More than 50 ALPA line pilot safety representatives gathered at the union’s Herndon Conference Center in Herndon, Va., this week for three days of meetings.

The chairs of ALPA’s six technical, safety-focused groups—Accident Analysis and Prevention, Aircraft Design and Operations, Airport and Ground Environment, Air Traffic Services, Human Factors and Training, and Energy and Environment, plus the Air Safety Coordinator-Canada—met with the ALPA Safety Council and the ALPA Training Council in joint sessions and in separate meetings.

The Safety Council, made up of the central air safety chairman of each ALPA pilot group, received reports from the group chairs. They discussed a variety of topics ranging from safety data programs to cockpit automation use. Much of the meeting was devoted to reports from individual safety reps about issues at their airline, with particular focus on the status of their FOQA and ASAP programs.

Training Council members—line pilots who serve on the Training Committee for their MEC—had a full plate, too; they discussed recent developments in upset training, including stall recognition and recovery; problems related to distance learning; issues having to do with electronic flight bags; and more.

Capt. Kevin L. Hiatt, president and CEO of the non-profit Flight Safety Foundation, of which ALPA is a member, was the dinner speaker Tuesday night. A former line pilot, management pilot, and airline executive, he lauded the attendees for their continuing contributions to aviation safety.

Look for more coverage in a future issue of Air Line Pilot.