Weighing In: Lessons from Our Past Challenges and Opportunities for Our Future
By Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA First Vice President
Nearly everything we do as airline pilots extends from the challenges faced by those who came before. We owe the generations of past pilots a debt of gratitude for laying the foundation for our working environment, safety enhancements, technology, and infrastructure improvements that we enjoy today. Without the collaborative strength of ALPA, a pilot’s day (and night) would look far different and be far riskier than it is today.
Imagine flying in today’s busy skies without traffic or terrain alerting or a moving map display. What would your flight be like if you didn’t have resources such as flight dispatch or cockpit weather radar? What hazards might await you without the lessons learned from flight data recorders?
Looking back, ALPA has fought for and won many initiatives on behalf of all pilots. One example is the standard T instrument arrangement that puts important flight information in the same spot in every airline cockpit. This innovation came to fruition thanks to ALPA pilots who were concerned about the wide variety of instrument configurations and took action by working with industry to effect change.
Building on our successes, ALPA continues to work with manufacturers in the design and development of new aircraft, providing a line pilot’s perspective, like we’ve done with deicing and windshear recovery. Even the ubiquitous “fasten seatbelt” sign was an innovation ALPA members advocated for to make air travel safer.
This perspective is why ALPA is known as “the conscience of the airline industry.” ALPA is the reason why many of the visual aids and markings found at airports, like PAPIs, distance-to-go markers, and centerline approach lighting systems, exist.
Our professional expertise further extends into protecting the cockpit from terrorist acts. We conceived of and advocated for training pilots to carry firearms as Federal Flight Deck Officers, lobbied for strengthening cockpit doors, and continue to work diligently to keep the cockpit jumpseat in the control of captains everywhere.
We’ve also led the charge on advancements in supporting and assisting our pilots physically and emotionally, helping flight crews and their families recover from the traumatic effects of a mishap and coping with stressful life situations while remaining on the job.
Many of the issues we’ve advocated for, persevered through, and ultimately won echo and resonate to today. As a result, our workplace is safer than it’s ever been. But we never rest on our laurels because we know that the work is never done.
The same technologies that have improved aviation have created new opportunities and challenges for others, like unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operating in “shared” airspace. We must ensure that the safety and security of crewmembers and passengers are never jeopardized by these aircraft.
Laser strikes continue to pose challenges. More were reported last year than any previous year, and they threaten pilots’ ability to safely do their job. Informing the public of the risk and enforcing current laws are critical to reducing the instances of this easily preventable crime.
We continue to advocate for greater safety regarding the air transport of lithium batteries, which pose a fire and explosion hazard that pilots are currently powerless to overcome in flight. While new requirements have come into effect, we’re working to expand them to all airline operations and to ensure that governments worldwide comply with these requirements.
We continue our efforts to remedy the carveout of cargo pilots from FAR Part 117 and are pushing for science-based flight, duty, and rest requirements for cargo operations.
We’re making headway on these issues by voicing our perspective to government and industry and collaborating with our allies and industry stakeholders to ensure that our concerns are proactively addressed.
Industrialist and Department of Labor Hall of Honor inductee Henry J. Kaiser once quipped, “Problems are only opportunities in work clothes.” For those willing to do the work, there are many opportunities ahead. The challenges of today are simply chances for us to rise to the occasion and do our part to preserve and enhance the profession we all cherish.
