Fellow FedEx Pilot:

Recently there have been several alleged incidents involving crewmembers that must be addressed. Sadly, it appears that these could have been avoided with the use of good judgment and some basic common sense. These incidents involved crewmembers that are participants in the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program. The FFDO program, which ALPA fought long and hard on behalf of all pilots to establish, is a cornerstone of the multilayer security in U.S. aviation and has been hailed by TSA as a great success. Despite this fact, there are many groups and powerful individuals that would like to see this program fail. Every negative incident that occurs with an individual, no matter how small or large, is always brought to light as an example of why this program shouldn't exist.

We are constantly under scrutiny in our actions as pilots. We must always do the right thing, regardless of the situation, period. That is what our government, our company, our fellow crewmembers, and the public expect of us. Professionalism should be synonymous with every aspect of our jobs. The pilots who have chosen to participant in the FFDO program have the added responsibilities that come with that duty.

We cannot ignore the significance and magnitude of what has recently occurred. We all must take responsibility for our jobs and perform all flight duties within the established rules, regulations, and SOPs that govern our actions. Whether as a pilot or a Federal Flight Deck Officer, taking a short cut, violating an SOP, or not exercising common sense is not an acceptable option. As a group, we must police ourselves and lead by example. Doing it right is what counts, each and every day.

Respectfully,