October 2011 Air Line Pilot 1

OCTOBER 2011 n OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, INTERNATIONAL

Remembering 9-11Page 19

Charting Our FlightpathPage 26

Known Crewmember Update Page 30

FAA Reauthorization Page 15

Watch The FlightDeck for information about the piloting profession and airline aviation news. Simply scan the QR code with your phone, sit back, and enjoy.flightdeck.alpa.org

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A member service of Air Line Pilot.

OCTOBER 2011 • VOlumE 80, NumBER 8

About the CoverEnroute from ANC to HNL.. Photo © Chris Bena. To view a page-turning ver-sion of this issue, scan the QR code with your smart- phone. New to this technology? Download a QR reader to your smartphone, scan the code, and read the magazine.

Air Line Pilot (ISSN 0002-242X) is pub-lished monthly, except for the combined January/February and June/July issues, by the Air Line Pilots Association, Inter-national, affiliated with AFL-CIO, CLC. Editorial Offices: 535 Herndon Parkway, PO Box 1169, Herndon, VA 20172-1169. Telephone: 703-481-4460. Fax: 703-464 2114. Copyright © 2011—Air Line Pilots Association, Inter national, all rights reserved. Publica tion in any form without permission is prohibited. Air Line Pilot and the ALPA logo Reg. U.S. Pat. and T.M. Office. Federal I.D. 36-0710830. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, VA 20172, and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Air Line Pilot, PO Box 1169, Herndon, VA 20172-1169.Canadian Publications mail Agreement #40620579: Return undeliverable maga-zines sent to Canadian addresses to 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON, Canada N8T 3B7.

COMMENTARY5 Aviation mattersWho Will Be Our Advocate?

6 Weighing InWhat Does ALPA Mean to You?

FEATURES15 22 and Holding

17 Chronicling AlPA’s Strategic Plan—BOD Delegate Committee 7: Influ-encing legislation and Regulations

19 We Will Never Forget

23 A Roadmap to the Future

26 AlPA’s Strategic Plan Progress Report

30 Known Crewmember Update

DEPARTMENTS

7 PreflightFacts, Figures, and Info

32 Health WatchCancer: Cell Growth Out of Control

35 ALPA@WorkNational R&I Committee and VEBA Hold Summer Meeting

36 Shaping History Excerpts from Flying the Line I and II

37 The landing

38 We Are ALPA ALPA Resources and Contact Numbers

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23 26

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4 Air Line Pilot October 2011

Getting ready to go through TSA screeningTake a look at “Known Crewmember Update” on page 30 to find out which new location and airlines have come on board.

Wearing your ALPA 9-11 commemorative pin

Read “We Will Never Forget” on page 19 to find out how ALPA paid tribute on the 10th anniversary of September 11 to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks. Then go to page 37 to view the infographic that illustrates a few national memorials dedicated to 9-11.

Wondering what Congress is doing about FAA fundingTurn to page 15 to read about the 22nd consecutive extension to the FAA reauthorization bill.

Wondering how well ALPA is meeting its strategic plan objectivesCheck out “ALPA’s Strategic Plan Progress Report” (page 26) to see how the Association has progressed in achieving its goals. Then flip to page 23 to read how the Alaska pilots’ Master Executive Council crafted a “roadmap to the future” to help the pilots establish priorities and reach their goals.

On a layoverGo to page 38 and complete the sudoku, then flip to page 36 to see how well you did. Inspired by the cover photo and want to submit your own for consideration? See page 25 for more information. A member service of Air Line Pilot.

HOW TO READTHIS ISSUE10

you can dofor your union and

your profession

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Listen to fellow pilots’ views on union issues

Run for ALPA office

Contribute to the ALPA Emergency Relief Fund

Volunteer for ALPA’s Critical Incident Response Program

Share positive news stories with fellow ALPA pilots

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Make informed choices in union elections

Observe the ALPACode of Ethics and Canons

Discuss the advantages of ALPA with non-ALPA pilots

Regularly visitwww.alpa.org

Attend the ALPA Air Safety Forum

thingsthingsthings

If you’re...

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October 2011 Air Line Pilot 5

While I believe that America can adequately compete when we

have a level playing field, we’re now attempting to compete without having any advocates in Washington. With significant growth in other parts of the world, we can’t afford to be complacent or indecisive in how we approach the future of aviation.

AviationMattersWho Will Be Our Advocate?

Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA President

In January, I came to Washington, D.C., with certain precon-ceived notions about how things work in our government. Before I could get settled as ALPA’s president, I ended up

with an expired FAA reauthorization bill, significant flight- and duty- time concerns, and questions about foreign ownership. I learned quickly that in this town there’s an entire cottage

industry whose primary focus is to regulate and influence the profits of the airline industry, and its sole job is to make sure absolutely nothing gets done. Washington always seems to be at a stalemate—even when working within a structured process that in-volves all stakeholders: industry, labor, and government.

For example, it’s an indisputable fact that a long-term, fully funded FAA reauthorization bill is critical to the entire aviation industry. It would provide crucial improvements to our national airspace system. One extension I can understand, but 22 extensions in four years clearly illus-trate how those who work within the U.S. aviation system don’t have an advocate in Washington.

The Department of Agriculture advocates on behalf of farm-ers, and the Treasury Department advocates for Wall Street financiers. The Department of Transportation is supposed to work to advance the U.S. air transportation system; but because the agency is responsible for several modes of trans-portation, more often than not you hear about bike paths and high-speed rail subsidies rather than improving air transporta-tion infrastructure and enhancing our airspace.

If you go back 10-plus years, the airlines had strong propo-nents within the industry and government. Today, however, the U.S. government seems to not fully support aviation initiatives, and airline CEOs aren’t stepping up to the plate, which leaves us with a significant lack of leadership.

While I believe that America can adequately compete when we have a level playing field, we’re now attempting to compete without having any advocates in Washington. With significant growth in other parts of the world, we can’t afford to be complacent or indecisive in how we approach the future of aviation. We are falling behind. Who will be our advocate for air transport? If we can’t get together to fund a long-term bill that supports the U.S. aviation system, how are we going to compete internationally?

As the airline industry has become a global network, the rise of some foreign airlines, specifically those in the Middle East, has made competition unbalanced. These airlines are de facto government owned, are based in countries in which pilots have no representation, hire employees—including

pilots—who receive considerable U.S. government tax relief, and have financed many of their airliners at favorable interest rates acquired through U.S. and European banks.

In Canada, the United Arab Emirates has forcefully lobbied for greater access to Canadian destinations, using Canadian military access to Emirates soil as a trade weapon. The Canadian government has refused to permit additional access to Canadian markets. This is just one example of the need to focus on this issue and think strategically. U.S. and Canadian airlines can compete with any carriers in the world, but we must establish a strategic plan to level the playing field. It’s imperative that we develop a cooperative relationship among labor, management, and regulators to shape the direction that globalization will take on our continent.

The U.S. is now a party to more than 100 Open Skies agree-ments. Within these agreements are several facts that we need

to accept: government-subsidized airlines have an economic advantage, there are countries that outlaw the unionization of airline employees, and not all Open Skies agreements are created equal. With that in mind, we need to ensure that our contracts, our safety standards, and our flying are not nega-tively affected.

Our intent is to work with others to solidify the aviation industry in North America so that we can better compete on an international level. We’re looking for advocates, and we’ll continue to press on and strive to improve our aviation system until those advocates decide to get with the program and do what’s right for our aviation system and, ultimately, America.

6 Air Line Pilot October 2011

By Capt. Sean Cassidy ALPA First Vice President

By Capt. Bill Couette, ALPA Vice President–Administration/Secretary

What Does ALPA mean to You?

WeighingIn

I ask this question as often as I can when I’m at the airport and I see line pilots. Many have on their ALPA

wings, so I know they are aware of the union’s presence in their careers. The answers I get back cover a wide scope of emo-tions.

Often I hear positive success stories, and other

times I hear negative feedback based on personal stories or hearsay. I realize that in an organization such as ours, there will always be at least three sets of emotions: good, bad, and apathetic.

In my fifth year as a national officer, my more than 20 years as an ALPA representative, and my 23rd year as an ALPA member, I have had my share of personal opinions. When the opportu-nity came up and I was asked to serve in an elected office or appointed position, I said yes. I’ll tell you why.

In the late ’80s, deregulation was about a decade old. What was intended to help the airline industry helped only a portion of it and, yes, changed the face of our collective chosen career path. Many new airlines emerged, setting the stage for fare wars for passengers and wage wars for airline pilots and other airline employees. It was an ugly time for our profession.

ALPA is always in need of pilots who are willing to take a leadership role and serve the best interests of their fellow pilots. Believing in the concept of unionism—and what an organized group can accomplish—has always been an important trait of who I am.

So in 1990 I stepped up, raised my hand, and decided that I would no longer be a victim of my environment or blame others for not doing enough. I would

do all I could to represent the interests of those who I served, my fellow ALPA brothers and sisters. It has been a gratify-ing experience, though not one without challenges.

In the different capacities in which I have served, from local representative to vice president of administration/secre-tary, the scope of my responsibilities has increased, and what I’ve come to learn is how difficult it is to meet everyone’s expectations and needs.

But as tough as it is to hear members berate the value of their union, my expe-

industry. And our proud members will continue to strive to gain the quality of life we deserve. It’s amazing and actu-ally remarkable that the Air Line Pilots Association reached its 80th anniversary. How many other pilot unions have hit that mark? It’s a true testament to those who serve and the collective power we have when speaking with one voice.

But think about this: Who will carry us for the next 20 years? Who will de-termine the path of our strategic plan? Who will make sure ALPA will celebrate its 100th anniversary? Well, we have

rience has shown me how valuable the Association is. I know the success stories of how ALPA assists pilots wrongfully ter-minated; how ALPA fully supports pilots after an accident or an incident; how it supports members in need through the ALPA Emergency Relief Fund; how this union spearheaded the move to get Known Crewmember up and running; how ALPA was able to make contract gains for our pilots and level the playing field for all airline pilots. The list goes on and on. ALPA is simply the most valuable tool airline pilots have as they continue in this profession.

Our value stems from our roots, our determination, and commitment to this

many examples that illustrate how our Board of Directors has made difficult decisions at key moments to ensure that we survived, prospered, and continued to provide ALPA members with crucial support and services.

We cannot forget our roots. We cannot forget what we have been through and how we are destined to move into the future together. The fact remains that we are airline pilots because we love to fly. And when I see pilots in the airport with their ALPA stickers, ALPA lanyards, and ALPA wings, you remind me of why I chose to be an airline pilot and why I chose to be a representative of the Air Line Pilots Association.

The fact remains that we are airline pilots because we love to fly.

And when I see pilots in the airport with their AlPA stickers, AlPA lanyards, and AlPA wings, you remind me of why I chose to be an airline pilot and why I chose to be a representative of the Air Line Pilots Association.

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 7

n Airline Industry Update

FACTS, FIGURES, AND INFO

MarketWatchAirlines Parent Company Stock Symbol 8/31/2010 8/31/2011 % Chg.AirTran Southwest Airlines1 NSYE: LUV $4.51 $8.62 91.1% Bearskin, Calm Air Exchange Income Corporation TSX: EIF $15.25 $20.61 35.1% Alaska Alaska Holdings, Inc. NSYE: ALK $44.23 $57.73 30.5% Air Transport Int’l, Capital Cargo Int’l Air Transport Services Group, Inc. NASDAQ: ATSG $4.60 $5.39 17.2% Jazz Air Chorus Aviation2 TSX: CHR.A $4.18 $4.35 4.1% Spirit Spirit Airlines, Inc.3 NASDAQ: SAVE $11.80 $12.08 2.4% FedEx Express FedEx Corporation NYSE: FDX $77.72 $78.72 1.3% Atlantic Southeast, ExpressJet SkyWest, Inc.4 NASDAQ: SKYW $12.64 $12.75 0.9% Continental, United United Continental Holdings, Inc.5 NSYE: UAL $21.20 $18.59 -12.3% Hawaiian Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. NASDAQ: HA $4.90 $4.18 -14.7% Air Transat Transat A.T., Inc. TSX: TRZ.A $11.98 $9.26 -22.7% Colgan Air, Mesaba, Pinnacle Pinnacle Airlines Corp. NASDAQ: PNCL $4.74 $3.60 -24.1% Comair, Delta Delta Air Lines NYSE: DAL $10.46 $7.53 -28.0% Piedmont, PSA US Airways Group, Inc. NYSE: LCC $9.04 $5.59 -38.2% American Eagle AMR Corp. NYSE: AMR $6.12 $3.62 -40.8%

1 AirTran Holdings, Inc. agreed to be acquired by Southwest Airlines on 9/27/2010. The acquisition closed 5/2/2011. The price shown for 8/31/2010 is for AirTran Holdings. The price shown for 8/31/2011 is for Southwest stock. Southwest stock closed at $11.04 on 8/31/2010. 2 Jazz Air Income Fund converted to a corporate structure as of 1/4/2011. The new corporation is Chorus Aviation and is traded on the TSX as CHR.A. The price shown for 8/31/2010 is the old Jazz Air Income Fund. 3 Spirit Airlines, Inc. began trading on the NASDAQ on 5/26/2011. The percentage change shown is from 5/31/2011 to 8/31/2011. 4 ExpressJet was acquired by Atlantic Southeast, a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc., on 8/4/2010. ExpressJet operations will be merged with Atlantic Southeast. 5 Continental and United completed a merger on 10/1/2010. The stock price shown for 8/31/2010 is that of UAUA (United Airlines only). Continental stock price closed on 8/31/2010 at $22.34. Each shareholder of Continental got 1.05 shares of the new United stock for every share of Continental stock.

