Nevjets

I don’t know how else to explain this to you so you can comprehend. But I’ll keep trying. Let’s say that the Skywest ALPA MEC has a negotiating goal of getting $150/hr for flying the 175. There is absolutely NOTHING that the delta or United MEC can say or do anything about it. Whatever the regional MEC negotiates and gets is up to what they and their management agree to. Again, no mainline MEC can prevent ANYTHING that regional MECs negotiate with their management.

The real conflict of interest lies in being represented by an organization that is WHOLLY funded by the management that does NOT have the pilots’ best interest in mind.

SteakSauce

My two cents here personally speaking. ALPA is only as good as its elected officials... and lets be honest the current talent wouldn't be up to the task. Second everyone on here keeps saying that ALPA, if they ever make it past the door to the crew is going to magically fix everything. For those of you who thought SKW dragged out the last pay negotiation just wait till SGU throws a fit.. and see how long it takes them to negotiate with ALPA.

Also if ALPA is on property then EVERYONE has to follow the rules. Which is good an bad, Means crew support can't do whatever they want but also means that we are going to have a commuter clause, Which in my eyes isn't so great. Most clauses require you to try for at least 2 commutes, Lets be honest how many of you are willing to try the 5am flight to get to a min credit 4 day? when you can now easily say whoops missed my commute, now I got 4 days off to play Xbox.

Again I am not bashing a union by any means, but I think a lot of people think ALPA solves all the issues overnight.

ninerdriver

Quality career planning 101...

DarkSideMoon

And the company can take vague wording and say you’re violating the commuter clause because you should’ve known you weren’t going to get on that flight. A strongly worded commuter clause might be inconvenient for commuters but if you follow the letter of the law your company can’t arbitrarily decide you’re not making a good faith effort to get to work.

Check Complete

To a degree you're correct. However, some of the reps in SAPA are very capable and have great talent. What's stopping them is the company. Management has SAPA right where they want them and since they fully pay for them, they get what they want. It's management's rules, no other way to look at it. Word is that the out going SAPA president, because he did his rightful duty to the company at the cost of his pilots, will soon be joining management himself. That's the control the company has over SAPA.

Think of SAPA as Tom Brady running out on the field, not with both hands tied behind his back, but with both arms amputated. Not much can happen.

Never more than now, we need real representation.

Nevjets

EXPRESS CARRIERS EXAMINE UNITED CAREER PATH PROGRAM
Yesterday, the United MEC hosted a meeting for pilot leaders from ALPA's United Express carriers to discuss the United Career Path Program (CPP). This meeting was the first time all four of ALPA's UAX carriers have met with the UAL MEC leadership to collaborate on the progress and status of the CPP, which provides expedited interviews to pilots from UAL's ALPA FFD partners.
UAL MEC chairman Capt. Todd Insler led the meeting at the United MEC office in Rosemont, Ill., with pilot leaders from ExpressJet, Mesa Air Group, Air Wisconsin, and CommutAir.
First Officer Mike Hamilton, UAL executive vice president, provided an update on United's hiring forecast and reviewed the CPP interview process. He also provided a strategic view of United's CPP at Express carriers and universities. He then reviewed current results from an ongoing survey of ALPA pilots working at CPP carriers regarding their impression of the CPP.
Paul Karg, ALPA's lead economic and financial analyst, provided the latest industry overview with a focus on the fee-for-departure (FFD) market. F/O Lindsey Van Beusekom, ALPA FFD Committee chairman, led a discussion on the common negotiating positions between all UAX carriers, including deadhead deviation and reserve rules.

AIREON DEDICATES SATELLITE TO ALPA FOR PARTNERSHIP
Last week, Aireon CEO Don Thoma met with ALPA president Capt. Joe DePete to discuss the latest developments in the company's efforts to deploy a global satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance- Broadcast (ADS-B) system. In a partnership with Iriduum, the Aireon company installed ADS-B transceivers on 66 Iridium NEXT satellites that have been launched into space over the past several years. Mr. Thoma informed ALPA that all satellites are now successfully in orbit, and final preparations are under way for initial use of the satellite-based tracking system. The global tracking of all ADS-B equipped aircraft is expected to increase the likelihood that an aircraft's location is always known, and to reduce the time spent searching for aircraft in distress.
While visiting ALPA's D.C. office, Mr. Thoma also presented Capt. DePete with a framed copy of a plaque that is attached to their ADS-B transceiver on Inmarsat's satellite number 129. The plaque includes the ALPA logo and the recognition of ALPA's partnership in developing and promoting global air traffic surveillance technologies.

