View this message on the Web.

News from ALPA International

September 13, 2012

Stay Connected

WordPress Facebook Twitter
YouTube Flickr LinkedIn RSS Feeds
The FlightDeck
ALPAApp

The ALPA App

In This Issue:

Executive Board Concludes Business
The 111th regular meeting of the Executive Board of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, concluded with amendments to the Association’s Constitution and By-Laws and Administrative Manual, insights about activities and accomplishments at each ALPA property from its MEC chairman, and briefings from the four delegate committees on the status of the Association’s strategic planning process.

The Board approved a Major Contingency Fund allocation to the PSA pilots for strategic preparedness programs, following more than three years of contract negotiations. The pilot reps also reviewed proposed changes regarding Air Safety Organization appointments, income exemptions from dues, adjustments in expense procedures based on expense reimbursement software the Association recently implemented, and other matters, many of which will be acted on by the ALPA Board of Directors next month.

In a point of personal privilege, CMR MEC chairman Capt. Erik Jensen told the members of the Executive Board “how honored I am to be an ALPA pilot.” Comair is scheduled to shut its doors September 30, and Jensen expressed his sincere appreciation to the other ALPA leaders for their support and encouragement during this difficult time.

Return to top

NMB Chair Speaks to ALPA MEC Chairs


NMB Chairman Harry Hoglander

National Mediation Board (NMB) Chairman Harry Hoglander addressed ALPA’s MEC chairs during the Wednesday plenary session, in a special presentation to the ALPA Executive Board. The former ALPA executive vice president and TWA MEC chair observed, “I’ve walked many miles in the shoes you now wear.”

Speaking candidly, Hoglander talked about the timing and practicalities involved in requesting a proffer of arbitration during the collective bargaining process. He said, “The whole idea here is to get the Board’s attention.” The NMB chair described what he referred to as the “Zone of Reasonableness,” explaining that pilot groups seeking proffers should have only a limited number of open items left to resolve during the negotiating process.

Return to top

ALPA Weighs in on NextGen Advances

ALPA president Capt. Lee Moak submitted a statement for the record to the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Aviation Subcommittee, for a hearing it held on the progress of NextGen. Recognizing that the potential benefits of NextGen have been widely discussed, ALPA’s comments focused on the tangible benefits that are already accruing through the implementation of various initiatives. Included in the list of such “success stories” were:

• Seattle Greener Skies Initiative
• Metroplex—Optimization of the Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex (OAPM)
• Parallel Runway Operations at Airports
• Time-Based Flow Management
• Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B)
• RNP/RNAV En Route Airways (Q/T/TK Routes)
• Continued Expansion of RNP/RNAV Approach Capability
• Increased Capacity in Oceanic Areas
• Reduced Vertical Separation Minima

ALPA’s comments illustrated that each of these has resulted in benefits like greater safety margins, reduced fuel expense, reduced emissions, and more efficient ways to move air traffic. In some cases, the programs and initiatives have taken advantage of existing avionics and/or optimization of procedures and do not require new equipage for the aircraft or the FAA. Read the full text of the statement.

Return to top

FAA Expands Use of RNAV SID Phraseology
On Monday, September 17, based on successful testing at ATL and CLT, the FAA will implement new phraseology for RNAV SIDs at all locations conducting simultaneous parallel runway departures (see ALPA Operations Bulletin 2009-04). ATC will advise aircraft of the initial waypoint for RNAV SIDs designed to begin at the runway. The phraseology used will be, "RNAV to (fix/waypoint), runway (number), cleared for takeoff.” (Example: "Airline 123, RNAV to MPASS, runway two-six left, cleared for takeoff.”)

The pilot is expected to acknowledge the advisory, just like any other ATC communication.

These new procedures are meant to provide a final crosscheck to ensure the programmed FMS path matches ATC expectations. Crews are expected to verify the first-named fix in the FMS matches their takeoff clearance before departure. Note that a point defined solely by altitude, without an associated latitude/longitude in the database, is not a “named fix.”

Read more.

Return to top

CCI, ATI MECs Conduct Road Shows, Management Attends
The Capital Cargo and Air Transport International MECs kicked off their road shows last week to educate their membership on the terms of a joint collective bargaining agreement that both MECs approved to send out for a membership ratification vote.