n Prepared by ALPA’s Economic & Financial Analysis Department

The on-time performance of the nation’s largest airlines improved in July 2011 compared to the previous month and July 2010, according to the Air Travel Consumer Report released by the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The 16 largest U.S. airlines completed 77.8 percent of their flights on time in July, up from 76.9 percent in June and 76.7 percent in July 2010. KTLA.com reported that se-curity measures put in place at los Angeles International Airport since Sept. 11, 2001, have cost more than $500 million, according to the Transportation Security

Administration (TSA). The airport has 22 body scanners, 811 law enforcement officers, 3,000 TSA agents, and the largest team of bomb-sniffing dogs at a U.S. airport. LAX currently spends $127 mil-lion annually on security, compared to $48.1 million in 2001. According to a recent USA Today/Gallup poll, just a quarter of Americans interviewed said they were willing to allow the govern-ment to intrude upon their civil liberties to prevent additional acts of terrorism. Only 22 percent of par-ticipants said they had con-fidence in the government’s ability to protect citizens from

terrorist attacks, down from 41 percent days after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. BusinessTravelNews.com reported that global trade recovery, stronger corporate balance sheets, and travel price increases will stimulate a 9.2 percent spike in global business travel this year, ac-cording to a Global Business Travel Association Foundation study. The study also predicts that business travel will ex-ceed $1 trillion and that India and China will see stronger industry growth compared to the United States. Boston’s logan Interna tional Airport has undertaken a $65 million construction project on

Runway 33l, the airport’s longest runway, to build a runway safety area (RSA) that would extend the runway hundreds of feet into Boston Harbor, according to The Boston Globe. Once completed, the runway’s RSA would increase the length of the existing RSA from 187.5 feet to a total of 600 feet and include a pier built on piles. The Guardian reported that London’s Heathrow Airport is beginning a test program with less-intrusive body scanners that use radio waves rather than X-rays to detect contraband. “It will be effective security and a much better passenger experience,” said Ian Hutcheson, director

8 Air Line Pilot October 2011

n Airline Industry Update (continued)

of security for Heathrow. Airlines have begun offer-ing more amenities, includ-ing wireless Internet service, live sports broadcasts, and free pajamas, to attract more business- and first-

class passen-gers

and improve cus-tomer loyalty, according to the Los Angeles Times. “When it comes to the business- and first-class passengers, it’s been a war,” said Tom Parsons, CEO of Bestfares.com. Bloomberg reported that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently spent $44.8 million on 300 body scanners that display generic forms in-stead of detailed images of travelers’ bodies. The agency now has 800 advanced imag-ing technology body scanners at airport checkpoints, with each machine costing $130,000 to $170,000. The TSA is upgrading software in its older scanners so that they will also display generic images. Delta Air Lines confirmed that it will purchase 100 B-737-900ERs as part of its fleet renewal effort at a cost of more than $8.5 billion. Delivery of the 180-seat

aircraft will take place from 2013 to 2018. The aircraft will be operated on domestic routes and will have lower unit costs than the older B-757s, B-767s, and A320s they will replace. Flight Safety Information reported that an engine problem forced six crew-

members and 179 passengers, in-

clud-

ing u.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to evacuate a flight at Washington Dulles International Airport on September 15. According to Rob Yingling, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the airplane was evacuated after passengers spotted smoke coming from the B-757, which had just left the gate. The Department of Transportation announced that u.S. airlines received $1.38 billion from baggage and reservation change fees in the first quarter of 2011—$784 million from baggage fees and $598 mil-lion from reservation change fees. According to CNN, the Transportation Security Administration will begin implementing a new policy that exempts children 12

use composite materials for most of its construction, more than 50 percent by weight. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel and produce less noise compared to simi-larly sized airplanes. The FAA and Australia’s Department of Resources, Energy, and Tourism reached a memorandum of understanding to continue research and development of clean, sustainable alternative aviation fuels, announced the FAA. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Australian Ambassador to the United States Kim Beazley signed the agreement on September 13. “Air travel

and younger from remov-ing their shoes and being subjected to invasive pat-downs at airport screenings. However, airport security may still randomly require children to undergo these screenings. The FAA recently announced that it has approved production of the B-787 Dreamliner, the world’s first major airliner to

is global, and we need inter-national partners to develop these innovative new fuels,” LaHood said. “Our ultimate goal is to work with all of the Asia Pacific nations to achieve a sustainable, independent energy future for aviation, and this is an exciting first step.” Cigarette smoking has been banned on u.S. flights for years, and

Boeing 787 Dreamliner

now electronic cigarettes could get the heave-ho as well, reported CSnews.com. The Obama administration has proposed a ban on the use of e-cigarettes on flights, citing a concern they may be harmful to your health. The proposal would apply to all domestic airline flights, as well as any scheduled flights between the United States and any international desti-nation. “Airline passengers have rights, and this new rule would enhance passenger comfort and reduce any confusion surrounding the use of electronic cigarettes in flight,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. l

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 9

n FrontLinesn Alaska to Recall FurlougheesIn mid-August, Alaska Airlines issued a vacancy bid that will recall all involuntarily fur-loughed pilots and will result in additional upgrades by the end of January 2012. The bid also should result in the first class of new hires since January 2008.

The bid, the second in a series that Alaska manage-ment has announced this year, will recall furloughed pilots and rebalance staffing in Alaska’s bases. The bid contains vacancies in Seattle and Los Angeles and reduc-tions in Anchorage, creating 36 vacancies.

A total of 30 Alaska pilots currently remain furloughed, although that number will be reduced to 19 follow-ing class dates scheduled for September and early October. But because pilots who bypassed earlier recalls and pilots who are out on furlough mitigation programs have first rights to any vacan-cies, residual vacancies do not necessarily translate into an equal number of new hires.

n Evergreen Says New Talks must Result in Fair Contract Evergreen International pilots and flight engineers called on management to commit to reaching a tentative agree-ment during talks scheduled

AERF Helps Pilots in Need

If you’ve been adversely affected by recent hur-ricanes, tropical storms, wildfires, or other disas-ters, you can turn to the ALPA Emergency Relief Fund (AERF) for financial assistance. To access the guidelines and an online application, scan the QR

code. If you have questions about AERF, send an e-mail to relief@alpa.org.

The Fund was established in 2005 to provide ALPA members and their fami-lies financial assistance because of a hardship resulting from natural or man-made disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, hur-ricanes, tornadoes, land-slides, fires, or droughts.

To make a U.S. tax-deductible donation or to get more information on how you can help fellow pilots in need, go to www.alpa.org and click on the Relief Fund tab. l

at the National Mediation Board (NMB) in Washington, D.C., as this issue goes to press.

Evergreen flightcrew members have worked under the existing contract for seven years with frozen wages and benefits. The majority of Evergreen’s flying supports the U.S. military. The pilots transport freight for U.S. military troops and opera-tions throughout the Middle East into Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait on a daily basis.

Working under a 1999 contract, Evergreen crew-members earn subpar wages and endure substandard working conditions, which include 16-hour or longer duty days. When contrasted with comparable cargo carri-ers, the average hourly rate of pay for Evergreen captains is as much as 23 percent less than their peers across the industry. First officers are paid up to 56 percent less, and flight engineers are paid up to 33 percent less than others in the same seat position based on longevity.

“We have invested our careers in this company and are dedicated to its success, and ask only for a fair and equitable commitment from Evergreen in the form of industry-standard wages, cost-of-living adjusted ben-efits, and modern work rules,”

said Capt. James Touchette, the group’s Master Executive Council (MEC) chairman.

The scheduled negotiat-ing session follows two rounds of talks in February and May 2011 at which minimal progress was made at the table on economic items. The parties remain

under NMB jurisdiction.“Our goal is to secure a fair

contract,” said Touchette. “We hope that management will come to the NMB ready to address long-neglected eco-nomic issues and complete these frustratingly protracted negotiations with a just, new contract.” l

Go to schwab.com/oninvesting to read the latest On Investing magazine from Charles Schwab. It’s an added benefit to members through ALPA’s partnership with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. as the Association’s pre-ferred financial services provider. l

10 Air Line Pilot October 2011

n ALPANegotiationsUpdateThe following is a summary of the status of ALPA con-tract negotiations by airline as of Sept. 16, 2011:

Air Transport International —A tentative agreement (TA) was reached on Dec. 3, 2010. On March 14, the pilots voted against ratifica-tion. Mediation is under way.Air Wisconsin—A Section 6 notice was filed on Oct. 1, 2010. Negotiations con-tinue October 4–6. Atlantic Southeast—A Section 6 notice was filed on May 20, 2010. A joint Section 6 notice was filed on March 28, 2011. Atlantic Southeast/ExpressJet joint negotiations continue October 4–6, 18–20, 25–27, and November 1–3. See ExpressJet.Bearskin—A notice to bar-

gain was sent on Sept. 1, 2011. Negotiations begin October 18–20 and 25–27, November 29–30, December 1 and 6–8, and Jan. 10–12, 2012. Continental—Negotiations are under way on the Continental/United joint col-lective bargaining agreement (JCBA). The parties requested assistance from the National Mediation Board (NMB) on Dec. 17, 2010. Mediation continues October 4–6. Comair—A Section 6 notice was filed on Sept. 27, 2010. Negotiations continue October 10–14, November 1–4, and December 19–22. CommutAir—A Section 6 no-tice was sent on Feb. 2, 2009. An application for mediation was filed with the NMB on Dec. 2, 2010. Mediation con-tinues October 17–21 and October 31–November 4.

Evergreen—Negotiations be-gan in December 2004. ALPA became the pilots’ bargaining agent in November 2007. A tentative agreement was reached on April 16, 2010. The pilots voted against ratification on Aug. 16, 2010. Mediation continues.ExpressJet—A Section 6 no-tice was received on May 28, 2010. A joint Section 6 notice was filed on March 28, 2011. Atlantic Southeast/ExpressJet joint negotiations continue October 4–6, 18–20, 25–27, and November 1–3.First Air—A notice to bar-gain was filed on Oct. 1, 2010. Negotiations are under way. mesa—A Section 6 notice was filed on Sept. 10, 2010. Negotiations continue October 20–21.Piedmont—A Section 6 notice was sent on March

13, 2009. An application for mediation was filed with the NMB on April 21, 2010. Negotiations are under way.PSA—A Section 6 notice was sent on Jan. 19, 2009. Negotiations continue October 24–28, November 30–December 1, and December 13–17.Ryan—A Section 6 notice was sent on Sept. 2, 2011. Negotiations begin September 28–30, November 21–23, and December 19–22.Sun Country—A Section 6 notice was sent on Feb. 23, 2010. Negotiations are under way. United—A Section 6 notice was sent on April 6, 2009. Negotiations are under way on the United/Continental JCBA. See Continental. l

legislativeUpdaten Flight/Duty and Fatigue Rule Needed NowThe final rule on pilot flight and duty regulations continues to be stalled at the White House’s Office of Management and Budget because of pressure by cer-tain segments of the airline industry. All ALPA pilots are urged to participate in the Association’s Call to Action. For more information and to

participate, scan the QR code above.

The grassroots Call to

Action is part of ALPA’s ongoing campaign to achieve pilot flight/duty and rest regulations that are science-based and more ac-curately reflect the realities of piloting airliners in the 21st century.

The Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Extension Act of 2010 called for up-dated pilot flight and duty rules by Aug. 1, 2011. l

Mailbag Letters to the editor may be submitted via regular mail to Air Line Pilot, Letters to the Editor, 535 Herndon Parkway, P.O. Box 1169, Herndon, VA 20172-1169, or by e-mail to magazine@alpa.org.

Great articleCapt. Joe Doniach’s article in the September issue of Air Line Pilot was an excellent commen-tary not only on our profession but on what I feel is wrong with the place we find ourselves in as U.S. citizens. Modern-day CEOs are the equivalent of the robber barons of the early 20th century and what led ultimately to the Great Depression.Capt. John Newberry (United)

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 11

n Engineering & Air Safety Updaten AlPA’s Orange Card—Don’t Push Back Without ItOn Aug. 20, 2011, a First Air B-737 crashed on approach to Resolute Bay, in Canada’s high Arctic, some 2,000 miles north of Ottawa. The crew and ten others died. On Sept. 1, 2011, an Atlantic Southeast CRJ-200 landed safely in Baton Rouge,

goal of assisting crews and their families, improving avia-tion safety, and preventing recurrence. Within hours of each occurrence, ALPA safety representatives were enroute to the scenes. At the same time, ALPA’s safety, legal, communications, and other experts were building the support system needed to get

Association representa-tives on scene; coor-dinate their official partic-ipation with government investigative agencies; and provide trans-portation, lodging, and information needed to help ALPA ef-fectively par-ticipate in the investigations.

ALPA’s response to accidents

and incidents is the product of years of experience and training, refining procedures, communicating expectations, developing response plans, and providing information to members. The trigger for all this support is ALPA’s Worldwide Accident/Incident Hotline—ALPA’s “Orange Card.” Calling the number on the orange card, 202-797-4180, and following the directions printed on that card are the surest, fastest ways to guarantee that if you are involved in an accident,

a serious incident, or a time-critical safety or security situa-tion, you will be connected to people who can help you, including the union’s safety, security, legal, and representa-tional experts.

Are there other ways to ac-tivate this support network? Sure, but why go the long way when you can go direct? The shortest route to getting help if you’re in a safety or security situation is to call the number on the Orange Card—one call does it all.

For more information on how ALPA’s accident/incident response system works, call the Engineering & Air Safety Department during business hours at 1-800-424-2470.

n Air Transportation more Secure 10 Years After 9-11, But Gaps RemainThe United States and Canada have taken significant steps since the 9-11 terrorist attacks to secure air transportation, but gaps remain, according to a security summary that ALPA issued on September 8. Aviation Security, 10 Years After the 9-11 Attacks explores how aviation security has changed since Sept. 11, 2001, and iden-tifies additional actions still needed to more thoroughly secure North American skies.

