Nevjets

ALPA URGES FAA TO ACT QUICKLY ON OXYGEN MASK RULE
ALPA has forcefully advocated for many years for a revision to FAR Part 121.333(c)(3) concerning the supplemental use of oxygen masks. That regulation requires that "if for any reason at any time it is necessary for one pilot to leave his station at the controls of the airplane when operating at flight altitudes above flight level 250, the remaining pilot at the controls shall put on and use his oxygen mask until the other pilot has returned to his duty station." Per a 2009 ALPA white paper on this subject, the Association's view is that the regulation should be revised to replace "above flight level 250" with "above flight level 410."
Contained in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which was signed into law October 5, 2018, is a provision (i.e., Sec. 579, Regulatory Streamlining) that requires the FAA to issue, within one year, a final rule to apply FAR 121.333(c)(3) to flight altitudes above FL 410. ALPA recently sent a letter to FAA Acting Administrator Dan Elwell calling on the agency to issue an interim rule without delay and a final rule as soon as practical thereafter.

ASO SUPPORTS ICAO CABIN SAFETY INITIATIVES
ALPA air safety representatives participated in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) discussions in Montreal on November 27–30. ICAO's Cabin Safety Group (ICSG) reviewed proposed enhancements to cabin crew training documents to reflect the organization's current initiatives on competency-based training and assessment. ICAO is proposing the enhancements to further reduce accident and incident rates.
F/O Hannah Peavy (XJT), a member of the Aircraft Design and Operations group of the ALPA Air Safety Organization, along with an occupational health and safety specialist from ALPA's Engineering and Air Safety Department, serve as subject-matter experts to the ICSG. At last month's meeting, they and the members reviewed and discussed the proposed guidance. The ICSG also held a robust discussion on the development and implementation of digital learning, which includes training facilities and devices. ALPA's representatives supported enhanced training standards for all aviation personnel.

ALPA CO-LEADS RUNWAY SAFETY COUNCIL MEETING
On November 28, the FAA- and ALPA-cochaired Runway Safety Council (RSC) held its 41st quarterly meeting in Washington, D.C. The Council reviewed progress on ongoing projects, along with the 2015 FAA call-to-action items that are still in progress.
Air Traffic Organization Runway Safety Group manager Jim Fee, RSC cochair, presented details on the National Runway Safety Plan and addressed the need to provide wrong-surface events and "hot spot" information to all pilots, both for airlines and general aviation.
Capt. Steve Jangelis (DAL), ALPA Air Safety Organization Aviation Safety chair, serves as RSC's industry cochair. He pressed the Council to reduce the potential for pilot flash-blindness where LEDs on high-intensity runway lights are installed. "This is a major concern for virtually every pilot flying today and additional research is needed to better understand the risk associated with this issue," he said.
The next meeting of the RSC is scheduled for spring 2019.

LEARNING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AT ALPA'S GRIEVANCE TRAINING SEMINAR
More than 30 pilot volunteers from 10 ALPA pilot groups convened in the Association's Herndon, Va., conference center last week for the Grievance Training Seminar, a two-day primer and refresher on dispute resolution.
Attendees ranged from longtime MEC volunteers looking to refresh their skills and share their expertise to those who are recent additions to their pilot group's Grievance Committees and received their first lesson on supporting their fellow pilots.
The seminar provided the basis for the grievance procedure under either the Canada Labour Code or Railway Labor Act and each pilot group's contract, then covered the wide range of jobs the volunteers will undertake, from reviewing and evaluating grievances to investigating disciplinary issues to assisting in the final stage of dispute resolution—often arbitration. Staff from ALPA's Representation Department—who are constantly available to support pilots and union volunteers—conducted presentations and led discussions, complemented by informative videos that showcased how to best support their colleagues.
"Fundamentally, what you're doing is solving problems," explained Betty Ginsburg, director of ALPA's Representation Department. "In many ways and at the earliest chance possible, your job is to solve problems . . . You're at the front line, and so our goal with the seminar is to give you everything you need to do your job effectively."
Look for more coverage in a future issue of Air Line Pilot magazine.