SECOND ANNUAL Swimsuit Issue Cargo Pilots: Why Emirates ......By Capt. Barry Jackson (Qantas) President, Australian and International Pilots Association Boomerang GuestCommentary B

December 2012 Air Line Pilot 1

Cargo Pilots: Why Emirates Matters to YouPage 28

Protect Your Eyes from Laser AttacksPage 33

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Swimsuit Issue(See if your photo made the cut, page 19)

SECOND ANNUAL

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Passenger49%

Freight/Charter 14%

Regional 37%

DECEMBER 2012 • VoluME 81, NuMBER 10

36 Index

37 The landingHonorable Mentions

38 We Are AlPAALPA Resources and Contact Numbers

25

32 About the CoverA FedEx Express MD-11. Photo by F/O Heith Heitkamp (Compass). Download a QR reader to your smartphone, scan the code, and read the magazine.

Air Line Pilot (ISSN 0002-242X) is pub lished monthly, except for the combined January/February and June/July

issues, by the Air Line Pilots Association, Inter national, affiliated with AFL-CIO, CLC. Editorial Offices: 535

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Copyright © 2012—Air Line Pilots Association, Inter national, all rights reserved. Publica tion in

any form without permission is prohibited. Air Line Pilot and the ALPA logo Reg. U.S. Pat. and T.M. Office. Federal I.D. 36-0710830. Periodicals postage paid at Herndon, VA 20172, and additional offices.

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COMMENTARY4 Take Note2013 and Beyond

5 Aviation MattersEverything Matters: Almost Isn’t Good Enough

6 Guest CommentaryBoomerang

FEATURES19 Second Annual Swimsuit Issue

28 Emirates’ Growing Hold on Air Cargo DEPARTMENTS

7 PreflightFacts, Figures, and Info

32

32 on the BookshelfBooks Every Pilot Should Own

33 Health WatchLaser Attacks on the Rise: How to Protect Your Eyes

35 our StoriesGolden Wings Past President Says There’s Life After the Cockpit

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4 Air Line Pilot December 2012

Cargo: Middle East vs. the U.S. Turn to page 28 to find out who’s hauling the bulk of the international cargo market. The answer might surprise you.

“Swimsuit” Spread

Don’t miss the second annual edition of ALPA members’ photos that capture your point of

view (page 19).

Flying Down UnderRead what the president of the Australian and

International Pilots Association has to say about recent labor unrest at Qantas and the

airline’s proposed alliance with Emirates in “Guest Commentary,” page 6.

NTSB’s Most Wanted Flip to page 9 for ALPA’s take on the board’s annual list of most wanted safety improvements for the transportation industry— including what’s missing.

Laser AttacksLearn how to protect your eyes and what to do if you’re exposed to a laser in flight, a threat that’s on the rise (page 33).

Books for Your Wish List“On the Bookshelf,” page 32, features ALPA’s latest recommendations for aviation books every pilot should own. Will they make your wish list this holiday season?

The Coveted Pilot Group Profiles Coming up in the next issue of Air Line Pilot, a snapshot of where each of ALPA’s 35 pilot groups stands.

HOT TOPICS2013 and BeyondLast year, when we solicited photos to create the first installment of Air Line Pilot’s “Our Take on a Swimsuit Issue,” the response was incredible, and, therefore, it was challenging to choose from the wide selection of what was submitted.

Since we received an amazing amount of positive responses to the December 2011 edition, we’ve decided to do it again and make it an annual staple of the magazine.

Since we received a few negative responses, I want to take a moment to address those. Calling our photo spread “Our Take on a Swimsuit Issue” was not intended to offend any of our members. In fact, our desire was the exact opposite. We borrowed a well-known example from pop culture and used it to make this point—beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Airline pilots are so fortunate to be surrounded by the perfect subject mat-ter for any photo spread. You indeed have the most amazing window office views, and your photos this year clearly illus-trate just that.

So as we end one year and

begin anew, it’s time to ask, “Are we ready for 2013? Its opportuni-ties? The challenges?”

Yes, we are. Planning for 2013 began at the Board of Directors meeting in October, and our initiatives for the next year are clear. Training sessions, conferences, news media roundtables, and more are blocked out on the calendar. Our magazine increases to 12 issues next year, so you’ll have more timely information.

It’s our intent to continue to strengthen the link between ALPA and all members of this union during the upcoming year. I hope that you’ll join us in this mission to make it a success.

Happy New Year to the members of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l, who provide the safest flights in the world.

Marie SchwartzDirector, ALPA [email protected]

Take Note In This Issue and Beyond

mailto:[email protected]


AviationMatters

Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA President

Everything Matters: Almost Isn’t Good Enough

When it comes to the safety, security, and economic competitiveness of all-cargo operations, ALPA volunteers and staff challenge—and hold accountable—independent agencies, regulators, and lawmakers to do more and to do what is right to achieve the highest standards in all-cargo operations.

The NTSB’s decision to remove transportation worker fatigue from its list of 10 Most Wanted Transportation Safety Improvements is premature—and even mislead-ing if even one person believes that the safety threat from pilot fatigue is now a thing of the past (see “Preflight,” page 9).