“The 9-11 attacks forced the government and airline industry to reevaluate how to secure air transportation and take on an entirely different kind of terrorist threat,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president. “Together, the regulators, the airlines, other airline industry employees, and the pilots who are on the front lines of aviation security have taken many important actions, but the threat is very real, and much more needs to be done.”

While the Association’s analysis highlighted signifi-cant accomplishments in U.S. and Canadian airline security since 9-11, the sum-mary revealed shortfalls in current U.S. and Canadian aviation security that need to be addressed, including the need to•  adopt a threat-based ap-proach to security screening,•  increase focus on securing all-cargo flight operations,•  enhance the U.S. Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) Program, •  institute threatened air-space management (TAM) to improve procedures during an identified threat,•  enhance action to protect aircraft from laser attacks,•  enhance government-industry-labor collaboration,•  encourage installation of secondary barriers on all airliners, and•  fully fund the Canadian Air Carrier Protective Program.

To read the full summary, scan the QR code.

La., with one main gear retracted. All aboard walked away safely. On Sept. 4, 2011, a Trans States EMB-145 departed the runway surface in Ottawa, Ont. The aircraft suffered significant damage, but all aboard were unharmed.

These were different events in different places with different outcomes, but they all had one thing in common—ALPA was immediately involved in helping to determine all the factors involved, with the

12 Air Line Pilot October 2011

n Engineering & Air Safety Update (continued)

n TSA Adopts ALPA Recommendations on Air Cargo SecurityIn an Aug. 18, 2011, notice in the Federal Register, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) published an interim final rule (IFR) to amend the Certified Cargo Screening Program (CCSP), which was established on Sept. 16, 2009. The CCSP applies to cargo carried on passenger airliners.

As of Sept. 19, 2011, the TSA assumed full respon-sibility for vetting Certified Cargo Screening Facility (CCSF) applicants, eliminat-ing the previously autho-rized inclusion of third-party validators for that purpose. In its 2009 comments to the IFR, ALPA objected to the role of third-party validators, citing potential conflict of interest and program integ-rity concerns.

Although this latest development will enhance the security of air freight carried on passenger airlin-ers, it doesn’t improve the security of all-cargo airlines. ALPA remains focused on achieving one level of security for all-cargo air operations, which includes a mandate for reinforced flight deck doors, air crew training in the all-cargo common strategy, finger-print-based criminal history record checks for persons with unescorted access to

air cargo and cargo airliners, and full security identifica-tion display area protection for all-cargo air operations areas.

n ALPA, UND to Hold Training CourseALPA’s Advanced Accident Investigation Course—the capstone of a three-part training program designed to prepare pilots to par-ticipate in major aircraft accident investigations that the NTSB or the TSBC conducts—will take place October 11–13 at the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks, N.D. Participants should be pre-pared to attend the three-day training, which will run from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day, in its entirety. The class will conclude approxi-mately at noon on Thursday, but students are encouraged to participate in an altitude chamber flight or an ATC facility tour/demo Thursday afternoon (if scheduling permits), hosted by UND.

ALPA safety representa-tives must have completed the Basic Safety School and Accident Investigation Course and have approval from their Master Executive Council Central Air Safety chairman before registering for the course. For more information and to register online, go to http://crew-room.alpa.org/safety/Default.aspx?tabid=3199. l

Passenger demand was still robust through July, but a slight softening can be expected as the third quarter comes to a close. The effects of recent economic weakness will likely contribute to smaller increases in the August and September months, as the negative job outlook and poor consumer confidence could push travel lower. Typically, a three- to five-month lag exists between the economy and airline passenger revenue per available seat- mile levels. However, in the meantime, strong growth in this economic environment is encouraging.

Year-Over-Year Change in Passenger Revenue

Source: ALPA’s E&FA Department estimated from ATA traffic reports and yield information

When airlines took advantage of strong demand trends earlier in the year and increased fares an unprecedented nine times, their revenue numbers jumped. In the first quarter, those airlines employing ALPA pilots alone posted an almost $3 billion increase in operating revenues, almost 12 percent, compared to a year ago. Those U.S. airlines posted an almost $1.5 billion increase in passenger revenues and almost $32 million more in reservation and baggage fee collections during the first quarter of 2011 compared to a year ago, while freight revenue jumped. Freight revenue increased 15 percent during the quarter, more than $500 million compared to a year ago.

Revenue Data from u.S. Airlines with AlPA PilotsIn millions 1Q 2010 1Q 2011 $ Diff. % Chg.Operating Revenue $23,748.7 $26,538.5 $2,789.8 11.7%Passenger Revenue $12,800.3 $14,298.5 $1,489.2 11.7%Bag and Cancellation Fees $792.3 $824.2 $31.9 4.0%Cargo Revenue $3,606.7 $4,145.2 $538.6 14.9%

Source: BTS, Schedule P1.2, includes data from U.S. carriers having more than $20 million annual revenue and operating aircraft with more than 60 seats

n Revenue Trends

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 13

Canadan First Air Flight 6560On August 20, First Air Flight 6560, a Boeing 737 charter from Yellowknife Airport, Northwest Territories, Canada, to Resolute Bay, Nunavut, crashed on approach to Resolute Bay. Of the 15 people aboard, 12 were killed, including the captain and first officer. Three others were injured.

ALPA quickly responded to news of the accident, mobilizing a team of safety, critical incident response, legal, and benefits special-ists to support the families of the crews and the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada in its inves-tigation of the accident.

“Like the relatives, friends, and neighbours of the Flight 6560 victims, this tragedy has deeply affected the First Air pilot group and the entire 53,000-member ALPA family,” said Capt. Dan Adamus (Jazz), ALPA’s Canada Board president. “This is a strong example of how ALPA comes together to help fellow pilots face such a crisis.”

In addition to the pilot volunteers and staff de-ployed from ALPA, there was an outpouring of support and assistance for the First Air pilot group from other ALPA pilot groups. Notably, the Jazz Master Executive Council (MEC), in coop-eration with management, responded by sending Jazz Pilot Assistance Committee volunteers to Yellowknife, Edmonton, Alb., and other cities to assist First Air employees, other pilots, and their families. The Jazz MEC chairman organized the

release of those volunteers from duty, and a number of pilots stepped up to cover the flying.

“On behalf of the First Air pilots, we are very grateful for the help and support that we have received from our union and our fellow ALPA pilots,” said Capt. Jamie Biggs, First Air MEC chairman.

ALPA was granted official “observer” status for the First Air Flight 6560 accident investigation. This status allows ALPA safety represen-tatives to assist in the TSB investigation.

As an official observer to the investigation, neither ALPA nor any of its repre-sentatives are allowed to speculate or comment on the investigation. “This is standard practice for accident investigations in Canada and not negotiable—the sole organization authorized to discuss the 6560 incident is the TSB,” Adamus explained.

“Like all Canadians, we want to know what caused the Flight 6560 accident so that we can learn from it and prevent anything similar from happening again. However, we must let the TSB do its work. While our hearts may demand immediate answers as to why our friends were taken from us, we must recog-nize that it could take weeks, months, or possibly years to determine the cause. In the meantime, we ask that the news media please respect the privacy of the deceased crewmembers’ families and let them deal with their tragic loss in private.” ALPA is actively engaged in the inves-tigation and will continue to be fully involved throughout the process.

A celebration of the life of F/O Dave Hare took place on August 27 at the Air Tindi Dash 7 hangar at Yellowknife Airport. Donations can be made to the Hare Girls’ Trust, Scotiabank.

A life celebration for Capt. Blair Rutherford was held at the North Caribou hangar at Edmonton International Airport on August 29. Mem-orial donations may be made in trust for Noah and Hannah Rutherford at the Royal Bank of Canada, 10 Leduc Town Centre, Leduc, AB T9E 7K6, or at any RBC branch.

n Canada Board Officer ElectionsALPA’s Canada Board announced officer elections for the term ending Dec. 31, 2012. Capt. Bradley Small (Air Transat) was elected vice president, and Capt. Georges Dawood (Jazz) was elected secretary-treasurer. Capt. Dan Adamus (Jazz) continues to serve as Canada Board president.

n Canada Board and labour minister meetALPA’s Canada Board recently held a closed-door meeting with the Honourable Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt. The minister and members of the Canada Board discussed several issues of concern to Canadian pilots, including back-to-work legislation for certain companies, foreign workers, and, specifically, foreign pilots whom airlines are bringing into Canada to fill seasonal positions. The meeting concluded with a question-and-answer session to discuss current events taking place in the federal government.

Minister of Labour Raitt also expressed her appreciation for the professionalism that ALPA pilots have demonstrated during labour negotiations and while working on safety- and security-related issues. l

From left, Capt. Bradley Small (Air Transat), Canada Board vice president; Capt. Dan Adamus (Jazz), Canada Board president; the Honourable Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt; and Capt. Georges Dawood (Jazz), Canada Board secretary-treasurer, meet to discuss issues affecting Canadian pilots.

14 Air Line Pilot October 2011

n In Memoriam“To fly west, my friend, is a flight we all must take for a final check.”—Author unknown

2010Capt. Robert C. Dixon Braniff June

2011Capt. J.W. Holcomb Delta MarchCapt. Glenn A. Starnes American Eagle MayCapt. Charles W. Anderson TWA JuneCapt. Joe G. Bailey United JuneCapt. Reginald C. Brunson United JuneCapt. F. Capobianco Pan American JuneCapt. Philip W. Cunningham TWA JuneF/O Raymond J. Flannery TWA JuneCapt. James W. Fronk Delta JuneCapt. James D. Hamilton Eastern/US Airways JuneCapt. B. Vick Hewes Delta JuneCapt. Neville P. Hugelmeyer Seaboard/Flying Tigers/ FedEx JuneF/O Harold D. Krichman Delta JuneCapt. Elmer E. Laughlin Eastern JuneCapt. Jack A. MacDonald United JuneCapt. Theodore Mallory III Northwest JuneCapt. Robert M. Moore United JuneCapt. Thomas A. Mosher Eastern JuneCapt. William A. Murphey, Jr. TWA JuneCapt. J.B. Norris Eastern JuneCapt. James R. O’Reilly Northwest JuneCapt. Debra A. Rasmussen United JuneCapt. Matthew F. Reardon III TWA JuneCapt. J.F. Rice Eastern JuneCapt. Richard D. Roberts TWA JuneCapt. Mark G. Sturgill Northwest JuneCapt. Harold E. Whitsitt Braniff JuneCapt. Charles D. Trevena TWA JuneCapt. James E. Warren Eastern JuneCapt. Albert P. Wells Airlift JuneCapt. V.L. “Lee” Wood United JuneCapt. R.A. Baxter Delta JulyCapt. Carey E. Bowles, Jr. Flying Tigers JulyF/O Mark F. Bunting Delta JulyCapt. Robert S. Cathcart Eastern JulyCapt. John O. Curtin Eastern JulyCapt. John W. Dubyak TWA JulyCapt. Herbert C. French Northwest JulyCapt. Hugh B. Fulton, Sr. Eastern JulyCapt. R.L. Gibbons Delta JulyCapt. Melvin L. Green Eastern JulyCapt. Duane H. Harrison United JulyCapt. Robert A. Hitt United JulyCapt. Ron S. Jack Delta JulyCapt. M.D. Johnson Northwest JulyCapt. G.V. Kershaw, Jr. Eastern JulyCapt. William W. Krebs Delta JulyCapt. Dietrich Lipowitz Sun Country JulyCapt. Walter L. Meyers Delta JulyS/O Michael G. Morganroth Flying Tigers/FedEx JulyCapt. Arthur W. Partridge Northwest JulyCapt. Tommy V. Patton Delta JulyCapt. Douglas E. Sameit Northwest JulyCapt. Steven A. Staples ATA JulyCapt. Reinier Vandenheuvel Transamerica JulyCapt. W.C. Whipple United JulyCapt. Edward P. “Powell” Williams United JulyF/O David Hare First Air AugustCapt. Blair Rutherford First Air August

n Compiled from information provided by ALPA’s Membership and Council Services Department

The Budget Control Act of 2011, signed into law in August, outlined $1 trillion in U.S. government budget cuts, but it also included a framework to address additional long-term deficit reductions. The process involves creating a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction—also referred to as the Super Committee—to propose spending cuts and increased revenues as part of legislation that will eventually be sent to Congress for consideration. The Super Committee, made up of 12 members of Congress, is tasked with cutting the budget deficit by an additional $1.5 trillion.

One proposal that the Super Committee may consider is reducing govern-ment “expenditures” related to the tax-favored status of health and retirement benefits. This could mean taxing employer-provided health-care benefits, which could lead to higher out-of-pocket costs for pilot fami-lies and potentially dropped coverage. This proposal would radically alter the current tax exemption for employer-provided health-care benefits, which is a broad-based tax benefit

for all working Americans.The Super Committee

is also considering lower- ing the 415(c) defined- contribution limit on 401(k) retirement plans. For most Americans and the vast majority of ALPA pilots, their 401(k) plans are their only employer-sponsored retirement benefits. The deficit-reduction proposals currently being discussed would dramatically reduce contributions to these plans.

ALPA’s Government Affairs and Retirement and Insurance Departments are working with the Association’s leaders to inform members of Congress that these decisions could significantly affect ALPA members’ collectively bargained benefits. The Association maintains that Congress should not take any action that would alter the tax-exempt nature of health care or limit ALPA members’ ability to provide for their retirement security. The union is actively deliver-ing that message to decision-makers on Capitol Hill.

Watch for future updates, including a Call to Action, and be prepared to contact

your elected representa-tives in Congress. l

n Congressional Super Committee Discusses Taxing Health Care, Retirement

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 15

ongress has once again sidestepped its responsibility, approving a short-term extension to fund the FAA, the 22nd extension since October 2007, instead of reauthorizing the agency through a multi-

year funding bill. That decision means the Senate and House have until the end of January 2012 to reach an agreement on meaningful legislation that would enable the agency to adequately modernize the aging U.S. air transportation system, or pass the buck for a 23rd time.