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD MOST WANTED LIST
As a proud partner in advancing aviation safety, ALPA recognizes and applauds the work of the National Transportation Safety Board in creating priorities for improving the safety of our skies. The NTSB's Most Wanted List reflects the dynamic nature of risk analysis and mitigation in our industry.
As the world's largest nongovernmental aviation safety organization, ALPA remains committed to a safer industry and is grateful for the extraordinary dedication and professionalism of all those at the NTSB who play such a critical role in advancing aviation safety.

"PART OF ALPA'S HISTORY GOING FORWARD" CONVENES AT LEADERSHIP TRAINING CONFERENCE
"Following in the footsteps of the 24 Key Men, you are now part of ALPA's history going forward," proclaimed Capt. David Farmer (DAL), chairman of ALPA's Leadership Committee, as he welcomed more than 85 new ALPA representatives in Herndon, Va., this week for the annual Leadership Training Conference. Each year, ALPA hosts newly elected local council representatives to provide them a primer on all things ALPA and put them in the best possible position to serve their fellow pilots. “It's not an easy job you've been elected to, but it's a great job," ALPA president Capt. Joe DePete told attendees. "It's a great, rewarding job, and I thank you for taking it on." Some attendees are already serving as a local rep or in another elected position, but many others take office officially on March 1 and are getting their first taste of the "ALPA toolbox" this week.
Capt. Bill Couette, vice president–administration/secretary, told pilots, "You're going to meet a lot of people this week—pilots and staff—who are going to be able to help you in your position. Network." Throughout the week, the attendees will hear from those pilots and staff who will be their support system during their time in leadership positions and receive information to help them in their new roles. "You're not going to leave here knowing the answer to every question your pilots might ask," concluded Farmer, "but you should at least know who to ask to find out the answer."
The pilots also heard from Capt. Evan Cullen, president of Irish ALPA. Cullen detailed his history of unionism and spoke about the significant differences in union activity in the United States versus in Ireland and in the European Union. In doing so, he echoed the words of Capt. DePete in stressing the need for global unity in the airline profession.
Look for more coverage of the Leadership Training Conference in the March issue of Air Line Pilot.

DOING YOUR TAXES? THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
A pilot flying the line is always on business travel, and under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, there are many new tax rules that will affect your 2018 tax return.
Tax-Prep Tips from ALPA

NGPA INDUSTRY EXPO—HAVE QUESTIONS FOR ALPA? COME ASK ON FRIDAY!
ALPA volunteers will be manning a table at the National Gay Pilots Association's (NGPA's) Industry Expo this Friday, February 8, held in conjunction with the organization's Winter Warm-Up Expo in Palm Springs, Calif.
The NGPA Industry Expo is the second-largest pilot recruiting and networking event in the United States. ALPA's presence provides an opportunity for members to advance their careers to interact with volunteers, plus the ability to introduce ALPA to potential future members.
If you're in Palm Springs looking for the next stop on your career path, be sure to stop by the ALPA table to say hello—we'll have some ALPA swag available for members! Ask questions, see a friendly face, and learn more about what your Association offers.

INTERNATIONAL YOUTH EXCHANGE: A SUMMER PROGRAM FOR AIRLINE FAMILIES
International Youth Exchange matches your family with an airline family abroad so your teen can travel in the summer. The program connects teens ages 14 to 19 with a similar-aged teen from an airline family abroad, and each teen uses his or her family's flight privileges to travel. They spend two weeks together in each of their homes, for a total of four weeks. During the exchange, your son or daughter will have the opportunity to explore another country, learn about another culture and improve his or her foreign language skills from someone their same age.
The program costs $300 USD for the application fee, which is 100 percent refundable if a suitable match family is not found.

amcnd

Nevjet....Any reply on Alpa and this new UA scope work around???

Nevjets

UA scope workaround? Are you referring to the CRJ550? I haven’t heard or seen anything coming from the UAL MEC. That’s probably because as far as anyone knows, this scheme is in compliance with their regional jet scope clause.

