ALPA Wings
 

Just rode on a crew bus in IAD where most of the UAL guys were wearing ALPA pins that were missing one wing... I'm assuming it is to make a statement or a grassroots type deal, but what's the story? I suppose even partial wings are better than none at all (big problem here at CAL).

apprentice wings

I'm too tired to determine if you're kidding or not. These were Captains. And I don't think such a thing exists as 'apprentice' wings, but apologies if I am mistaken.

F. ALPA APPRENTICE INSIGNIA (1/2 WINGS)
SOURCE - Executive Board May 1988; AMENDED - Executive Board September 1988
The Vice President-Administration/Secretary shall distribute the ALPA lapel emblem to all
present and future Apprentice members, however, since Active members may need some means
of identifying Apprentice members so that they can offer special attention to those who do not
have full protection under the collective bargaining agreement, and it is recognized that there
may be some legitimate reasons for variations in these needs from airline to airline as
circumstances dictate, the requirement for Apprentice members to wear only the ALPA "halfwing"
emblem is to be at the option of the individual MECs according to their wish and custom.


I am curious to what the story is too!

Good find. Maybe UAL new hires got them years ago, and guys wear them on the tie for nostalgia. All the pilots still had regular 10, 20, etc... year pins on their jackets. In hindsight, I should have just asked them but I hate small talk.

Actually, those are the guys that are PIC when in a hold. No left wing means left turns. :cool:

All UAL pilots wear the half wing during their first year on probation. Once the probation period is over they are given full wings.

Wearing them as a senior pilot signifies protest at the way we are being treated.

Actually the last United pilot I talked to said that they were the half wing to remind people that we have people on furlough.

By ALPA or the company? Why would the company care how many wings you have?

By both in terms of UAL pilots. ALPA gave up contract protections to save things that appeared unsaveable to pilots not on the MEC and the company brought back furloughees knowing there were going to furlough a lot of them again.