With the economy and job growth high on the nation’s political agenda, Congress’s actions—or, more appropriately, inactions—are nothing less than perplexing. Commercial aviation is respon-sible for $1.2 trillion in annual U.S. economic activity and millions of well-paying American jobs, and a properly funded bill would likely increase these figures.

“It is unconscionable that Congress has been unable to enact a multi-year funding bill for the Federal Aviation Administration,” said Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l. “As a result, the FAA—and the American public—remain in a holding pattern, unable to plan or make key decisions to implement critically needed aviation infrastructure and safety improve-ment programs. The safety and growth of the U.S. air transportation system are at risk.

“U.S. efforts to modernize its air traffic control system to achieve capacity and efficiency gains are on hold without long-term FAA funding. Updating the air traffic control system will not only enhance aviation safety, but will also position the U.S. airline industry to match competitors in Asia and Europe as they continue to advance their systems. While Congress drags its feet on a long-term reauthorization, other countries are pursuing new technology to provide more passengers and cargo shippers with the safest and most efficient air transportation possible,” Moak said.

Funding lapsesCongress’s shortsighted behavior was previously demonstrated this summer when federal lawmak-ers permitted the previous FAA funding extension to lapse on July 22. This inaction resulted in a two-week partial shutdown of the agency, the

suspension of airport improvement projects, and the furlough of scores of thousands of workers. The government lost nearly $400 million in airline ticket taxes during the shutdown because airlines did not have the authority to collect these fees.

The shutdown stemmed in part from a debate

Congress Puts FAA, NextGen on Hold; Passes Yet Another Stopgap Measure

By John Perkinson, Staff Writer

22

between the House and Senate about the continu-ation of essential air service funding for rural airports located less than 90 miles from a medium or large airport hub. The 21st extension eliminated $16 million in funding for these facilities. The two groups also debated National Mediation Board rules for representational elections.

Although several long-term bills have been proposed by both the Senate and the House since October 2007, partisan debate on spending, taxes, legislative riders, and other concerns has

The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (P.L. 85-726, 72 Stat. 731) established the Federal Aviation Agency (later known as the Federal Aviation Administration), granting it the authority to oversee and regulate airline safety and to control civilian and military use of the U.S. national airspace system. The power to regulate air transportation and the airline industry is derived

from Congress’s authority under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution to regulate interstate commerce.

On Nov. 1, 1958, Elwood R. Quesada, right, took the oath as the FAA’s first administrator.FA

A

Aviation Legislation with Vision

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16 Air Line Pilot October 2011

prevented members of Congress from reaching agreement.

Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.V.), ranking member on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently said, “Pending enactment of a long-term bill, this short-term extension is the responsible path forward. It will avert more damage to the aviation system and the economy.” However, he reminded his fellow members of Congress of the need to put “planes and passengers before politics.”

The latest extension allows the FAA to continue collecting airline ticket taxes and holds airport construction funding at previous levels.

Going door to doorFor some time now, the Association has been ac-tively promoting a long-term FAA funding solution. ALPA pilots have been walking the halls of the Capitol and meeting with members of Congress to

like runway improvements, new environmental controls, and other developments that will help us better cope with operational and safety challenges.

“The current national airspace system is safe, but with these improvements we can make it safer,” he added.

Moak agreed. “Airline pilots take extremely seriously our responsibility to fly passengers and cargo safely through inclement weather, congested airspace, and other challenging environments. We count on a modern air traffic control system, but we don’t currently have the new technology and updated equipment we need—or that passengers and shippers expect—in the U.S. air transporta-tion infrastructure.

“The lack of long-term reauthorization threat-ens efforts to address critical aviation issues such as NextGen air traffic control, wake turbulence, alternative fuels, windshear warning systems, and volcanic ash, as well as working to make aircraft operations safer while increasing system capacity and ensuring airline growth and profitability,” Moak explained.

An agency held hostageSpeaking at the Oakland International Airport sev-eral days before the latest extension was enacted, FAA Administrator and former ALPA President Randy Babbitt provided some perspective. He said, “The FAA has had 21 short-term reauthorizations in the last four years. Parceling out money to the FAA in short-term increments makes it very difficult to plan the long-term improvements we need. It makes it difficult for America to remain the leader.

“The FAA provides a vital service to America, and we need Congress to support this important work by passing a multi-year FAA reauthorization bill to keep America flying,” Babbitt noted.

Addressing ALPA’s 57th ALPA Safety Forum at the awards dinner in August, Babbitt emphasized, “It’s increasingly important that Congress under-stands that there are real costs and consequences associated with failing to authorize the FAA.”

Despite the passage of this latest extension, the 112th U.S. Congress is free to revisit this issue and pass a fully funded, more comprehensive bill any-time between now and the end of January 2012, when the current stopgap measure expires. For this reason, ALPA continues to press lawmakers to act. “We call on the U.S. House of Representatives to follow the actions of the U.S. Senate and name their committee conferees so that a final long-term reauthorization bill can be developed and passed,” Moak commented.

“Between the critical research that helps guar-antee the safety of the traveling public, the urgent need to modernize, and the risk to our country’s competitiveness, Congress cannot move quickly enough to immediately provide the FAA with comprehensive, long-term funding,” he added.

advocate ALPA’s position on this and other impor-tant issues. Pilots like F/O Stanley Adams (North American), vice chairman of his pilot group’s Master Executive Council, work in conjunction with ALPA’s Government Affairs Department to educate lawmakers about needed legislation and regulations from a front-line perspective.

With the hands-on knowledge that can only come from time spent in the cockpit, Adams and his fellow pilots explain the ramifications of congressional decisions—how some might seem beneficial in the context of day-to-day opera-tions but could prove disruptive or even harmful to air travel.

Adams was on the Hill in uniform the week of September 12, meeting with members of Congress to talk with them about issues like FAA reauthorization.

“There are a wide range of reasons we need long-term legislation to fund the FAA,” said Adams. “The benefits of funding a long-term reauthorization bill include added jobs, needed infrastructure upgrades

F/O Stanley Adams (North American, second from left) confers with an aide to Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). Flanking Adams are Capt. Doug Ralph (Delta, to Adams’ s right) and Capt. Fred Eissler (FedEx Express).

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October 2011 Air Line Pilot 17

CHRONICLING ALPA’S STRATEGIC PLAN

INfLuENCING LEGISLATION ANd REGuLATIONSBy John Perkinson, Staff Writer

BOd delegate Committee 7:

The following article is the seventh of an eight-part series that chronicles the strategic plan of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, set in motion at the union’s 42nd Board of Directors meeting in October 2008. It details how ALPA is using this plan to set priorities, achieve goals, and advance the airline piloting profession. Air Line Pilot will examine how specific recommen-dations of the Board’s eight delegate committees are making a difference in the lives of ALPA pilots.

Lawmakers and regulators control most aspects of the air-line piloting profession. Government leaders determine the amount of rest pilots can have, the health standards they must maintain, the rules and limitations of the environ-

ment they work in, when they should retire, and the list goes on. This is a significant reason for ALPA’s presence in Washington, D.C.—to be closer to this decision-making process.

The Air Line Pilots Association, International is the voice for pilots in Washington, D.C., and Ottawa and has an ongoing mission to promote legislative and regulatory measures that serve the airline industry and its members while promoting safe, lucrative piloting careers for U.S. and Canadian citizens. As Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president, states in his column (see page 5): “Today…the U.S. government seems to not fully sup-port aviation initiatives, and airline CEOs aren’t stepping up to the plate, which leaves us with a significant lack of leadership.” So your elected ALPA representatives, along with your profes-sional staff, put forth these legislative and regulatory initiatives within the strategic plan to ensure that the Association fulfills its advocacy role for the aviation industry.

During the development of a strategic plan in 2008, the Board of Directors (BOD) assigned Delegate Committee 7 the responsibility of making recommendations regarding govern-ment affairs and regulatory concerns in both the United States and Canada. Three years later, ALPA’s level of commitment to the legislative process continues, and its determination to effect change has intensified.

In 2008, BOD Delegate Committee 7 members addressed issues such as the need for pension reform, establishing national energy and transportation policies, and foreign ownership and control. With the Board’s endorsement, these issues gave the Association’s legislative and regulatory efforts direction. Subsequently, the union conducted a carefully planned and coordinated set of “Hill” visits to both U.S. and Canadian capitals, speeches and testimonies, Call to Action campaigns, press releases, letters from the president, and

other strategies to encourage support for ALPA priorities. In addressing concerns about the growing globalization of

the airline industry, ALPA actively engaged lawmakers, closely monitoring and weighing in on the Open Skies negotiations that the United States and Canada held with several other countries. Pilot groups that fly for airlines that are part of global alliances formed organizations like the SkyTeam Pilots Association to open lines of communications and work to-gether to prevent scope abuses and other contract violations.

ALPA representatives testified before the U.S. House of Representatives to address matters ranging from the state of the airline industry to pilot fatigue, climate change, FAA reau-thorization, volcanic ash, and lithium batteries.

However, new concerns about the airline piloting profession were mounting. The Colgan Air Flight 3407 accident near Buffalo, N.Y., drew public attention, raising issues about pilot

professionalism and training. The Association worked closely with Congress to pass the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act to address many of these concerns.

The Colgan accident also highlighted flight- and duty-time regulations and rest rules that had not been updated for decades, despite numerous technological developments and a greater understanding about human circadian rhythms and fatigue. The Association, through its Flight Time/Duty Time Committee and Fatigue Blue Ribbon Panel, helped launch a

U.S.-based ALPA pilots influence na-tional politics through contributions

to the Association’s Political Action Committee (ALPA-PAC), which helps elect members of Congress who support issues that are important to airline pilots. Through ALPA-PAC, these federal representatives learn about pilots, the issues impor-tant to them, and how congressional decisions affect their professional interests. During the most recent election cycle, ALPA-PAC raised nearly $2 million, backing more than 300 candidates from both parties in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

To learn more about ALPA-PAC and/or make a contribution, go to the members-only site of www.alpa.org and click on the Legislation & ALPA-PAC tab.

ALPA-PAC Makes a difference

18 Air Line Pilot October 2011

CHRONICLING ALPA’S STRATEGIC PLAN

National Academy of Sciences study and provide input for U.S. and Canadian rulemaking considerations.

New businessAt the 2010 BOD meeting, Delegate Committee 7 members as-sessed the Association’s two-year accomplishments and exam-ined new concerns, such as Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) funding, airline taxes and fees, and potential National Mediation Board changes to help ensure balance and fairness in collective bargaining. Delegates agreed that ALPA should work with industry stakeholders to encourage legislators to limit taxes and exorbitant fees that unfairly burden airlines.

Since the beginning of the year, Moak has refocused the Association’s grassroots efforts to constructively engage legislators to become the voice of the airline industry. Michael Robbins, director of the Government Affairs Department, and a team of seasoned ALPA legislative representatives are spear-heading this revitalized grassroots charge.

In September, the Government Affairs Department launched a campaign on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., sending more than two dozen ALPA pilot volunteers to personally contact 250 U.S. senators and representatives. Their main goal: to educate and promote awareness of critical issues that affect pilots—specifically, the need for a long-term FAA reauthorization bill to ensure the safety of the national airspace system and the need for updated pilot flight- and duty-time limits and minimum rest requirements to achieve one level of safety. ALPA pilots and

fAA reauthorization: A long-term FAA reauthorization bill is imperative if the United States is to modernize its air traffic control system to achieve capacity and efficiency gains. “Updating the ATC system will not only enhance avia-tion safety, but it will also position the U.S. airline industry to match competitors in Asia and Europe as they continue to advance their systems. While Congress drags its feet on a long-term reauthorization, other countries are pursuing new technology to provide more passengers and cargo shippers

with the safest and most efficient air transportation pos-sible,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president.

flight time/duty time: Congress mandated that a final rule on pilot flight- and duty-time limits be in place by Aug. 1, 2011. Although that deadline has passed, the Association remains confident that the FAA will announce new, science-based rules before the end of the year, and ALPA continues to work with Transport Canada to update its rules.

Lithium batteries: Improperly packaged or mishandled, these batteries can easily self-ignite. This is one of the reasons that the Association has initiated Call to Action campaigns to encourage members to contact their elected government officials to fully regulate the shipment of lithium batteries as dangerous goods. Legislative Affairs Committee volunteers continue to address laser illumination of aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems, Federal Flight Deck Officer Program funding, bank-ruptcy and pension reform, health care, job outsourcing, and other ongoing concerns.

And by ALPA’s 2012 BOD meeting, new challenges will likely surface, requiring new priorities be added to the list.

ALPA’s Top Legislative Priorities

staff will stay on top of the current and upcoming issues and regularly engage legislators who support the pilot perspective and those who need to be more informed.

ALPA will continue to be fully involved in the legislative and regulatory process to ensure that the pilot perspective is always heard when considering laws and regulations that affect the profession. ALPA’s new, intensified grassroots effort will help to underscore that ALPA is the voice of airline pilots.

“It’s important that we make members of Congress understand the operational implications of the decisions they make,” says Capt. Fred Eissler (FedEx Express), the Legislative Affairs Committee chairman for his pilot group.

Eissler is one of the ALPA pilots who represent U.S. and Canadian pilot interests on Capitol and Parliament Hills. In coordination with ALPA’s Government Affairs Department, the Anchorage-based MD-11 captain talks with senators, congressmen, and aides about the Association’s legislative and regulatory priorities. “I’m proud of the program we have,” he says.

fred Eissler, a face of ALPA on Capitol Hill

fighting the Good fightALPA’s Government Affairs Department is working to protect pilot retire-ment and insurance benefits on Capitol Hill. As Congress works to reduce the budget deficit, ALPA is fighting to ensure that to achieve necessary deficit reductions, Congress does not institute an excise tax on employer-provided health benefits or lower the tax-exempt defined-contribution limit. Both options have been a part of different bipartisan deficit reduction recommendations in the past but have not been voted on in Congress. ALPA is working diligently to ensure that these ill-advised proposals are kept out of legislation moving through Congress in the coming months (see page 14).

