FAA Prohibits Flying to/from Israel’s Ben Gurion International

In response to a rocket strike landing approximately one mile from Ben Gurion International Airport this morning, the FAA has issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) prohibiting U.S. airlines from flying to or from the Israeli airport for a period of up to 24 hours. The FAA will continue to monitor the situation.

With the increasing tension, several European airlines have also halted flights to Tel Aviv, and Air Canada canceled its Tuesday-evening overnight flight.

Read the FAA’s press release and the NOTAM.

U.S. DOT Secretary on NextGen: More Must Be Done

Yesterday, DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx addressed transportation stakeholders, leaders, and members of the press at this month’s National Press Club (NPC) luncheon. During his address, Secretary Foxx highlighted the crucial role and the significant contribution our entire U.S. transportation system plays to the U.S. economy, and made a pitch for NextGen.

“With NextGen, not only will airplanes be able to move a lot more efficiently through the airspace, but it also has strong environmental benefits and will be a huge cost savings for our carriers, which will hopefully reduce the cost for our passengers,” said Secretary Foxx. “Due to NextGen technology, delays will be reduced by 40 percent.”

He also stated that, while we have made significant progress in the implementation of NextGen, more must be done to lead and ensure that NextGen is implemented throughout the entire airspace.

Secretary Foxx’s comments are in lockstep with ALPA’s support of NextGen implementation in order to achieve a more efficient national airspace. Read more about ALPA’s recommendations to “Level the Playing Field for U.S. Airlines and Their Employees.”

ARW MEC Comes to ALPA HQ to Learn IT Tricks and Tips

The incoming ARW MEC officers are in Herndon this week for extensive training on the Microsoft Office Suite, AMES e-mail distribution process, and ALPA’s SharePoint system. The training will allow the officers to better perform their functions when they take office on August 26.

Pictured here from left: incoming ARW MEC Chairman Chris Suhs, ALPA IT staff Jody Krazeise, incoming ARW MEC Secretary-Treasurer Jared Armstrong, and ARW MEC Vice Chairman Jeffrey Pruett.

ALPA Supports ICAO’s Lead of Malaysia Flight 17 Crash Investigation

Yesterday, ALPA released a press statement in support of International Civil Aviation Organization’s arrival on site at the Malaysia Flight MH17 crash location.

“The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) strongly supports a thorough investigation of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 led by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). ICAO, which is the international aviation component of the United Nations, is an extremely knowledgeable and objective organization relied upon worldwide for its leadership in setting international aviation standards.”

Read the full statement.

Senate to Consider Aviation Stakeholder Bill

Tomorrow, Wednesday, July 23, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will meet in executive session to consider travel and commerce legislation, and the Aviation Stakeholder Participation Act of 2013 is on the agenda. The bill, which has already passed the House, establishes the TSA Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC), which is tasked with making recommendations to improve aviation security. ALPA’s first vice president Capt. Sean Cassidy is currently an appointed member to the TSA’s ASAC.

Read more information on the session here. If you are interested in viewing a webcast of the hearing, that will be available beginning at 2:30 p.m. tomorrow on the Senate Commerce Committee website.

Attention Regional Pilots . . . NASA Wants You!

The University of Iowa Operator Performance Lab (OPL), in collaboration with NASA, is seeking Part 121 first officers with current regional airline experience to participate in a flight test experiment. Pilots must have experience with flight management systems, glass cockpits, and turbine air transport aircraft. The purpose of the experiment is to determine the effects of different instrument configurations on the pilot’s spatial orientation ability. In this experiment, the pilot will be seated in the aft crew station of a tandem-seat fighter jet trainer, an Aero L-29.

The flight test experiment will be ongoing August 1 through September 30, 2014, at the University of Iowa OPL in Iowa City, Iowa. The test session will require a full-day commitment for safety briefings, mission briefings, setup, cockpit familiarization, flight, and debriefing. The actual flight event will take approximately two hours. All test subjects will receive a stipend and will be reimbursed for travel expenses, including costs for accommodations, rental car, meals, and miscellaneous expenses.

To participate please visit the Public Aeronautics Test Assistance Center website, https://flight-research.larc.nasa.gov, and create a login. Complete the BQ2 Commercial Corporate Military Aviation Questionnaire to initiate the participation process.

This communication is provided for informational purposes only. ALPA is not a participant in the flight test described above and makes no recommendation as to whether or not it is appropriate for you to participate. ALPA has performed no investigation of the experiment, the facilities, or the aircraft to be utilized and assumes no legal responsibility should you decide to participate.