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News from ALPA International |
March 20, 2012 |
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ALPA Galvanizes Industry Efforts to Combat Pilot Fatigue Conference Highlights Necessary Action to Build on New Safety Regulations |
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The Air Line Pilots
Association, Int’l (ALPA),
gathered representatives
from government
agencies, the airlines,
and other aviation labor
groups at a landmark
conference this week to
explore how the Federal
Aviation
Administration’s new
pilot fatigue rule could
be put into practice and
how the airline industry
can implement Fatigue
Risk Management Programs
and other tools to
further enhance aviation
safety.
“While the Federal
Aviation
Administration’s release
of new, science-based
pilot fatigue
regulations was
extremely important
progress in
passenger-carrying
operations, much more
work must be done if we
are to truly eliminate
pilot fatigue as a
safety concern
throughout the airline
industry,” said Capt.
Lee Moak, ALPA’s
president. “The Air Line
Pilots Association,
Int’l, seized the
opportunity to bring the
industry together to
roll up our sleeves and
explore how the new
regulations will be
implemented to ensure a
smooth transition to the
new FAR Part 117 and
position pilots to
deliver on their
commitment to the
highest standards of
safety.”
At the conference,
more than 160
participants held
wide-ranging discussions
on all aspects of
implementing the new
flight- and duty-time
regulations and minimum
rest requirements, as
well as innovative
approaches to the
fatigue challenge,
including making the
most of tools such as
Fatigue Risk Management
Systems to allow
flexibility while
enhancing safety.
Read more.
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Ex–Im Bank Reauthorization Presents Opportunity for Reform Legislation Must Protect U.S. Airline Industry Jobs |
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ALPA president Capt.
Lee Moak issued the
following statement
regarding the U.S.
Senate’s procedural vote
to block adding the
reauthorization of the
Export–Import Bank of
the United States to
other legislation
currently under
consideration by Senate
lawmakers.
“The Air Line Pilots
Association,
International, does not
oppose the Export–Import
Bank’s reauthorization
and we are hopeful that,
with additional time
before the final
reauthorization is
considered, all parties
interested in the Bank’s
reauthorization,
including ALPA, can work
together to amend the
reauthorization to
protect U.S. airline
workers’ jobs without
putting the Bank’s
ultimate reauthorization
in jeopardy.
“Over the past five
years, the Ex–Im Bank
has provided financing
for dozens of widebody
aircraft. This financing
is provided at rates
that are not available
to U.S. airlines, and
many of these
Bank-subsidized aircraft
are being used to fly
routes that are, have
been, and could be
served by U.S. airlines.
U.S. carriers have found
that they have needed to
withdraw from or not
begin flying routes that
might otherwise be
economically viable. As
a result, the Bank’s
financing is directly
and adversely affecting
U.S. airlines and their
employees. Further,
there is every
indication that Bank
financing of widebody
aircraft is likely to
grow rapidly and
increasingly threaten
U.S. airlines’ ability
to compete on
international routes,
costing ALPA members and
other airline industry
employees their jobs.
Read more.
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Emirates Enters Dulles–Dubai: Who Financed the Planes? |
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Click on the image to view the ad. |
ALPA has joined with
Delta and the APA in
publishing a full-page
color ad in two popular
Capitol Hill newspapers—Politico
and Roll Call—highlighting
the subsidies provided
to foreign airlines by
U.S. taxpayers through
the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
The ad highlights Boeing
777s financed at
below-market rates to
Emirates, which are now
being flown into the
United States in
competition with U.S.
airlines.
The Bank’s subsidies
to foreign airlines
gives foreign
competitors a cost
advantage on
international routes,
and these subsidies are
allowing foreign
carriers to drive
domestic carriers out of
international routes,
costing pilots jobs. ALPA Government Affairs
is actively working on
Capitol Hill to bring a
resolution to this
subsidy issue and sent a
letter last week to
lawmakers detailing our
position.
