Release #: 22.27
August 01, 2022

ALPA Commemorates Passage of Historic Pilot Qualifications and Training Legislation

2010 Law Has Made U.S. Aviation the Safest in the World


MCLEAN, Va.—Capt. Joe DePete, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), issued the following statement today commemorating the enactment of the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010.

“Today, our nation marks the 12th anniversary of one of the most effective aviation safety measures in U.S. history becoming law—a law that has reduced U.S. airline passenger fatalities by 99.8 percent. On August 1, 2010, after the tireless efforts by the families of Continental Connection Flight 3407, along with the collective efforts of ALPA, other aviation safety advocates, and the U.S. Congress, several significant safety advancements were enacted to ensure that the lessons learned from tragedy were never forgotten.

“After a series of high-profile fatal airline accidents that occurred over a six-year period, elected officials passed numerous, significant airline safety improvements in the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010, the most noteworthy of which was a provision strengthening pilot training, qualification, and experience requirements to include, for example, specific training for stall recognition and upset recovery, as well as flight in adverse weather conditions. 

“This critical law would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of the families of Flight 3407, who turned their grief into action to ensure that no other families would have to suffer the loss they had to endure. Their tremendous advocacy resulted in significant positive changes in aviation, and we thank and honor them for their continued efforts that have helped make the United States the gold standard of airline safety.

“As the world’s largest nongovernmental aviation safety organization, today serves as a reminder of why airline pilots are committed to lifelong training to keep flying safe. We remain unwavering in our opposition to any attempts to weaken these lifesaving improvements to airline safety.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 65,000 pilots at 40 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on Twitter @ALPAPilots.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org