This Sunday, September 16, company president Dennis Manibusan and vice president John Vestal will attend the CCI MEC road show in Cincinnati at the crew hotel to answer questions from any CCI and ATI crewmembers in good standing. The road show begins at 10:00 a.m., and management’s question-and-answer session will follow at 1:00 p.m.

Voting closes on September 24 and future road shows to educate the crewmembers run through September 23.

Return to top

HIMS Professionals Meet in Denver


Pictured left to right: Capt. Michael Lorenz (PCL), Nat’l HIMS vice chair; Suzanne Kalfus, senior ALPA attorney; Dr. Don Hudson, HIMS program manager; and Capt. Chris Storbeck (DAL), Nat’l HIMS chair

Nearly 300 pilots, doctors, airline managers, and FAA representatives attended the Human Intervention and Motivation Study (HIMS) basic training conference, held September 10-12 at the Hyatt Regency Tech Center in Denver. The HIMS program is a peer education, intervention, treatment, and monitoring program for pilots with alcoholism and other chemical dependencies. Pilot who are successfully treated through the program regain medical certification through the FAA special issuance medical process under CFR Title 14, Part 67.

HIMS education and training is funded through an FAA contract, administered by ALPA for the airline industry. Since the program’s inception, more than 4,600 pilots have been successfully treated and returned to flying.

HIMS is one of five groups under ALPA’s Pilot Assistance Committee, which includes Aeromedical, Canadian Pilot Assistance, the Critical Incident Response Program, and Professional Standards. Learn more about the HIMS program at www.himsprogram.com.

Return to top

Catch the Latest Aviation News! Read ALPA Daily
The aviation industry is changing faster than ever before. The new “ALPA Daily” feature at www.alpa.org will keep you informed of the latest industry developments and analysis from around the globe. Check it out each day to stay up-to-date on the news that affects pilots and the piloting profession.

ALPA Daily continues to grow in popularity, and members have contacted us asking if this information can be e-mailed to their Macs and PCs. ALPA’s Communications and IT Departments are working toward that end. If you want to receive the electronic version of ALPA Daily, e-mail your name, ALPA number, and preferred e-mail address to communications@alpa.org. We’ll let you know when you can expect “home” delivery.

• According to the Centre for Aviation, Emirates is continuing a year-long pursuit of a code-share tie-up with American Airlines, as its landmark deal with American’s fellow oneworld partner Qantas continues to rattle age-old assumptions about the value of alliances in the current aviation marketplace. Read more.

• Morningstar reports that the minister of transport, infrastructure, and communities addressed Canada’s international aviation partners to reiterate Canada’s commitment to aviation security during the high-level conference on aviation security hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization. Read more.

Return to top

Key Men Society

This year, ALPA-PAC is proud to introduce the Key Men Society. This award, named in honor of the 24 brave pilots who formed our union, recognizes those pilot groups who have achieved 24 percent or higher PAC participation. It is the highest honor ALPA-PAC can bestow.

So far this year, the following groups have already earned entry into the inaugural class of the Key Men Society:

DAL Council 81 (SLC)
FDX Council 79 (ANC)
FDX Council 100 (LAX)
FDX Council 123 (CGN)
UAL Council 27 (SEA)

To find out how your council is doing, please contact your LEC officers or Zack Mooneyham in the ALPA Government Affairs Department.

Return to top

Stay Connected
Stay connected with your union, your profession, and your industry by reading Air Line Pilot magazine and watching monthly episodes of The FlightDeck.

Read why scope is important in a pilot contract on page 27 of the September issue of Air Line Pilot magazine.

On the 18th installment of The FlightDeck, watch exclusive coverage of the 58th Air Safety Forum and the extraordinary pilots honored at this year’s event.

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.

Return to top

FastFact
On September 13, 1994, the extensively modified Airbus A300-600ST (“Super Transporter”), now known as the “Beluga,” made her maiden flight. The modifications allowed the aircraft to carry extremely large cargo, such as complete aircraft sections, as part of the manufacturing and assembly process for Airbus aircraft.

Return to top

Feedback & E-mail Address Changes
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

Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l
1625 Massachusetts Avenue NW | Washington, DC 20036 | 703-689-2270