Air Safety Organization Update
ASO Trains Future Accident Investigators
Twenty-one pilot safety representatives from 11 airlines gathered at ALPA’s Conference Center in Herndon, Va., in mid-September to take part in ALPA’s Air Safety Organization (ASO) Accident Investigation Course. “Every one of our 57,000 members is a safety advocate,” said Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA first vice president and national safety coordinator, who thanked the pilots for their time and participation. “It’s really our primary job as pilots—the safety of our passengers. So when government or industry representatives see that ALPA is in the room, they always ask and respect our insights on the issues, because they know our members are the leaders in aviation safety.”
Capt. Michael Wickboldt (Spirit), the course director, stated, “Your role when working with the NTSB or the Transportation Safety Board of Canada is to bring the line-pilot perspective to the investigation. This is what makes us uniquely qualified to assist in their efforts. Because when the unthinkable happens to our fellow pilots, everyone involved is on the same team and has the same goals—to identify any safety issues and make recommendations to keep these events from happening again.”
The four-day course covers topics such as accident notification and dispatch to the site, the resources available from various ALPA departments, investigative agency policies, membership in various investigative groups, bloodborne pathogen precautions, representation of flight crews, the use of Critical Incident Response Program resources, and responding to international investigations.
