Raptor

In case you haven't read ALPA email, it seems like some fairly decent news on the legislative front. From the ALPA President:

September 25, 2018

ALPA Members:

The U.S. Congress has reached a landmark agreement on a bipartisan, five-year Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill that keeps pilot training requirements strong and two fully qualified pilots in the cockpit of every Part 121 passenger and cargo aircraft. At the same time, the reauthorization advances safety, security, and pilot assistance in passenger and all-cargo operations and promotes the future of the piloting profession.
While not entirely perfect, this bill reflects progress on a tremendous number of our strategic plan priorities. Every ALPA member should take pride in how our union came together for four years to press Congress to agree on a safety-focused, long-term reauthorization.
This year alone, our members and others sent more than 93,000 letters and e-mails to Capitol Hill to make our voices heard on ALPA's priority issues. Our pilot volunteers and staff made hundreds of visits to Members of Congress. Nearly 22 percent of our members contributed to ALPA PAC.
Thanks to your dedication, despite being up against monied interest groups that attempted to roll back pilot qualification standards and move down a path to eliminate pilots from cockpits, our safety message prevailed with both Democrats and Republicans.
This positive action on two top issues for our union was by no means an easy win; but together, we've achieved even more progress. The reauthorization reflects ALPA priorities in other ways. Let's run down the list. The bill

• mandates secondary cockpit barriers on new manufactured passenger airliners.
• improves the safe transport by air of lithium batteries.
• helps to keep undeclared dangerous goods off our aircraft.
• prescribes the automatic acceptance of voluntary safety reports through ASAP.
• includes fume event reporting and education requirements.
• directs the FAA to change the oxygen mask requirement to FL410 from FL250.
• supports the authorization of pilot assistance programs, including HIMS.
• enhances the Federal Flight Deck Officer program.
• commissions a study of perimeter security at all-cargo airports.
• permits the FAA to regulate unmanned aircraft systems flown by hobbyists.
• establishes a Women in Aviation Advisory Board.
• increases funding for the Essential Air Service program and the Small Community Air Service Development Program.
• continues access to emergency airfields in the Pacific.
• improves airfield markings.
• affirms pilot-in-command authority.

Also notable is what is not included in this bill. Because of our diligent advocacy, in addition to successfully fighting back attempts to weaken first officer qualification and training requirements and a proposal to eliminate pilots from the flight deck, we also prevented proposals from being included in the bill that would change labor laws, require additional mental health screenings for pilots, permit cameras in the cockpit, and weaken foreign ownership and cabotage laws.
As we applaud the commitment evident on both sides of the political aisle to make this agreement happen, we also voice our disappointment that the FAA reauthorization does not include language passed by the U.S. House to ensure that flag-of-convenience airlines aren't allowed to threaten the U.S. airline industry. Our union will simply never let up on our commitment to level the playing field and protect American jobs against foreign airlines seeking to game the system with schemes to avoid labor, tax, and safety laws.
Likewise, we'll continue our union's drive to require the installation of hardened flight deck doors on all-cargo airliners, a key priority that we'll bring to the attention of Members of Congress as we testify this week before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Transportation and Protective Security.
The FAA reauthorization bill is strong and centered around the full range of our Air Safety Organization's priorities. It provides stable and long-term funding that reflects the hard work by ALPA members to promote our safety, security, pilot assistance, and jumpseat efforts and our profession.
ALPA is urging Congress to vote swiftly to pass this FAA reauthorization to safeguard passengers, crews, and cargo shippers in this country and affirm the United States as the global leader in aviation.
And I encourage every ALPA pilot to take the time to share this positive news with other members. Your efforts—and your relentless commitment to safer skies and a stronger profession—are the reason behind this FAA reauthorization and all of ALPA's achievements.

Capt. Tim Canoll
President