In a March 10 letter, ALPA president Capt. John Prater urged members of the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor legislation introduced this week that directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that new revenue-sharing agreements between U.S. and foreign airlines are beneficial to U.S. airline workers as well as to their airlines.

The bill, H.R. 4788, which was introduced by Reps. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.), Mike Michaud (D-Maine), and Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), would help protect U.S. workers by establishing basic requirements for U.S. airlines that enter into international revenue-sharing agreements. These requirements would ensure that the airlines conduct an amount of the flying that has a close correlation to the amount of revenue the airline receives. A U.S. airline will be able to share revenue with a foreign airline, but that revenue will be based on the amount of flying each airline performs.

“This legislation protects the U.S. workers whose dedication and professionalism have helped to build the airlines that participate in international alliances,” said Prater. “One-quarter of the jobs in the U.S. airline industry have disappeared, and international revenue-sharing agreements threaten to make a bad situation even worse for U.S. workers.”

Earlier this week, ALPA issued a news release applauding the congressmen for their leadership in protecting U.S. jobs and urging the swift passage of the legislation.

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United pilots will picket UAL headquarters at 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, Ill., from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17. The UAL Board of Directors will be meeting on that date. All ALPA pilots are encouraged to attend. If you can make it, please RSVP with an email to ORDStrikeChair@alpa.org or call 847-682-8425 and include your name, mobile phone number and any questions or comments.

United pilots also plan to carry their message of disgust over United’s continued outsourcing of United pilot jobs to Washington, D.C. on Sunday, March 28, with an informational picket at Dulles International Airport. The informational picket will be conducted on the first day of the United/Aer Lingus Washington-to-Madrid flight.

Picketing will be held from 2 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, March 28. Pilots are asked to meet on the lower level of baggage claim near the employee security line. Contacts for the Dulles picketing event are Marco Salazar (marco.salazar@alpa.org) and Glenn Klopfer (GKlopDC11@msn.com).

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In the March 9 letter, Prater made clear to U.S. senators that ALPA is adamantly opposed to using cockpit voice recorder information or flight data recorder for any reason other than accident investigation. On February 26, the Association issued a news release blasting legislation introduced by Sen. Jim DeMint that would misuse cockpit voice and flight data recorder information for discipline and, as a result, threaten aviation safety, compromise the accident investigation process, and squander financial resources that could make proven aviation safety programs even more effective.

Prater also underscored the importance of including important aviation safety initiatives encompassed in the House-passed Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009 (H.R. 3371) and encouraged the U.S. Senate to hold the FAA to its promise that a final flight-time/duty-time rule would be in place by the end of 2010.

The Senate will consider the FAA reauthorization bill through next week. ALPA is fully engaged in communicating pilots’ views on Capitol Hill and reminds pilots to make their voice heard through our Call to Action website.

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The by-invitation-only agenda for the New York City event featured presentations by more than 20 airline industry stakeholders, including Jeff Smisek, Continental Airlines chairman, president, and CEO; and Edward Bastian, Delta Air Lines president. United Airlines, AirTran Holdings, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines were also among the companies invited to participate.

(For more information, please click here.)

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Over the course of the meetings, the pilots learned that on April 6 and 7, NMB member Linda Puchala will participate in mediation during the only two days of negotiations scheduled between the pilot group and Spirit management. While ALPA hopes that this step results in a comprehensive agreement, NMB members typically join talks when the Board is close to making a decision on offering binding arbitration which, if rejected by either party, results in a 30-day cooling off period leading to a release for self help. While Spirit pilots hope a comprehensive agreement will be reached at this session, management hasn’t yet negotiated in a way that is likely to produce that result. Consequently, Spirit pilots, with ALPA’s backing, are preparing for the possibility that a 30-day cooling off period could start in early April. “One thing is for sure,” said Creed, “whether at the negotiating table or on the picket line, this story will end with a fair contract for this pilot group. We will not be satisfied by anything less.”

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The Atlantic Southeast pilots have overwhelmingly ratified a letter of agreement for an advanced preferential bidding system, which will be provided by Flightline Prefbid. The LOA also provides the pilots with contract improvements that include a pay rate increase of 1 percent, an increase in minimum-day pay, and a vacation credit increase. The new deal extends the ASA pilot contract amendable date by one year. However, Section 6 negotiations are still scheduled to begin in May 2010.

