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October 10, 2013

In This Issue:

ALPA Calls for End to Government Shutdown
Collaboration Is Key among Associations of Star Alliance Pilots
Capt. Black Takes PCRO Message to Winter Ops Conference
Endeavor MEC Elects Officers, Recognizes Pilots
ExpressJet Families Gather at Wrigley Field
Final Fall District Advocates Training Dates
Major Changes in O’Hare Operations Coming Soon!
News on the Net

 


Capt. Sean Cassidy speaks at a rally on
Capitol Hill to end the government shutdown.
ALPA Calls for End to Government Shutdown

Speaking to attendees of a rally on Capitol Hill today, ALPA first vice president Capt. Sean Cassidy called on lawmakers to end the government shutdown immediately. The rally, organized by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) included many of the organization’s leaders, alongside representatives from across the aviation community.

“We need to end the shutdown and bring everyone back to work immediately,” said Capt. Cassidy. “Congress must make certain that the U.S. airline industry continues to fuel our nation’s economy, provide jobs for tens of thousands of hardworking Americans, and deliver the service that passengers and cargo shippers expect and deserve from the U.S. air transportation system.”

Read the full story.

Collaboration Is Key among Associations of Star Alliance Pilots

The Associations of Star Alliance Pilots (ASAP) today concluded their semiannual Executive Board meeting in the Washington, D.C., area. The Star Alliance is an airline marketing consortium currently consisting of 28 member carriers. ASAP consists of the leadership of the pilot unions and associations at those carriers, which collectively represent approximately 50,000 pilots. Twenty-six delegates were in attendance at the conference.

Of the meeting, United Airlines Capt. Ron Abel, ASAP’s Executive Board chairman, noted that “the value of our collective discussion—especially with regard to assessing changes sweeping the airline industry—can’t be overstated. We must continue to apply our experience and resources to anticipate and deal with the challenges that we face as a profession.”

In addition to substantial discussion and presentations concerning labor relations and bargaining related to mergers, seniority list integration, and health and retirement benefit negotiations, other issues discussed by the delegates during working sessions were the overall economic state of the industry worldwide and industrial developments that likely will impact pilots.

Read the full release.


Capt. Peter Black addresses the audience at the
International Winter Operations Conference.
Capt. Black Takes PCRO Message to Winter Ops Conference

Capt. Peter Black (First Air), chairman of the ALPA President’s Committee for Remote Operations (PCRO), conveyed the PCRO agenda to a broader audience yesterday as a speaker at the 3rd International Winter Operations Conference, a two-day event hosted by the Air Canada Pilots Association (ACPA) in Vancouver, B.C. In particular, Capt. Black emphasized the need for improvements in navigation, infrastructure, and communications in remote operations.

More than 150 stakeholders attended the conference, including pilots and management representatives from Air Inuit, Alaska, American, Bearskin, Cathay Pacific, EVA Air, First Air, Japan Airlines, Porter, Ryanair, and WestJet. Airframe manufacturers Airbus, Boeing, Cessna, and Embraer participated, as did airport operations managers from Denver and Vancouver. Pilot group attendees included ACPA, ALPA, APA, SWAPA, and Vereinigung Cockpit, the German airline pilots’ association.

Read the full story.


(l-r) Incoming officers Capt. Michael Yoder, vice chairman; Capt. Jonathan Allen, chairman; and F/O Nathan Hillard, secretary-treasurer
Endeavor MEC Elects Officers, Recognizes Pilots

The Endeavor Air (formerly Pinnacle Airlines) MEC elected officers, bestowed Outstanding Airmanship awards, and conducted other business at its meeting this week in Herndon, Va. The new slate of officers—Chairman Jonathan Allen, Vice Chairman Michael Yoder, and Secretary-Treasurer Nathan Hillard—have begun their terms, which run until October 1, 2015.

The MEC honored Capt. Brent Kosowski and F/O Daron Bridwell with Outstanding Airmanship awards for preventing a runway incursion tragedy during a takeoff roll on December 23, 2012 at DTW. Outstanding Airmanship awards were also designated for Capt. Joshua Malloy and F/O Gregory Shepherd for their actions on Colgan Flight 4915, when they landed a Q400 at IAH with a nose wheel that would not extend. They successfully landed the aircraft with no loss of life, and were complimented by the NTSB for their professionalism.

ExpressJet Families Gather at Wrigley Field

ExpressJet pilots were a part of baseball history in the making when they came out for the final Family Awareness event of the year in Chicago last month. While watching the Chicago Cubs take on the Pittsburgh Pirates from Skybox on Sheffield, which is just inside the right field foul pole at Wrigley Field, pilots and their spouses/significant others had an opportunity to speak directly with the MEC officers and Negotiating Committee about the status of the merger, joint negotiations, and other issues. They also saw the Pirates beat the Cubs 2-1 and clinch a National League Wild Card after a 21-year absence from the postseason. The Pirates’ storybook season may be over after a Game 5 loss last night to the St. Louis Cardinals, but the new chapter at ExpressJet is still being written as negotiations for a joint contract continue. Through a robust communications program that includes Family Awareness, Pilot-to-Pilot and more, the MEC is working to provide information and strengthen the bonds of unity among the pilot group.

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Final Fall District Advocates Training Dates

ALPA is seeking volunteers who are interested in promoting ALPA’s legislative agenda and who want to serve as pilot partisan representatives to their local congressional office. Final training slots for the year have just been scheduled!

During the training, volunteers will receive instruction on how to serve as effective local advocates through visits with their members of Congress and participation in other grassroots activities. (Check out the spread on the District Advocates program in the May issue of Air Line Pilot.) This training is done via webinar, lasts about one hour, and provides an overview of ALPA’s grassroots program, current legislative issues, and how to set up and conduct a congressional visit.

Read more about upcoming training dates and times.

Major Changes in O’Hare Operations Coming Soon!

Beginning October 17, 2013, operations at O’Hare will change from a layout started in the 1960s and expanded upon for decades to East-West operations. The result is a major change for both pilots and controllers in how O’Hare will conduct operations. Be alert for possible confusion until everyone becomes familiar with the new operations. As always, if there is any doubt as to control instructions that you are given, query the controller.

Read the full story.

News on the Net

ALPA represents nearly 50,000 pilots at 32 airlines in the United States and Canada.
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