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Moak Urges Congressional Support for HIMS |
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ALPA
president Capt. Lee Moak
wrote to Senate and
House appropriators
recently (Senate
and
House letters),
urging them to support
the Human Intervention
Motivation Study (HIMS),
a critical health
program for professional
airline pilots. HIMS is
a federally funded
prototype
alcohol-and-drug-assistance
program that coordinates
the identification,
assessment, and medical
recertification of
flight officers. It is a
highly successful
collaboration between
the FAA, air carriers,
and pilot
representatives. The
HIMS program provides
educational materials
and conducts seminars
and outreach to the
pilot community. HIMS
coordinates the
identification,
treatment, and medical
recertification and
return to the cockpit of
flight officers with
substance problems. HIMS
is an industry-wide
effort in which
companies, pilot unions,
and the FAA work
together to further air
safety and preserve
careers.
By any measure, the
HIMS program has been a
resounding success. The
long-term success rate
is 85 to 90 percent, and
it is an important
safety tool for our
aviation system.
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Delta Pilots, Management Exchange Openers |
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On
Tuesday, March 13, the
Delta MEC Negotiating
Committee and Delta
management exchanged
Section 6 openers. With
Delta pilot contract
negotiations now under
way, every MEC committee
is engaged in some
fashion with the
“Leading the Industry”
Contract 2012 effort.
In the same way that
the internal team is
working together, the
next step is to
strengthen the single
most important aspect of
success in 2012—pilot
unity. To that end, the
Delta Pilot Network (DPN),
a subcommittee of the
MEC Communications
Committee, is physically
expanding its presence
to where Delta pilots
live all across the
country. DPN will
provide venues and
opportunities to get
local pilots together
with Pilot Unity
Building (P.U.B.)
events. These events
will allow DPN and ALPA
leaders to share
information, listen to
concerns, address
rumors, and receive
feedback, all in a
casual social setting.
Read more.
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ALPA Security, Jumpseat Reps Meet |
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Security
and Jumpseat
chairmen/coordinators
representing 23 ALPA
MECs met in Herndon,
Va., March 13–14, during
the first plenary
session of the
Association’s
reorganized security
structure. ALPA first
vice president and
National Safety
coordinator Capt. Sean
Cassidy (ALA) opened the
meeting, providing a
general overview of the
current state of the
ALPA Board of Directors’
safety and security
priorities. ALPA’s
Aviation Security chair,
Capt. Fred Eissler, (FDX)
chaired the plenary
sessions.
During the course of
the two-day event,
Security Council and
Jumpseat Council members
convened in separate
break-out sessions to
discuss pertinent
matters of interest at
individual MEC airlines,
to redefine each group’s
Operations Manuals to
ensure conformity with
ALPA Administrative
Manual Section 85, and
to plan for the
Association’s 2012
Annual Air Safety Forum.
In addition each group
discussed a number of
matters of interest,
which were referred to
the Aviation Security
chair for consideration
and potential follow-up
action.
The program included
presentations by the
Transportation Security
Administration’s (TSA)
chief of Explosive
Operations,
representatives of TSA’s
Security Policy and
Industry Engagement
division, and ALPA’s
Government Affairs
Department. The full
security structure will
next meet in Washington,
D.C., during ALPA’s
annual Air Safety Forum,
August 6–9.
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Stay connected with your
union, your profession,
and your industry by
reading Air Line
Pilot magazine and
watching monthly
episodes of The
FlightDeck.
Find out what ALPA
first vice president
Capt. Sean Cassidy had
to say to the U.S. House
of Representatives’
Aviation Subcommittee
about the merits of GPS
on page 30 of the
March issue of Air Line Pilot magazine.
On the 13th
installment
of
The
FlightDeck, hear
what ALPA president
Capt. Lee Moak had to
say at the annual NATCA
Communicating for Safety
conference.
Remember that both Air Line Pilot
and The FlightDeck
can also be accessed
from the members-only
portion of the ALPA
website at
www.alpa.org.
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ALPA Attends ALEAN Conference |
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ALPA
security representatives
attended the Airport Law
Enforcement Agencies
Network (ALEAN) spring
conference in New
Orleans, March 13–14.
