Release #: 14.64
August 06, 2014

ALPA Honors PSA Airlines Captain Robert Hamilton with Top Security Honor

Concord, N.C., Pilot Recognized as Leader in Aviation Security

WASHINGTON—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) will recognize PSA Airlines Captain Robert Hamilton with its 2013 Aviation Security Award for his numerous contributions to aviation security. ALPA will present the prestigious award, which is the Association’s highest security honor, to Capt. Hamilton during ALPA’s 60th Air Safety Forum, held August 4–7 in Washington, D.C.

A PSA Airlines pilot since 2005, Capt. Hamilton, a Concord, N.C., resident, has been chairman of the Security Committee for the ALPA PSA Master Executive Council for four years and chairman of the ALPA Security Council for two years, and has served on the PSA System Board of Adjustment (a labor dispute resolution group) for six years.

“Capt. Hamilton has provided outstanding leadership to his fellow pilots in many capacities, and his role as chairman of the ALPA Security Council has helped increase the safety and security of the entire aviation industry,” said ALPA president Capt. Lee Moak.

This year, Capt. Hamilton has made several notable contributions to the Laser Threat Awareness initiative. The nationwide campaign, which is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and supported by ALPA, seeks to raise awareness of the serious dangers posed by illegal laser illumination of aircraft cockpits.

“Capt. Hamilton has been an invaluable asset to ALPA and the aviation industry as a key player in the success of the Laser Threat Awareness campaign. He has become an expert in communicating the dangers of aiming lasers at cockpits,” added Moak. “His tireless work brings to light the ongoing threat of laser illumination of aircraft.”

Capt. Hamilton, who pilots Bombardier CRJ 200, 701, and 900 aircraft, was instrumental in planning and producing a laser threat awareness video. The video, a collaboration between ALPA and the FBI, is a reenactment of an illegal laser illumination of an aircraft cockpit and has been broadcast by multiple news media outlets across the United States. Capt. Hamilton is featured in the video and also participated in many interviews about the Laser Threat Awareness campaign.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 31 airlines in the United States and Canada. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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

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