To learn more, go to the members-only site of www.alpa.org and click on the Legislation & ALPA-PAC tab.

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 19

We Will Never ForgetToday, Sept. 11, 2011, the Air Line Pilots Association remembers the terrible attacks that took place in the United States of America 10 years ago. v We recognize the untold bravery of the cockpit crews, cabin crews, and passengers who were aboard United Airlines Flight 175, United Airlines Flight 93, American Airlines Flight 11, and American Airlines Flight 77. v We remain humbled by those on the

ground who faced unspeakable horror with unshakable courage. Words are inadequate to honor the first responders, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and so many others who confronted danger without hesitation in the hope of saving others. And we stand united in spirit with the families of the pilots and all those who suffered loss that day, but who continue to face the future with determination to carry on. v On Sept. 11, 2001, we lost our colleagues, our friends, and our family. v On Sept. 11, 2011, the more than 53,000 members of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l fortify our commitment to commemorate these fallen heroes by pursuing all action necessary to secure our skies, safeguard our flights, and prevail over those who would do us harm.

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 19

9-11 shaped airline pilots’ lives this past decade. It’s on the forefront of pilots’ minds almost as much as the flight number, triggering a response day in and day out. Photo by F/O Sean K. O’Connor (Alaska)

20 Air Line Pilot October 2011

ALPA Remembers 9-11Under beautiful sunny skies, more than 200 pilots, families, and ALPA staff attended the Association’s 9-11 ceremony honoring the fallen flight crews of the four airliners that were used in terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The event took place in ALPA’s 9-11 Memorial Garden erected in 2006 in Herndon, Va.

“As we reflect on the 10th anniversary of September 11 and how it changed us, I know that professional pilots will be forever guided by wisdom, moved by compassion, and led by courage,” said ALPA’s president, Capt. Lee Moak. “We continue to hope for our safety in the air and for the passengers who entrust their lives in us every day.

“Today we remember the crews and passengers of those four flights and the first responders on the ground. They left a heroic legacy of dedication to their professional duties in the face of imminent danger and inexhaustible courage in the face of overwhelming terror. Today serves as a reminder that, although our profession was hit hard, we still stand strong, unified, and resolute.”

Following a moment of silence, Capt. Paul Rice (United), a former ALPA first vice president, read the names of the flight crews of United Flight 175 and Flight 93 and American Airlines Flight 11 and 77. He was followed by Capt. Steve Brashear, chairman of United Council 11, who shared his personal experience on the morning of the attacks as captain of a flight headed to Denver.

Capt. Brashear

Capt. Steve Brashear’s RemarksCapt. Moak, fellow pilots, and guests: Thank you for this invitation to speak. It’s indeed an honor for me, and one I’m not certain I deserve.

I’ve been asked to comment on 9-11 from a personal perspective. After 10 years, we have become numbed to it by image after image and voluminous com-mentary. I would ask that as I speak, you

try to recall the utter astonishment and complete disbelief we all felt as the event occurred.

On Sept. 11, 2001, I was flying. It was Flight 1524 from Sacramento to Denver. It was an early departure, 6 a.m., about the time the tragic events were unfolding in New York.

Shortly after leveloff, we began to receive messages on our ACARS printer. I’ve saved them.

The first one read:“Possible hijack in progress at NY CTR; EWR, JFK, LGA

all shut down due to World Trade Center crash of two large aircraft. Possible United/American. Not sure yet of compa-nies involved. Please limit cockpit access due to this….”

Two minutes later:“Nationwide ground stop in progress. All aircraft.”We were stunned. I held the messages between me and

my first officer. We read them in silence and disbelief. When I finally spoke, my first words were for the pilots. Slowly and almost under my breath, I said, “They killed the pilots.” None of us would fly a plane into a building even with a gun to

our heads. “They must have killed the pilots!”In the next minutes, several more messages were

exchanged, and we were diverted to Salt Lake City. Enroute I commented that with the entire nation under a ground stop, we would probably be on the tarmac a long time awaiting a gate and that this could be a long day on board this plane. No sooner

Above: More than 200 people attended ceremonies at ALPA’s 9-11 memorial.

Right: Capt Moak addresses the attendees. Below: Capt. Couette, left, and Capt.

Helling place a wreath in front of the memorial.

Lights showing where the twin towers stood against the New York city skyline. Photo by Capt. Dave Farley (American Eagle)

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October 2011 Air Line Pilot 21

enemies took them from us in an instant. Fate called upon them to take the fatal blows of a surprise attack.

If they were here today, they may not recognize many aspects of our profession. Much has changed in the 10 years we have lived with-out them. But hopefully they would recognize our resolve and devotion to this profession and to our American way of life.

On 9-11, the absolute purest in American spirit came to the surface and eventu-ally prevailed. When our pilots were murdered and their planes were hurled at their defenseless targets, innocent lives were taken from all of us. Yet when passengers rose up on Flight 93, the deadly mission of the terrorists could not be completed. And as the towers collapsed, the firefighters, police, and other rescue workers gave their lives freely to save those they thought could still be saved.

Only the spirit that lives within the citizens of a free nation can cause such a response as we witnessed that day!

It now falls to us, as a tribute to them and in memory of their sacrifice, to live the way they would have lived. And to show each day that the spirit that made people rise up to help their fellow Americans still burns within each of us. We have all had 10 years of life that they did not get. And we must live in a way that shows that the ties that bind us to them—the ties of spiritual and resolute devotion to this profession and our American heritage—cannot be broken, not by time, and not by death!

And finally, to the families: to the spouses, the children, the parents, and the extended families of our fallen broth-ers and sisters, I would say, do not despair, but find comfort in knowing that on that fateful day you and your lost loved ones became “family” to all of us. Indeed, because of their sacrifice, we have all become “family.” And as “family,” we will never forget!

had I said that than another message came over that said:“Gate will be available upon landing. Deplane passengers

ASAP I have been told.”That’s when we first became scared. This message made it

clear that the event was still in progress, and the extent was unknown. There could be other perpetrators on other airplanes. We landed, deplaned, and went into the terminal. And like every American that day, we positioned ourselves in front of a TV screen and watched the grim truth.

We were in SLC two days before we continued the flight to Denver. Out of 104 passengers who departed Sacramento with us, only 4 returned for the continuation to Denver.

In Denver, we were on the ground only a few hours. The company provided a B-747 to go from hub to hub picking up and depositing employees to get them home. We landed at sunup at IAD. I had a two-hour drive home that I made in silence. My route home goes past the church that my family and I belong to. It was open with a message inviting people in. It was the morning of September 14. I went in. It was empty. I sat in a rear pew and cried.

After that, like all of us, I have had time to contemplate what happened to our brothers and sisters that day. And it caused me to think about what we all do each day.

Vic, Jason, Mike, and LeRoy and their flying partners found themselves unknowingly, unexpectedly, and without prepara-tion on the front line of an attack. In the blink of an eye, they became our fallen comrades and honored heroes. They did not want to be, but they did not get a choice. A cowardly act of evil

HONORING THE FALLENHundreds of memorials have been erected,

including those in New York City; Shanksville, Pa.; Arlington, Va.; and Yardley, Pa., to honor those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks.

Go to “The landing,” page 37, to view a few of these memorials.

To view pilot testimonials, a photo slide show of the Herndon Remembrance Ceremony, and more, go to www.alpa.org/neverforget911. To view Capt. Brashear’s com-ments, scan the QR code.

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 21

22 Air Line Pilot October 2011

In MemoriamSept. 11, 2001

united Airlines Flight 93 Capt. Jason Dahl and F/O LeRoy Homer, Jr.; flight attendants

Lorraine Bay, Sandy Bradshaw, Wanda Green, Cee Cee Lyles, and Deborah Welsh

united Airlines Flight 175 Capt. Victor Saracini and F/O Michael Horrocks; flight atten-

dants Robert Fangman, Amy Jarret, Amy King, Kathryn Laborie, Alfred Marchand, Jesus Sanchez

(off duty), Michael Tarrou, and Alicia Titus

American Airlines Flight 11 Capt. John Ogonowski and F/O Tom McGuiness; flight at-

tendants Barbara Arestegui, Jeffery Collman, Sara Low, Karen Martin, Kathleen Nicosia, Betty Ong, Jean Roger, Dianne Snyder,

and Madeline Sweeney

American Airlines Flight 77 Capt. Charles Burlingame, F/O David Charlebois, and Capt. Bud Flagg (a retired American Airlines pilot who was a passenger);

flight attendants Michelle Heidenberger, Jennifer Lewis, Kenneth Lewis, and Renee May

Never Forget

As a young man walking the streets of lower Manhattan, I would look skyward and be comforted by the presence of the two large towers. As a pilot, the World Trade Center symbolized the end of my day as I navigated toward New York City.

Little did I know that on that clear September morn-ing the tall beacons that directed me in the air would be destroyed by terrorists. I turned on my television to see the twin towers fall, and my heart sank. As I sat helplessly watch-ing the tragic events unfold, I also knew that we are a strong nation and would persevere. Reflecting on the tragic events, I asked myself, “What can I do?”

How can one pilot make a difference? I decided to volunteer and help the pilots and their families affected by the attacks. I remembered that our union had an army of volunteer pilots who helped with various issues, including training, maintaining professional standards, and helping families cope with the many issues at home.

For the past 10 years, I have volunteered with many orga-nizations. One position closest to my heart is serving as chair-man of the committee representing our furloughed pilots. Thousands of pilots nationwide were furloughed as a direct result of the attacks. Some are still on furlough 10 years later.

It can be difficult at times, especially when hearing the devastation in the voices of those who lost their jobs. My most challenging moment was during a call from a spouse of one of our furloughed pilots. She relayed to me how her husband had not been able to get a job and that her child needed food. The young mother stated, “Today was the low-est point in my life because of my experience at the Public

Welfare Office.” The case worker laughed when this young mother said her husband was an airline pilot. She ran out of the office and never returned.

Fighting back tears, she said people do not understand the low wages starting airline pilots make. I told her that resources were available through the Air Line Pilots Association and that I, along with the rest of the union, would stand strong to assist her. Through our union’s assis-tance program and the selfless donations of our pilots, she was able to feed her family and secure insurance.

It has been 10 years since the attacks on our country, and we are still feeling the effects in the airline industry. Through acts of kindness and the many pilot volunteers, we remain strong.

Volunteerism is one of the threads that weave the fabric of our country, making us a stronger nation. I encourage you to get involved in one of the many organizations that assist pilots who have lost their jobs. Additionally, there are many organizations that use our pilot skills to help others. There is a wonderful feeling of accomplishment and pride one feels when giving back to society in a selfless act of volunteerism.

For some, volunteering may mean folding letters or making phone calls. For others, it might mean donating their spare time or money to help others. All forms and levels of volunteerism are very important to the strength-ening of our nation, our airline community, and our pilot group because together we are strong.

Your pilot volunteer,Capt. Carl Valeri (ExpressJet)

To view the ALPA Remembers 9-11 video, scan the QR code.

Together We Are Strong: Reflecting on a Decade of Volunteerism

ALPA’s 9-11 monument and Memorial Garden.

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A RoAdmAp to the FutuReFrom the discussion and debate, ALPA

staff helped put into writing the product of the MEC’s strategic planning sessions. In July, the MEC leaders reviewed a final draft of the plan. They met again to fine-tune the document and unanimously approved the final version of the 36-page strategic plan.

“The process directed our efforts so that we are all rowing in the same direc-tion,” Frahm said. “None of the informa-tion in our plan is earth-shattering. What was important was putting it down on paper and including a time line and benchmarks so that we can continually refer to the plan and get a reading on how we’re doing. That will be invaluable down the road.”

After approving the plan, the next step was to inform the pilots that the process had been concluded and to lay out the goals and objectives for the future. The MEC worked to find the delicate bal-ance between communicating as much information as possible with members without giving up so much information as to render any tactics ineffective.

“We’d been communicating with the pilot group throughout the process,” said F/O Paul Stuart, the pilots’ MEC chairman. “We’ve always believed that an informed and engaged membership is crucial for success. So as we made our final tweaks to the plan, we were work-ing on a letter to all Alaska pilots that outlined the goals and priorities we had set, based on our knowledge of the pilot group’s desires moving forward.”

Getting together the pilots’ elected representatives to analyze the landscape and lend their voice to the brainstorming process was crucial to the plan’s success. Everyone understood that even the best crafted plan would not succeed unless it had the full support of the MEC and was a reflection of the pilot group as a whole.

“The plan does a comprehensive job of taking into consideration all of the debate, discussion, ideas, and sometimes compromise put forth by the local coun-

By Jenn Sutton, ALPA Communications Specialist

“We’d been communicating with the pilot group

throughout the process. We’ve always believed that an informed and engaged

membership is crucial for success.”

—F/O Paul Stuart, Alaska MEC Chairman

the help of ALPA staff, MEC members from all four bases spent more than a day brainstorming on a variety of subjects, including the MEC’s internal dynamics and its relationships with the pilot group, management, and other labor groups.

From there, the MEC talked about priorities and how to get to where the pilot group wants to go, on a broad, long-term level and in the mid-range and near term. Many of the MEC repre-sentatives had an opportunity to discuss these issues with one another at ALPA’s Leadership Conference in January, but they still found the process of sitting together and listening to one another invaluable.

F/O Mike Reinmuth, a block represen-tative from Council 67 Seattle, said that if he were to go back and change anything about the way in which the plan was created, he would include even more time for brainstorming with the other reps.