Nevjets

FAA ISSUES NEW DRONE RULES
Today, the FAA released rules to regulate small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). One is an interim final rule effective in 10 days regarding an external marking requirement for sUAS. It requires all registered UAS operators to display the registration number on the drone instead of hiding it inside a compartment. ALPA views this as a significant step forward in ensuring that all UAS are visibly marked.
The FAA also issued two rulemaking actions, one of which is a notice of proposed rulemaking to expand FAR Part 107 sUAS operations to include flight over people and operations at night. The proposal will require additional safety features before authorizing these types of operations. The FAA also released an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for the "Safe and Secure Operations of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems" that seeks answers to nearly 30 questions about how to establish rules for remote identification and tracking of sUAS and the development of an unmanned traffic management system. ALPA intends to comment on both regulatory proposals within the 60-day comment period.

RUNWAY SAFETY RISK—A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
On the heels of the Transportation Safety Board making a number of recommendations to improve safety at Canada's busiest airport (Toronto Pearson International), ALPA staff from both Canada and United States made their way to Vancouver this week to take part in a two-day conference on common aviation risk models (CARM), hosted by NAV CANADA and facilitated by The Aloft Group.

This year's theme "Runway Safety Risk—A Shared Responsibility," focused on high-interest risk issues for aircraft operators, air navigation service providers, airport operators, ground handlers, and others focused on aviation activities at airports with the goal of gaining a clearer understanding of threats, existing and proposed barriers to undesired aircraft states, human and organizational factors, and consequence scenarios and how all industry participants can collaborate to improve incident barrier management. Clear goals were established to address these issues.
Additional discussions involved runway excursion risks and the influence of unstable approaches/go-around risks. As the conference came to an end, industry participants were asked to collaborate to find improvements to the current CARM models.

PILOTS GATHER FOR ALPA'S BASIC SAFETY SCHOOL
ALPA's Air Safety Organization (ASO) is hosting its Basic Safety School (BSS) this week at the Association's conference center in Herndon, Va. Forty-seven pilots from 18 pilot groups are attending the three-day course that prepares line pilots to serve their fellow ALPA members and the traveling and shipping public.

Capt. Don Sterling (UAL), ALPA's ASO BSS course director, said, "You have stepped up and volunteered to do some of the most important work the Association has. This course will help you learn your role in the ASO and the tools it has to help you in the work ahead."
BSS is the foundation for ALPA's safety and security training programs for pilot volunteers, covering the fundamentals of ALPA's policies, as well as guidance for safety volunteers—like what happens when someone calls the ALPA Worldwide Accident/Serious Incident Hotline—and includes an explanation of all the technical and legal resources available to ALPA members.
BSS is the prerequisite for several other safety and accident investigation training courses provided by seasoned ALPA instructors:
Safety Leadership School,
Risk Management Course,
Airport Safety Liaison,
Accident Investigation Course, and
Advanced Accident Investigation Course.
The course also includes an optional half-day training for pilots interested in becoming airport safety liaisons—pilots who act as a resource to airport management and local ATC by providing a line pilot's perspective and technical knowledge.
The second and final BSS for 2019 will be held June 25–27. To attend, you must be an ALPA member in good standing and receive prior approval from your MEC Central Air Safety chairman before registering.
Stay tuned for additional coverage of this week's ASO trainings in Air Line Pilot.

INSIDE ALPA'S LEADERSHIP TRAINING: WATCH NOW

Watch now.
https://youtu.be/bxw8S2nc2ck
Take a deeper look inside ALPA's annual Leadership Training Conference. The 2019 event wrapped up last week, and more than 85 representatives left ALPA's Herndon, Va., office with all the tools they need to support and represent ALPA's members.

FLYING THE LINE—A NEW PODCAST FROM ALPA
ALPA has a long history of accomplishments from organizing and bargaining to critical improvements in aviation safety and security . . . but how did it all start? Join us in retracing the fascinating and, at times, tragic journey of ALPA's history in our new podcast, Flying the Line!
Flying the Line chronicles the time before the labor protections, safe working environments, and employee benefits that we enjoy as commercial pilots today. It's the story of Capt. Behncke and his 24 "Key Men" joining together to form ALPA, fighting their opponents every step of the way.
Episode 1 is available now on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, and other popular podcast services (search "Flying the Line"). Listen, share, and give it a five-star rating!

Nevjets

COLGAN AIR FLIGHT 3407: 10 YEARS LATER
For the aviation industry, February 12 serves as an annual reminder of why airline pilots are committed to lifelong training to keep flying safe. Yesterday marked 10 years since the Colgan Air Flight 3407 tragedy, which became a watershed for aviation safety improvements. The Colgan accident was the last in a series of four high-profile fatal airline accidents over a six-year timeframe in the United States, and in the aftermath, significant positive changes in aviation safety emerged.

http://www.alpa.org/news-and-events/...10-years-later