During his remarks,
keynote speaker John
Pistole, administrator
of the Transportation
Security Administration
(TSA), addressed the
need for a “risk-based”
approach to aviation
security and praised the
partnership between TSA,
labor, industry, and
state and local airport
law enforcement
agencies. The
administrator
specifically cited the
ALPA- and Airlines for
America-sponsored Known
Crewmember program as a
successful example of
risk-based screening and
discussed the
possibility of expanding
similar programs in the
future, such as
PreCheck. An FBI
speaker offered an
overview of the agency’s
Civil Aviation Security
Program and discussed
counterterrorism efforts
conducted by 42
different agencies
within the National
Joint Terrorism Task
Force. In addition to
panel discussions on
current airport law
enforcement resources
and training issues, the
agenda included a
presentation by
Immigration and Customs
Enforcement.
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Cargo Conference Next Month |
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Plans are being
finalized for a one-day
conference on all-cargo
operations to be held
April 17 in Washington,
D.C. The conference,
titled “Air Cargo Safety
and Security: Closing
the Gaps,” will feature
congressional and other
government and aviation
industry leadership to
highlight numerous
safety- and
security-related
deficiencies inherent in
all-cargo operations and
identify ways to remedy
these problems.
The keynote address
will be delivered by
Rep. Chip Cravaack
(R-MN), who
transported cargo as a
former Northwest
Airlines pilot. Cravaack
serves on the U.S. House
of Representatives’
Transportation &
Infrastructure Committee
and Homeland Security
Committee. The agenda
also includes the acting
administrator of the
Federal Aviation
Administration, the
chairman of the National
Transportation Safety
Board, and several
senior representatives
from government and
industry.
The conference is to
be held in the historic
Blue Room of the Omni
Shoreham Hotel. The
agenda and registration
information are
available at
cargoconference.alpa.org.
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We Want Photos from the Line |
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The
ALPA Facebook page will
be getting a facelift
using your photos. Send
your best pictures of
flying the line and see
them posted on the
We Are ALPA Facebook
page, in Air Line
Pilot magazine, and
on The FlightDeck.
Submit your quality
images to
photos@alpa.org.
Please adhere to the
appropriate FARs, CARs,
and company policy when
taking pictures. Thanks!
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• U.S. News and World Report says the government is taking a tentative
step toward making it easier for airlines to allow passengers to use personal
electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers, and music players during takeoffs
and landings.
Read more.
• USA Today reports that airlines are giving satellites a second look for
delivering Internet service to passengers in the air.
Read more.
• In a press release, Airlines for America (the former Air Transport
Association) yesterday called on the U.S. government to reform federal taxes and
regulations to enable U.S. airlines to compete globally on a level playing field
and help grow the country’s economy.
Read more.
• According to Reuters, four leading airlines have warned the British government
that there could be problems at London’s airports during this summer’s Olympic
Games.
Read more.
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On March 20, 1937, an attempted round-the-world flight by Amelia Earhart was
thwarted when the starboard tire of her Lockheed Electra burst on takeoff from
Honolulu. Earhart had completed the first leg of her journey just three days
before, flying from Oakland to Honolulu in 16 hours. Severely damaged, her plane
was shipped back to California for repairs.
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Feedback & E-mail Address Changes |
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Questions or comments on this FastRead? Give us your feedback at
communications@alpa.org. If you have moved or changed your ISP or e-mail
address, please update your ALPA records. If you don’t, you
will no longer receive the ALPA FastRead and other e-mail bulletins and notices,
and once your postal forwarding order expires, you’ll no longer receive the
magazine and other ALPA mail. You can do it yourself by going to
www.alpa.org and logging
in. Go to “My ALPA” in the menu at the top of the page, and from there, you’ll be
instructed how to make the necessary changes. If you don’t have access to the
members-only section of
www.alpa.org, you can
e-mail your requests by sending them to
membership@alpa.org. Be sure to include your member number or enough other
information so that we can identify you in the membership database, and tell us
what information needs to be updated. Please note that it is not sufficient
just to notify your LEC or MEC of these changes—you should register them with
the ALPA Membership Department in Herndon. Can’t remember your member number
or how to log in? Need information about your ALPA insurance programs? These and
other questions about ALPA services can be answered by contacting
membership@alpa.org. Return to top
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Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l 1625 Massachusetts Avenue NW
| Washington, DC 20036 | 703-689-2270 |
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