Capt. David Nieuwenhuis, ASA MEC chairman, said, “This agreement is consistent with the long-term strategic goals of the ASA MEC, and the success of this deal is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our pilot group and the willingness of ASA management to engage in a mutually productive and positive dialogue.”

Over the next 90 days, Flightline Prefbid will be customized for the ASA system to meet the requirements of the collective bargaining agreement and the PBS LOA. The Association will work closely with Flightline Prefbid programmers and ASA management to ensure the intent and language of the LOA are correctly interpreted.

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“Events during the last year involving several of our airlines remind us why pilots need to continually advocate for the latest, most comprehensive security measures,” said Capt. Robb Powers (ALA), ALPA’s NSC chairman. “We need to make sure that we are doing everything possible to stop those who would commit terrorism and other criminal acts.”

Terrorism was the theme for many of the presentations during the three-day meeting. Participants heard reports on the latest terrorist intelligence and background from representatives of the FBI’s Civil Aviation Security Program and its Behavioral Sciences Unit. They conferred with supervisory personnel from the Federal Air Marshal Service about the Federal Flight Deck Officer program and day-to-day operations. The pilots also talked about the threat of chemical/biological attacks on aircraft, the status of secondary-barrier standards, and the Committee’s ongoing efforts with law enforcement officers.

(For more information, please click here.)

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Capt. Randy Helling, vice-president—finance/treasurer, and Capt. William Couette, vice-president—administration/secretary, hosted the Conference, which covered ALPA’s financial status in detail; MEC budgeting policies, procedures, and reports; required U.S. government reports; new MEC applications from ALPA’s IT Department; strike oversight boards; ALPA member insurance plans; and much more.

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ALPA has long voiced concern that current provisions in the hazardous materials regulations governing the transport of lithium batteries by air are inadequate to protect crewmembers, passengers, cargo and the travelling public.

“When not properly manufactured, packaged, or handled, lithium batteries present a risk of self-combustion, in-flight fire, and the loss of an aircraft and its occupants. . . . ALPA believes that the risk of fire associated with lithium batteries, including lithium batteries packed with or in equipment, is sufficient to justify the elimination of existing regulatory exceptions and regulating them under the Department of Transportation’s hazardous materials regulations,” said F/O Mark Rogers (UAL), director of ALPA’s Dangerous Goods Program.

The Association is urging PHMSA to complete and publish a final rule governing carriage of these batteries as soon as practical.

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The latest issue of the ALPA Aeromedical Committee’s bimonthly Aeromedical Flyer, containing aeromedical articles and information of interest to ALPA members, was recently released. The theme is stress and flying with a distraught crewmember. The author has the unique perspective of being both a certified psychologist and a commercial airline pilot.

Since emotional distress such as depression can have a profound effect on how we think and react, safety of flight could be compromised. These articles provide tools to deal with stress and depression, either personally or with a fellow crewmember. When dealing with any kind of problem, the key is to be educated and proactive.

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Even during difficult times, airline pilots do an outstanding job of fulfilling ALPA’s motto, “Schedule with Safety.” With ALPA’s long-standing emphasis on fostering the highest level of professionalism and adherence to the Code of Ethics—and the Association’s renewed attention to it—Air Line Pilot magazine is looking for “a few good men and women” to profile who serve as superlative examples of professionalism on a daily basis.

If you know of someone who exemplifies the best characteristics of our profession, you are invited to nominate him or her. Those chosen by the selection committee will be interviewed and featured in a future issue of Air Line Pilot magazine.

Please download the submission form, fill it out, forward it to Magazine@alpa.org, and we will take it from there.

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“. . . if for any reason at any time it is necessary for one pilot to leave his station at the controls of the airplane when operating at flight altitudes above flight level 250, the remaining pilot at the controls shall put on and use his oxygen mask until the other pilot has returned to his duty station.”

We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

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• ALPA to Congress: Protect U.S. Jobs in International Airline Alliances
• Air Transat Pilots: Outsourcing Bad for Business, English | French

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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s first official day of operation was April 1, 1967 (DOT was established by an act of Congress on Oct. 15, 1966). The mission of the Department is to “serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible, and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future.”

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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 https://crewroom.alpa.org and logging in. Go to “My ALPA” on the left side of the page, and from there, you’ll be instructed how to make the necessary changes.

If you don’t have access to https://crewroom.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.

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