot representatives from the United States (ALPA), Canada (CALPA), and Great Britain (BALPA) met in Montréal, Qué. Behncke (representing ALPA), Capt. Reuben Hadfield (CALPA), and Capt. Richard Allen (BALPA) signed a memorandum of affiliation, creating an alliance among the three national pilot organizations to share information and resources.

However, the single-most important event leading to IFALPA’s creation was the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). On Nov. 1, 1944, officials representing 52 countries convened in Chicago, Ill., to discuss standards for international air navigation and the development and expansion of aviation. On Dec. 7, 1944, they signed the Convention on International Civil Aviation (also known as the Chicago Convention), paving the way for the creation of ICAO.

Globalization and harmonization

Operated as an agency of the United Nations, ICAO regulates international civil aviation among participating states through the creation and adaption of standards and recommended practices. These policies are intended to promote safety, but they were initially developed and instituted without the input of pilots—the people with the greatest practical knowledge of airline operations.

Airline pilot organizations from around the globe came together to build on the original trilateral agreement among Canada, the United States, and Great Britain to create an international organization to interface with ICAO. During the 1948 London meeting, the attending pilots hammered out the details. Air Line Pilot noted, “There was unanimous agreement that command of the airplane remain 100 percent in the cockpit and that the pilot should not be subject to interference from ground authorities.”

In 1952, ICAO formerly recognized IFALPA during one of its technical meetings, and since then IFALPA has been granted permanent observer status to the ICAO Air Navigation Commission. It’s also represented as an observer to the ICAO Air Transport Regulation Panel. IFALPA maintains standing committees to introduce proposals to ICAO and works through partnerships with the International Air Transport Association, the Airports Council International, and the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations to seek and promote shared interests.

With more than 100 member associations representing more than 100,000 airline pilots, IFALPA strives to be “the global voice of airline pilots,” promoting aviation safety worldwide while providing services and representation to its member associations. IFALPA affiliation, in turn, provides ALPA access to the highest levels of air transport decision-making.