“It’s an educational process that will surprise you in its required detail. One of the interesting parts of developing the strategic plan was understanding the issues that are important to the individual members of the MEC, as well as their constituents,” said Capt. Blane Dye, a block representative from Council 67 Seattle.

the Alaska pilots’ Master Execu-tive Council (MEC) leaders met for their second quarterly MEC meeting in March of this year. It was the first meeting as an MEC for the newly elected represen-

tatives who had begun their terms on March 1. The agenda for the three-day meeting was full, with the primary task to begin developing a strategic plan.

Dubbed a “roadmap to the future” by the MEC, the strategic plan lays out an analysis of where the pilots are, where they have been, and what the industry and economic terrain look like. It estab-lishes a clear set of goals and priorities and provides guidance on the steps to achieve them.

“As pilots, we use checklists to make sure we’re doing what we need to and heading in the direction we want to go,” said F/O Doug McLaren, vice chairman for Council 59 in Portland. “This strategic plan serves a similar function.”

In 2008, ALPA’s Board of Directors created a strategic plan for the union, which was adjusted and reaffirmed at the Board of Directors meeting in October 2010. Among the initiatives laid out in the plan is a goal of having all MECs establish and maintain their own strategic plan. For a day and a half during the Alaska MEC meeting, the pilot group’s elected representatives began the intensive process of crafting a strate-gic plan. In June, the MEC reconvened to continue the process.

“Having a strategic plan makes it easier to see if you’re headed where you should be going,” said F/O Mike Frahm, a Council 64 Anchorage block representative.

The MEC leaders received compre-hensive briefings from ALPA’s Economic & Financial Analysis Department on everything from recent polling data to analyses of the economy, industry, and their airline. Representation Department experts discussed bargaining cycles and negotiating patterns with the MEC. With

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cil reps, who are elected directly by the pilot members,” said Capt. Craig Huffman, the MEC vice chairman. “Our goal was to create a plan that encompassed the concerns and anticipates the needs of all of our pilots, in both seats and at all bases, for both the near term and years to come. I think that’s exactly what we did.”

Now MEC officers, elected representatives, committee volunteers, and ALPA staff members are working hard on the tasks necessary to fulfill the MEC’s vision. Right now, those tasks include reinvigorating the pilots’ Pilot-to-Pilot and Family Awareness programs, ensuring that contractual provisions are being enforced, and acting as leaders in the area of safety.

ENGAGING THE mEmBERS—To have a cohesive group working together toward com-mon goals, the pilots must be engaged with their union. To reach this goal, the MEC determined that it must communicate with pilots in a clear, concise, and useful way, and lead by example. It further established governing by consensus and building unity as priorities to achieving this goal.

ImPROVING CONTRACTuAl CORNERSTONES—Alaska’s pilots contribute signifi-cantly to their company’s success. The pilots’ second goal is to ensure that they are working to achieve steady and consistent improvements in the four contract corner-stones of job security, pay, benefits, and work rules.

CONTRACT EDuCATION AND COmPlIANCE—This goal entails ensuring that the pilots have the information they need to understand when their contract is being vio-lated and the tools to report violations so that the MEC and its committees can enforce the agreed-upon language.

lEADERSHIP IN THE CulTuRE OF SAFETY—Goal 4 states that the MEC will contin-ue efforts to promote a culture of safety in a manner that emphasizes the leadership role that pilots have in this area.

RElATIONSHIP WITH ETHICS AND INTEGRITY—The Alaska pilots’ contract contains a preamble that reads, in part, “ALPA and Alaska management recognize that an effec-tive partnership, based on mutual respect and trust, will improve the long-term profit-ability and competitiveness of Alaska Airlines and is beneficial to the pilot group. In order to take full advantage of all opportunities, labor and management must embrace collaboration as a means to build an innovative and effective team—a team fully fo-cused on the future.” Goal 5 commits the MEC to living up to its part of this preamble, and to taking steps to ensure that management recognizes that cooperation, respect, and trust must be given to be received.

PREPARATION FOR THE FUTURE—This goal solidifies the MEC’s commitment to remaining aware of trends in the airline industry and to building relationships with pilot groups worldwide and to participating in industry and Association events. It also requires preparing for situations and events that the MEC knows will occur, those things that the MEC can reasonably predict will happen, and to be in a position to react quickly to unforeseen events that arise.

STRATEGIC mANAGEmENT—The MEC, as its final goal, committed to continually monitoring and benchmarking progress on the strategic plan and adapting the plan when and if necessary as the environment changes.

AlASkA MEC’S StrAtEgiC PlAn

The MEC will benchmark progress when it meets again in November in Los Angeles.

“Obviously, the ink is still wet on our plan, so the true value has yet to be determined,” Frahm said. “Now, it is up to us to utilize the plan.”

“The plan is a living, breathing document, and its success or failure is dependent upon the elected leaders of the Alaska pilots,” Stuart said. “That’s why one of our seven goals is to review and benchmark progress toward meeting the objectives in our strategic plan and ensure that the direction we have laid out continues to reflect the needs of the pilot group and that the plan makes sense in an ever-changing environment.”

During the process of creating a strategic plan, the Alaska Master Executive Council (MEC) leaders set seven major goals. They also memorialized the MEC’s strong commitment to safety.

The following are the seven goals outlined in the Alaska MEC’s strategic plan:

gOAl 1:

gOAl 2:gOAl 3:gOAl 4:gOAl 5:

gOAl 6:

gOAl 7:

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 25

hare your view from the cockpit in ALPA’s photo contest! Open to any member in good standing, this year’s contest invites you to snap and submit pictures from the line—especially airliners. All photos submitted must be high-resolution digital images.

Please submit your photos no later than Oct. 14, 2011, for consideration. Please adhere to FAA regulations and company policy when taking photos. Selected photos may appear on the cover of future Air Line Pilot magazines. Visit www.alpa.org/photocontest for complete details, and good luck!

We Want

Your Photos

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26 Air Line Pilot October 2011

In 2008, the Board of Directors of the Air Line Pilots Association, International developed an

organization-wide strategic plan. Capitalizing on the differing perspectives of the more than 300 ALPA members serving on the Board—representing more than 53,000 airline pilots—the group unified by prioritizing and narrowing the focus of the union in eight key areas: u Structure, u Collective Bargaining, u Safety/Security/FTDT,u Resources, u Communications, u legal, u Government Affairs/Regulatory, and u Organizing.

STRATEGIC PLAN

PROGRESS REPORT

ALPA’S

By establishing a framework for the Association’s priorities, actions, and decisions, the decision-making process is now streamlined to meet three overarching objectives: u Develop priorities that are based on what is best for ALPA’s members,u Achieve consistency within the strategic plan, and u Build unity and support for strategic goals. What follows is a progress report of key AlPA initiatives and objectives since

October 2010. To see the 2009 progress report, scan this QR code.

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 27

BOD COMMITTEE 1: Reinvigorating ALPA's Structure

BOD COMMITTEE 3: Continued Efforts in Safety/Security/FTDT

Recent achievements:4 Implementing strategic plans for the US Airways Express Pilots Alliance and the Canada Board, and4 Increased emphasis on master executive council (MEC) strategic planning and leadership training. Read how the Alaska MEC is using a strategic plan to accomplish its goals (see page 23). Read BOD Committee 1’s update in the March issue of Air Line Pilot. Scan this QR code.

BOD COMMITTEE 2: Collective Bargaining and R&I

Recent achievements:4 Negotiated a new contract for Pinnacle/Mesaba/Colgan pilots,4 Negotiated a new contract for Trans States pilots,4 Achieved a contract extension and new bargaining model for FedEx Express pilots,4 Negotiating joint collective bargaining agreements for United/Continental, ExpressJet/Atlantic Southeast, and AirTran/Southwest,4 Mainstreaming bargaining ranges and standards for benefit provisions, and4 Developed a new dispute tracking system. Read BOD Committee 2’s update in the April issue of Air Line Pilot. Scan this QR code.

Recent achievements:4 Implemented Known Crewmember (see page 30 for new updates),4 Overhauling pilot qualifications and training requirements, and4 Restructured Section 85 of ALPA’s Administrative Manual—a redefined Air Safety Organization. Read BOD Committee 3’s up-date in the May issue of Air Line Pilot. Scan this QR code.

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BOD COMMITTEE 4: ALPA Resources

BOD COMMITTEE 5: Education and Communication

ALPA WANTS YOUR FEEDBACK

Recent achievements:4 Enhanced ALPA’s financial condition and liquidity, 4 Presented a report and recommendations from the Special Committee for Finance, Structure, and Services to ALPA’s Executive Council in September 2011 and Executive Board in October 2011, and4 Negotiated merger expense reim-bursement agreements, which include flight pay loss, regarding the Pinnacle/Colgan/Mesaba and ExpressJet/Atlantic Southeast merger transactions. Read BOD Committee 4’s update in the June/July issue of Air Line Pilot. Scan this QR code.

Recent achievements:4 Expanded outreach to the news media regarding ALPA

issues and priorities,4 Broadened dissemination of ALPA analyt-

ics and information, and4 Developed an ALPA branding program.

Read BOD Committee 5’s update in the August issue of Air Line Pilot. Scan this QR code.

ALPA wants member feedback regarding the Association’s strategic plan. Please go to www.alpa.org/survey, or scan the QR code, to take a short five-question survey.

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 29

BOD COMMITTEE 6: Legal, Grievance, and Mergers

STRATEGIC PLAN PROGRESS

Recent achievements:4 Implemented Section 40, Risk Management Policies, of ALPA’s Administrative Manual, 4 Continued implementation of new merger policy, and4 Continued review of con-sensus items of the Career Security Protocol Committee. Read BOD Commit tee 6’s update in the September issue of Air Line Pilot. Scan this QR code.

Recent achievements:4 Advocated on behalf of ALPA members regarding FAA reauthorization and flight time/duty time, limits and4 Increased the role of pilot volunteers in ALPA’s grassroots lobbying (see “BOD Delegate Committee 7: Influencing Legislation and Regulations,” page 17).

Recent achievements:4 Merged with Canadian North Pilots Association,4 Evaluated organizing tactics and methods following the JetBlue organizing campaign,4 Developing organizing metrics, and4 Provided ALPA’s International Pilot Services Corporation professional services to the Allied Pilots Association and AOA Canada. Stay tuned for the November issue of Air Line Pilot to read a full update on Committee 8.

Want to read the step-by-step progress of ALPA’s strate-gic plan? Visit www.alpa.org/strategicplan to see what’s occurred since the October 2008 Board of Directors meeting when the strategic plan was established.

BOD COMMITTEE 8: Organizing

BOD COMMITTEE 7: Legislative and Regulatory

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Known Crewmember UpdateSea–Tac Becomes Third Airport to Implement Alternative Pilot Screening ProcessBy John Perkinson Staff Writer

KCM SitesCurrent Sites:1. Chicago O’Hare International Airport2. Miami International Airport 3. Seattle–Tacoma International Airport 4. Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport

Near-Future Sites:5. Boston Logan International Airport 6. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport 7. Washington Dulles International Airport

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On September 13, Seattle–Tacoma International joined ranks with Chicago O’Hare International and Miami International to become the third U.S. airport to implement the Known Crew-member (KCM) alternative pilot screening

process as part of a test program. Access points are now located in Sea–Tac’s A and D concourses.

“It’s been great,” said F/O Andy Mulcahy (Alaska), who was in Seattle for the first day of testing and who previously used the alterna-tive pilot screening protocol at Chicago O’Hare International. “Half of the ordeal of getting through the airport is getting through security. Having us out of the way makes it easier on the Transportation Security Administration [TSA], and easier on us and the passengers. It’s good for everyone.”

A month after KCM debuted at Chicago O’Hare, thousands of pilots have used it to expedite airport screening and reduce the time it takes to check in for their flights. In fact, TSA data show that 4,678 airline pilots passed through an O’Hare KCM access point at one of the airport’s three

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 31

terminals between August 9 (when the alterna-tive pilot screening program became active) and September 1.

Two weeks after the Chicago launch, Miami began using KCM, offering four access points, with even better results. A total of 3,093 pilots success-fully passed through Miami KCM access points from August 23 to September 1. That’s an average of 309 pilots a day. As of press time, three KCM access points are set to open at Minneapolis–St. Paul International on September 20, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Boston Logan International, and Washington Dulles International are expected to follow suit within the next several weeks.

“We’re extremely pleased with the feedback we’ve received about the initial test phase of Known Crewmember,” said Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l. “The program makes the entire airport screening process more efficient and heightens security, and we are confident that it will continue to grow and that more and more airlines and airports will want to participate.”

Most recently, AirTran, Comair, FedEx Express, and Hawaiian joined the list of participating airlines, bringing the total to 20 as of press time. ALPA and the Air Transport Association (ATA), joint sponsors of the program, eventually hope to make KCM available to all U.S. airline pilots, and eventu-ally to flight attendants as well.

KCM connects the TSA to airline employee data-bases, enabling TSA security officers to positively verify a pilot’s identity and employment status. ATA Senior Vice President of Safety, Security, and Operations Tom Hendricks points out, “There is

Known Crewmember Update ABX AirAirTranAlaska AirlinesAmericanAmerican EagleAtlasComairContinentalDeltaExecutive

FedEx ExpressHawaiianHorizonJetBlueMesaPiedmontPSA AirlinesSouthwestUnited

Airlines Participating in Known Crewmember*

US Airways

* Additional airlines are expected to participate in the future.

a random aspect to this, and some pilots are des-ignated for normal random screening.” However, KCM frees pilots from standing in long, passenger-screening lines and improves screening efficiency.

For more KCM info and updates about the program, visit www.knowncrewmember.org.

KCM FAQs QWhat constitutes “in uniform” for using a Known Crewmember

(KCM) access point?

A The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires that pilots be “in uniform” to use a KCM access point. The TSA has

required this for years to grant certain accommodations to pilots at security screening checkpoints. Pilots should ensure that they are appropriately attired in a uniform that meets their company’s standards to help TSA screeners do their jobs quickly and expedite their passage through the access point.

QHow long will this process take?

AUnder normal circumstances, a typical KCM transaction should require about 10 to 15 seconds. The time required to complete

the process is contingent on a number of factors, such as the speed at which the system responds or the presence and length of a queue, as other pilots may be waiting to be processed.

QWhat should I do if I am selected for random screening at a KCM access point?

ACooperate. Random screening is a normal feature of any alterna-tive form of screening. It’s incorporated for your protection and

to ensure the integrity of the system.

Q Where can I submit feedback regarding KCM?

AQuestions and feedback by flightcrew members should be di-rected to their respective airlines. Improvements can be made

in the future to rectify problems that are discovered during the trial phase.

For more KCM information and ongoing updates about the program, visit www.knowncrewmember.org.

Over ThereKnown Crewmember (KCM) is garnering the attention of airline pilots from other countries. According to UK-based publica-tion Flight International, Dr. Rob Hunter, who heads safety and security for the British Air Line Pilots Association ( BALPA), says British Airways pilots are “incredulous that they are checked in the same way as passengers for sharp objects, when they will have an axe on the flight deck and control of the trajectory.”

BALPA is “fully in favor” of KCM, adds flight safety officer David Reynolds, who would like to see a similar program offered in the UK.

32 Air Line Pilot October 2011

CANCER: Cell Growth Out of ControlBy Dr. Quay Snyder, ALPA Aeromedical Advisor, and Dr. Jon Riccitello, Associate Aeromedical Advisor

HealthWatch

ALPA members in good standing can get free, confidential consultations and assistance with aero-medical certification by calling ALPA’s Aeromedical Office at 303-341-4435, Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Information regard-ing FAA policies, medical conditions, and medica-tions is available at www.AviationMedicine.com.

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Editor’s note: The following information, the first in a pair of “Health Watch” columns on cancer, is adapted from an article available at www.AviationMedicine.com.

Although several long-term studies have reviewed the occur-

rence of cancers in pilots, no broad consensus has emerged within the aerospace medi-cine community regarding the forms of cancers that may occur more frequently in aviators. Results have varied depending on the size of the study, the number of years spanned, the comparison groups used, and the type and reliability of data available.

In studies that have

might be occurring more frequently than in the general population. A large British study of 6,209 pilots did not confirm the finding of in-creased kidney cancer deaths, but instead found that the rate of deaths attributed to melanomas was significant.

Some studies that looked at frequency of occurrence, rather than death reports, have shown higher rates of urologic cancers like prostate (Canadian study), bladder, and testicular (U.S. Air Force study) cancers. Other studies suggest that pilots actually have decreased rates of certain cancers and other diseases. These findings may perhaps be related to pilots’ higher socioeconomic status, frequency of medical surveillance, availability of early medical care, and pre-selection for health. As we accumulate more data with time, more reliable conclu-sions will no doubt become available and allow for more definitive assessments of cancer risk in airline pilots.

An excellent review article and synopsis of all scientific studies of cancer in flightcrew members to date (meta-anal-ysis) published in 2009 found a slightly increased incidence of melanoma in male pilots. There was a more doubtful association with brain cancer. The risk of other types of cancer was lower in pilots.

Female flight attendants had higher risks of melanoma and breast cancer. The cause of these findings is not clear, as it is difficult to separate occupational exposures from

Mutation inactivates tumor suppressor gene

CELLS PROLIFERATE

Mutation inactivates DNA repair gene

Mutation of proto-oncogene creates an oncogene

Mutation inactivates several more tumor suppressor genes

CANCER

Cancers are caused by a series of mutations. Each mutation alters the behavior of the cell.

Cancer Pathology

routine exposures. The po-tential for more sun exposure with increased access to travel and potentially increased leisure time may explain the increases in melanoma. Shift work has been shown to increase the incidence of breast cancer. The circadian disruption flight attendants endure on translongitudinal flights may explain that find-ing. For more information, go to http://rpd.oxfordjournals.org/content/136/4/232.abstract.

What is cancer?Cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of certain abnormal cell types that invade surrounding normal tissue. Cell type and location determine the type of cancer. Cancers can be found in solid tissue, bone marrow, blood, and lymph tissues. Cancer does its damage by growing rapidly and robbing normal cells of nutrients.

Cancer can spread to other areas, a process called metastasis. Cancers can cause secondary problems by obstructing organs, eroding tissue, causing swelling or seizures when occurring in the brain, or preventing nor-mal development of different types of blood cells.

Cancer is not a single disease. More than 200 types of cancer afflict persons of all ages. Some types of cancers are completely curable in more than 95 percent of cases, whereas other types are nearly always fatal. Forty-four percent of males will have cancer diagnosed in

their lives, and 38 percent of females will have cancer.

Cancer is the second lead-ing cause of death in the U.S. for all ages, accounting for 23 percent of all male deaths and 20 percent of female deaths. The percentage of deaths caused by cancer peaks in early childhood and again in mid to late adult life.

focused on aviation deaths caused by cancer, one review of 1,538 U.S. airline pilots and navigators suggested that deaths from kidney cancers

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 33

According to the American Cancer Society, this year 563,100 Americans will die of cancer—more than 1,500 people per day.

Despite these statistics, relative survival rates for cancer have been steadily climbing over the past several decades. According to the National Cancer Institute, 53 percent of persons diagnosed with cancer now live at least another five years after their diagnosis. Although certainly serious, a diagnosis of cancer is no longer hopeless.

Common forms of cancerThe most common form of cancer in the U.S. for both men and women is non-mela-noma skin cancer, with about 700,000 new cases reported annually. The majority (80 percent) are basal cell carci-nomas; the remainder are predominantly squamous cell carcinomas. Cumulative ex-posure to ultraviolet sunlight radiation is the principal risk factor associated with this form of cancer. Fortunately, such cancers are amenable to surgical treatment, with relatively high success rates.

Each year about 1.3 million new cases of other cancers (besides non-melanoma skin cancers) are diagnosed in the U.S. The most common of these in men are prostate, lung, colon, bladder, and rectal cancer. For women, the most common new cancers in order of decreasing frequency are breast, lung, colon, uter-ine, and ovarian cancers.

If ordered according to the

cancers that cause the most deaths, the lists change slightly because some cancers have a greater potential for response to treatment than others. The top three most lethal cancers for men remain the same: lung, prostate, and colon, but pancreatic and stomach can-cers now appear as fourth and fifth on the list. For women, the most common causes of cancer deaths are lung, breast, colon, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, in that order.

Causes of cancerMany different factors are considered to place individu-als at increased risk for cancer, and each specific type of cancer has its own unique set of risk factors. The strongest associations between risk factors and cancers appear to occur with smoking, radiation exposure, and other lifestyle factors such as diet and alcohol use. A strong family history of a particular type of

cancer may also lead an indi-vidual to seek early screening for this type of disease.

The use of tobacco, in par-ticular, is felt to be responsible for the development of more cancers than all other causes combined. Those people who knowingly choose to use tobacco products are placing themselves and those around them at increased risk for a significant number of cancers.

Exposure to radiation in the form of occupational haz-ards, natural hazards (radon and cosmic radiation), and man-made exposures (primar-ily medical diagnostic tests and treatments) can also pose significant hazards. Recent public education about the hazards of radon in homes causing lung cancer and the role of ultraviolet light in causing skin cancer may reduce the upward trends in these specific diseases. The National Cancer Institute is constantly conducting

research to determine avoid-able causes of cancer in the general population.

Aircraft windscreens and fuselage skins shield flight crews from ultraviolet radia-tion. Studies are under way to determine if flight crews are exposed to significantly el-evated levels of cosmic radia-tion and, if so, whether they are at a resulting increased risk for any form of cancer.

Screening for cancerSome types of cancer have well-developed screening tests, which attempt to detect disease before it is fully established or at an early enough stage when a cure is likely. Examples include the Papanicolau (“Pap”) smear for cervical cancer. Tests such as the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer, a mammogram for breast cancer, or colonoscopies and stool sampling for colon can-cers are examples of screen-ing to detect early disease at a hopefully curable stage.

Other types of cancers do not have effective screening tests but do have chemical indicators possibly indicative of the presence of a tumor. An example is the carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA) level for colon cancer. Many other proxies for cancer detection exist.

Lung cancer is the lead-ing cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. Unfortunately, no effective screening test is available to detect early stages of lung cancer, although recent research shows potential

The stages of a malignant melonoma.

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HealthWatch

promise for scanning in some very high risk groups. By the time most lung cancers are visible on a chest X-ray, the chances of curing the disease are minimal. Likewise, there is no effective serum tumor marker for lung cancer. New treatment protocols and clinical studies at research institutions may offer im-proved survival and quality of life in some cases of cancer discovered in later stages.

Other than Pap smears and mammography, most screening tests for cancer do not have broad acceptance or scientific evidence to support their routine use in all popula-tions. Colon cancer screening is slowly gaining acceptance, particularly with a variety of testing methods available.

Positive screening tests generally lead to definitive follow-up evaluations, some of which can involve relatively invasive procedures. This can result in a risk of complica-tions and increased cost for an individual who does not have the disease but simply had an initial test that was a false positive.

Diagnosis of cancerA diagnosis of cancer is usually made by examining a piece of tissue (a biopsy specimen) with a microscope. A physician with specialized training in pathology deter-mines whether the tissue is normal or shows changes indicative of cancer. The biopsy specimen may be obtained through the skin using a hollow-core needle, by direct surgical excision, or

with the aid of various forms of fiber-optic scopes and biopsy forceps.

Cancer may also be de-tected via laboratory studies, testing for tumor markers in the blood, or revealing abnor-malities in the function of the organs, such as the liver, that may be the site of metasta-ses. Nuclear medicine scans using radioisotopes can also reveal primary and metastatic cancers. Scanning techniques using MRI or CT technology

in this system reflect the extensiveness of the cancer, with Stage I being the least extensive and Stage IV being the most extensive.

In treating colon cancer, physicians use the Duke system, with the earliest stage termed “Duke’s A” and the most advanced being “Duke’s D.” Using these forms of staging does not preclude also categorizing cancer in the TMN classification.

Cancers also can be categorized as to how closely they resemble the original tissue from the primary site. “Well differentiated” cancers resemble the original tissue fairly closely and are consid-ered less severe. “Moderately differentiated” tissues are intermediate in severity, and “poorly differentiated” can-cers indicate a more serious and aggressive disease. The Gleason scale character-izes the differentiation of prostate cancer cells, with higher numbers indicating more poorly differentiated cancers.

Next month: Part 2—Cancer treatments; FAA policy

For more information on aeromedical issues, scan the QR code.

and ultrasound may also reveal the presence of tumors. Screening techniques are constantly being evaluated.

Stages of cancer“Staging” of cancer is a means to help categorize the severity of the disease, establish a prognosis, and determine a recommended treatment for the condition based on the location and severity of the disease.

A current standard format for staging is the TMN system. “T” refers to the size or location of the tumor at its original (primary) site, and whether it has extended to local tissue. “M” refers to the presence of tumor cells in more distant metastatic sites. “N” refers to the involvement of lymph nodes.

Alternatively, a four-stage, Roman numeral classification is often used. The stages

The use of tobacco, in particular, is felt to be responsible for the

development of more cancers than all other causes combined.

A stained histologic speci-men, sandwiched between a glass microscope slide and cover slip, mounted on the stage of a light microscope.

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Each year member volunteers and ALPA staff meet to dis-cuss the Association’s member benefit plans at the joint annual summer meeting of ALPA’s National Retirement

and Insurance (R&I) Committee and VEBA (Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association) Review Board, which Capt. Randy Helling, ALPA’s vice president–finance/treasurer, chairs. At this year’s meeting, Committee and Board members reviewed fund-ing levels for ALPA’s most used plans: monthly and lump-sum loss of license.

They also discussed•  the status of the first 10-year-level term life insurance policies to reach their 10-year limit.•  life insurance provisions concerning military leave. •  expanding the duration of coverage during a pilot’s Guard or Reserve duty beyond the automatic five-year extension.•  the Unum short-term disability plan benefits and costs.•  marketing plans for the current insurance year (which runs from Nov. 1, 2010, through Oct. 31, 2011). •  R&I legislative initiatives that may affect ALPA members.

administers the long-term investment goals and strategies for the VEBA’s assets.

While the VEBA Board is charged with benefit plan oversight, including selecting investment managers and reviewing and approving major benefit plan expenditures, the National R&I Committee is responsible for plan design decisions ranging from selecting insurance carriers to consulting on specific policy provisions. The Committee works with the VEBA Board to monitor the various plans’ risk/reward balances and structures so that they remain in good financial health with adequate liquidity.

Capt. Bob Brand (United) and F/O Ken Binder (FedEx Express), along with Helling, are the other members of the VEBA Board. They’re also members of ALPA’s National R&I Committee (Brand is the Committee’s chairman) along with Capts. Greg Averill (Delta), Dave Earnest (Continental), and Dave Peyton (Jazz). Peyton represents Canadian pilots’ interests and also serves as chair of the Canadian Board of Insurance Trustees.

The R&I Committee and VEBA meet individually several times during the year to review ALPA’s member benefit plans and to discuss ways to ensure that plans continue to meet ALPA members’ needs for affordable and effective insurance coverage. Tell us what type of insurance you’d be interested in adding to ALPA’s portfolio at R&I@alpa.org.—By Cindy Roy, Senior Insurance Analyst

National R&I Committee and VEBA Hold Summer meeting

R&I Committee at a GlanceALPA’s National R&I Committee, whose credo is “Pilots Serving Pilots,” is charged with supporting pilots’ benefits negotiations during contract bargaining. ALPA staff also provides regular reports on the status of various pilot groups’ contracts and ongoing negotiations.

The Committee holds a biennial seminar to bring together R&I volunteers from each master executive council (MEC) to discuss a wide array of R&I topics. This year’s Retirement and Insurance Seminar will be held in November at the Association’s offices in Herndon, Va.

ALPA members are encouraged to lend their support and provide input to their MEC R&I volunteers or to become MEC R&I volunteers themselves. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact your MEC chairman.

Pilots serving pilots—that’s what it’s all about.—CR

The group reviewed projects for the upcoming year, includ-ing making pilots more aware of ALPA’s benefit plans and instituting new member benefit programs. They agreed that more research was needed before implementing new plans. Plus, they looked into the status of master executive council-specific benefits and considered whether ALPA should offer these types of benefits to the entire membership.

Members of the VEBA Board, whose primary function is to support ALPA’s insurance programs, met with money managers who are responsible for protecting and growing the assets that support ALPA’s benefit plans. Northern Trust Company has been the custodian of the VEBA for a number of years and

AlPA’s member Benefit Plans Include group term life, accidental death and dismemberment, 10-year-level term life, monthly loss of license, lump-sum loss of license, short-term disability, and long-term care.

Pilots designed this wide-ranging group of programs with sup-port from ALPA staff and in cooperation with the programs’ insur-ers. For more information, visit memberinsurance.alpa.org.—CR

36 Air Line Pilot October 2011

“THE SAYEN STYLE”Remembering ALPA’s Second

PresidentBy John Perkinson, Staff Writer

ALPA’s 80 Years as Pilot and Aviation Safety Advocate

Solution to this month’s ALPA sudoku on page 38.

In this installment of “Shaping History,” excerpts from George Hop-kins’s Flying the Line chronicle the administration of Clancy Sayen, ALPA’s second president and successor to Capt. Dave Behncke.

ALPA President Clancy Sayen was a brilliant but sometimes contro-versial figure, in part, because of the difficult decisions he was forced to make. During his administration, he confronted many challenges including a crew complement de-bate and a Southern Airways Strike of 1960. Read about how he and other ALPA leaders considered purchasing Southern to end the strike in the e-version of Flying the Line, Chapter 18, available at www.alpa.org/epubs.—JWP

Go to the Source!

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ShapingHistory

“Clarence Nicholas ‘Clancy’ Sayen came out of the Michigan forests, the son of a lumberjack who had never benefited from an education, but who nevertheless permitted his son to continue in school when he might have easily insisted that Clancy go to work to help support the family.” (page 164)

“Sayen’s career as an airline pilot was short. He started to work for Braniff in June 1944, after learning to fly in the Civil-ian Pilot Training Program…. While flying copilot for Braniff, Sayen earned a graduate degree in geography and climatology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. To write his master’s thesis, ‘Commercial Aviation in South America,’ Sayen also studied economics at the gradu-ate level and taught himself Spanish.” (page 165)

“Sayen had a history of achieve-ment in every field he entered, whether it was education, poli-tics, or flying. Had he not chosen to leave Braniff temporarily for the new ALPA executive vice presidency in 1949, he no doubt would have obtained a captaincy, risen steadily in ALPA’s affairs…that’s why Behncke chose him.” (page 164)

“[New York labor lawyer] Henry Weiss recalls Sayen’s work during this period: ‘I remember clearly that in the final months of the Behncke presidency, Clancy just about single-handedly kept the ship afloat…. Clancy was devel-oping relationships with airline management during this time…. With Sayen, they could work out difficult issues to everyone’s mutual benefit.’” (page 167)

“Sayen felt obliged to ruthlessly ‘democratize’ ALPA’s structure, even though it would require years of work to bring this ideal to fruition. At the 1952 conven-tion, Sayen told the delegates that a complete revision of the ALPA constitu-tion and bylaws would require many months of careful study. The goal of this revision, he insisted, was ‘posi-tive control by the membership.’” (page 171)

“Sayen was instrumental in the creation of what would ultimately be ALPA’s single-most important tool for coping with jets—the jet pay study committee. The necessity for pilot involvement in the development of jet design criteria and operating standards was already apparent by 1953. Sayen promoted the activities of ALPA pilot committees and staff engineers who met with government representatives to present the pilots’ viewpoint before certification of the first jets for U.S. commercial operation.” (page 171)

“ALPA President Clancy Sayen…

issued steady warnings about the vulnerability of the air trans-portation sys-tem. Using his

influence with the Democratic

administra-

tion, Sayen was instrumental in persuading John Kennedy to ask Congress for special antiskyjack-ing legislation…. Under ALPA’s prodding, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed, in record time, a new ‘air piracy’ act.” (page 266)

“Sayen announced on Oct. 31, 1961, that he intended to resign from the ALPA presidency ef-fective with the next Board of Directors’ convention, which was soon after rescheduled for Miami in late May.” (page 208)

“In early 1965, Sayen did what many smart insiders figured he would do all along—he joined airline management. EAL em-ployed Sayen as vice president in charge of West Coast operations to open that territory under new CAB route awards. But Sayen never worked a day for EAL. Af-ter accepting the job from EAL President Floyd Hall (the former TWA pilot and ALPA member) in New York, Sayen was en route to Chicago when the Boeing 727 on which he was a passenger crashed into Lake Michigan. It was a clear night, there was no distress call, and the accident has never been explained. Everybody aboard died.” (page 212)

October 2011 Air Line Pilot 37

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National OfficersFor complete biographical infor-mation on ALPA’s national officers and executive vice presidents, visit www.alpa.org.

Capt. William Couette Vice President– Administration/Secretary

Capt. Randy HellingVice President–Finance/Treasurer

Capt. Tim CanollExecutive Administrator

Capt. Lee Moak President

Capt. Sean CassidyFirst Vice President

ALPA Resources and Contact Numbers

ALPA Sudoku (© paulspages.co.uk)

Complete the sudoku puzzle so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid contains all of the digits from 1 to 9.

The solution to this month’s ALPAsudoku can be found on page 36.

Too easy, too difficult? Tell us what you think. E-mail magazine@alpa.org.

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Executive Vice PresidentsFor more information on who executive vice presidents represent, please visit www.alpa.org/evp.

Capt. Joe Fagone FedEx Express

Capt. Larry Beck Continental

Capt. Bill Bartels Delta

F/O Michael Hamilton United

F/O Todd Ortscheid AirTran, Capital Cargo, Comair, Compass, North American, Spirit

Capt. Mark Segaloff Air Transport Int’l, Atlantic Southeast, Colgan, CommutAir, Mesaba, PSA

Capt. Bill Patterson Air Wisconsin, Evergreen, ExpressJet, Hawaiian, Island Air, Pinnacle, Sun Country

Capt. Thomas Maxwell Alaska, American Eagle, ASTAR, Mesa Air Group, Piedmont, Ryan, Trans States

Capt. Dan Adamus Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, CanJet, First Air, Jazz Air, Kelowna Flightcraft, Wasaya

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ALPA Information Numbers

Membership ServicesTo obtain membership account information or to update your records or your postal or e-mail address via the Internet, go to the My ALPA area of Crewroom.alpa.org; or dial the toll-free number 1-888-359-2572 (1-888-FLY-ALPA) and choose menu option 3.

Listed below are the telephone numbers of MEC offices.

AirTran–ATN MEC 404-763-5165Air Transat–TSC MEC 1-888-337-2033Air Transport International–ATI MEC 505-263-8838Air Wisconsin–ARW MEC 757-754-7687Alaska–ALA MEC 206-241-3138American Eagle–EGL MEC 817-685-7474ASTAR Air Cargo–DHL MEC 859-282-1475*ATA–ATA MEC 773-284-4910Atlantic Southeast–ASA MEC 404-209-8566Bearskin–BRS MEC 807-628-5683Calm Air–CMA MEC 204-471-1000Canadian North–CNP MEC 780-718-6012CanJet–CJA MEC 1-800-959-1751Capital Cargo–CCI MEC 256-289-0428Colgan Air–CJC MEC 310-707-3510 Comair–CMR MEC 859-282-9016CommutAir–CMT MEC 440-985-8579Compass–CPZ MEC 952-853-2373Continental–CAL MEC 281-987-3636Delta–DAL MEC 404-763-4925Evergreen–EIA MEC 503-474-3880ExpressJet–XJT MEC 281-987-3636FedEx Express–FDX MEC 901-752-8749First Air–FAB MEC 1-877-459-3272Freedom–MAG MEC 602-306-1116Hawaiian–HAL MEC 808-836-2572Island Air–AIS MEC 808-838-0188Jazz–JAZ MEC 1-800-561-9576Kelowna Flightcraft–KFC MEC 250-878-7950mesa–MAG MEC 602-306-1116mesaba–MSA MEC 952-853-2389*midwest –MEA MEC 508-360-3112North American–NAA MEC 732-778-6969Piedmont–PDT MEC 339-987-1277Pinnacle–PCL MEC 901-527-0355PSA–PSA MEC 603-674-9683Ryan–RYN MEC 1-800-292-ALPASpirit–SPA MEC 765-481-9033Sun Country–SCA MEC 952-853-2393Trans States–TSA MEC 610-805-5387United–UAL MEC 847-292-1700Wasaya–WSG MEC 807-627-9443

*Pilot group in custodianship

The following ALPA resources may be reached by e-mail or by dialing, toll-free, 1-888-359-2572 (1-888-FLY-ALPA). Once connected, dial the last four digits of the number listed below.

Accident Investigation (EAS@alpa.org) 703-689-4312

Accounting and Finance (Finance@alpa.org) 703-689-4144

Air Line Pilot (Magazine@alpa.org) 703-481-4460

ALPA main number 703-689-2270

ALPA-PAC 202-797-4033

ASPEN 703-689-4220

Balloting (Balloting@alpa.org) 703-689-4173

Cashiering (Cashiering@alpa.org) 703-689-4385

Communications (Communications@alpa.org) 703-481-4440

Computer help line (HelpDesk@alpa.org) 703-689-4357

Council Services (CSC@alpa.org) 703-689-4311

Disciplinary and discharge 703-689-4226

Economic and Financial Analysis (EFA@alpa.org) 703-689-4289

Election dates lEC/mEC 703-689-4212

Engineering and Air Safety (EAS@alpa.org) 703-689-4200

FAA legal actions 703-689-4226

Government Affairs (GovernmentAffairs@alpa.org) 202-797-4033

Human Resources (HumanResources@alpa.org) 703-689-4262

Information Technology and Services (Itservices@alpa.org) 703-689-4223

legal (Legal@alpa.org) 202-797-4096 703-689-4326

membership Services (Membership@alpa.org) 1-888-359-2572 (1-888-FLY-ALPA), option 3

IT Operations and Services (ITOS@alpa.org) 703-689-4245

Organizing 703-689-4179

Publishing Services (Publishing@alpa.org) 703-689-4185

Purchasing (Purchasing@alpa.org) 703-689-4319

Representation (Rep@alpa.org) 703-689-4375

Real Estate (Realestatedept@alpa.org) 703-689-4105

Retirement and Insurance (R&I@alpa.org) 703-689-4115

System Board 703-689-4226

Air Line Pilot is not responsible for un solicited manu scripts, photographs, or other ma te r ials. Unso-licited materials will be re turned only if submitted with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Opinions expressed by authors do not necessarily represent official ALPA position or policy.

Subscriptions: Subscription rate for pilot mem bers, $25, included in ALPA member ship dues; for stu-dents, $37; for U.S. nonmembers, $50; for foreign, $65. Residents of the state of Washington must add 8.8 percent sales tax. To subscribe online go to www.alpa.org/subscriptions or call 703-481-4460. To request address changes, call 703-481-4460.

Address Changes for members Only: E-mail to membership@alpa.org.

Air Line Pilot is printed in the United States and published for professional airline pilots in the United States and Canada who are members of the Air Line Pilots Association, International.

ALPA Headquarters: 1625 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036

Postmaster: Send address changes to Air Line Pilot, PO Box 1169, Herndon, VA 20172-1169.

Canadian Publications mail Agreement #40620579: Return undeliverable magazines sent to Canadian addresses to 2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, ON, Canada N8T 3B7.

Other OrganizationsALPA Aeromedical Office 303-341-4435ALPA Federal Credit Union 1-800-747-2349

AlPA Accident/Incident HotlineIf you are involved in an accident, incident, or alleged violation of a federal aviation regulation, contact your local or central air safety chairman, regional safety chairman, or the worldwide ALPA accident/incident hotline at 202-797-4180 (collect calls are accepted) for an immediate response 24 hours per day. As a backup number, call 703-892-4180. To report a safety problem or airspace system defi-ciency, call 1-800-424-2470 or e-mail EAS@alpa.org.

2011 EBCB ScheduleThe Association’s Election and Ballot Cer t i fi cation Board’s schedule for counting ballots is October 11, November 10, and December 12. Any ALPA member in good standing may be present as an observer during any meeting. Contact the Asso-ciation’s Membership and Council Services Department for scheduling.

Director of Communications Marie Schwartz

Editor Sharon B. Vereb

Technical Editor Jan W. Steenblik

Associate managing Editor Susan Fager

Design and Production Editor William A. Ford

Staff Writer John Perkinson

Contributing Writer/Special Projects Molly Martin

motion Graphics Specialist Eric Davis

Web Coordinators Cicely Jenkins, Chris Weaver

ALPA Resources and Contact Numbers

40 Air Line Pilot October 2011

Have You Moved?Please call Membership Services at 1-888-359-2572,

or e-mail your new address to membership@alpa.org, or clip out this form—along with the mailing label

on the left—and send it to:

AlPA membership ServicesPO Box 1169, Herndon, VA 20172-1169

Name ________________________________________

Member # ____________________________________

Airline _______________________________________

New address __________________________________

Apt. __________ City _________________________

State _________ Zip __________________________