While the modern science-based pilot fatigue rules released a year ago this month serve as a powerful tool to advance safety in the U.S. airline industry, they don’t apply to every airline pilot. Until all-cargo pilots are also guaranteed the opportunity for adequate rest, this serious safety threat is far from solved.

From the day that the FAA released rules that did not apply to pilots who fly cargo, ALPA’s volunteers and staff

launched an aggressive, multitiered strategy to develop legisla-tion to bring all airline pilots under the new regulations. We worked with Congress to introduce the Safe Skies Act of 2012, which would direct the Department of Transportation to apply the flight- and duty-time regulations and minimum rest require-ments to all-cargo operations. Introduced in both the Senate and the House, the safety bill garnered strong bipartisan back-ing. Our effort to build additional support continues, and we are reaching out on Capitol Hill as you read this.

ALPA’s commitment to advancing the safety and security of all-cargo operations doesn’t stop with fatigue. In the wake of 9/11, we called for a risk-based approach to air cargo security. As part of that approach, ALPA played a critical role in develop-ing a standardized crisis response plan for the aviation industry and government agencies to use to respond to criminal and terrorist acts aboard aircraft. The result was the 2006 release of a new All-Cargo Common Strategy, which marked the first time that the security plan included all-cargo flightcrew members.

In addition, ALPA worked to expand the Federal Air Marshal program and the Crewmember Self-Defense Training program the agency manages. The training serves as a critical security resource and is available to every all-cargo pilot. Our union was also instrumental in helping to create the Federal Flight Deck Officer program and lobbied successfully to enact federal legis-lation that makes all-cargo pilots eligible to participate.

In more action to achieve One Level of Safety and Security in all types of flight operations, ALPA has strongly pressed for installing reinforced flight deck doors on both passenger and all-cargo airliners. We have not yet realized our goal of system-wide equipage in cargo operations, but many cargo aircraft operating today are equipped with these doors.

Similarly, ALPA was fully engaged in the government’s work to develop standards for secondary barriers for flight decks.

These standards were released in September 2012. Recent decisions by some airlines not to install them, however, only underscore the work we have to do. We need to bring airlines on board in recognizing the profound security benefits that these wire or mesh devices offer when placed on the cabin side of the fortified cockpit door of an aircraft.

Since 2004, we have also sought full regulation of lithium battery shipments, including requirements to enhance marking, labeling, and packaging requirements; to conduct employee train-ing; and to notify the pilot-in-command that batteries are aboard the aircraft. In February 2012, the Dangerous Goods Panel of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommended

that certain dangerous-goods standards be applied to lithium batteries—a significant victory. While the ICAO standards take effect on Jan. 1, 2013, U.S. regulators have not yet taken action, and ALPA is working hard to harmonize these standards.

These are major milestones in our union’s countless efforts to make all-cargo flight operations ever safer and more secure. Yet, we have challenges ahead. For example, ALPA is calling for those who have unescorted access to air cargo shipments and all-cargo aircraft to satisfy a fingerprint-based criminal history records check. We are also seeking security identification dis-play area protection for all-cargo air operations areas as well as mandatory training for pilots in the All-Cargo Common Strategy that ALPA helped develop.

Economic challenges also lie ahead as all-cargo airlines work to compete in the global marketplace. Capt. Scott Stratton (FedEx Express), his pilot group’s Master Executive Council chairman, describes in this issue the advantage that many foreign airlines gain from their governments’ pro-aviation policies and how North American governments need to do the same to ensure that our airlines can compete and prevail (see “Emirates’ Growing Hold on Air Cargo,” page 28).

When it comes to the safety, security, and economic com-petitiveness of all-cargo operations, ALPA volunteers and staff challenge—and hold accountable—independent agencies, regulators, and lawmakers to do more and to do what is right to achieve the highest standards in all-cargo operations.


By Capt. Barry Jackson (Qantas)President, Australian and International Pilots Association

BoomerangGuestCommentary

Boomerang is an Australian Aborigi-nal word for a curved hunting stick that, through genius of design, circles back to its sender when thrown.

But it can also describe a phe-nomenon that can return with injurious speed and force.

After a tumul-tuous period for the Australian airline industry

in the late 1980s, a decade ago the mem-bers of the Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) prospered—earning wages, benefits, and pensions that were considered to be among the most substantial and secure in the industry. Ironclad work agreements— and a company and government that respected both the agreements and those who made them—led Qantas pilots to believe that their careers would never change.

AIPA pilots became complacent about the future rather than seizing opportuni-ties to look days and decades down the road. We have now seen clearly what Qantas and the industry will look like, and it isn’t pretty. We’re taking steps to ensure our survival and succeed. Our company must be profitable, of course. But we also have to be partners and participants in the airline’s future rather than have our flying turned over to corporate affiliates working for substan-dard terms and conditions—without any understanding about how much work we retain and with no ability to follow the flying!

The first evidence of peril came in 2003, when Qantas established an Australia-based subsidiary airline called Jetstar with only a few airplanes serving

domestic routes. Job security protections in our working agreement, which did not put a priority on provisions known in the U.S. as scope, allowed the airline to establish a wide-ranging parallel network over time and to subsequently outsource and offshore flying.

During the past decade, the Qantas Group has continued to develop the Jetstar brand and drain flying that used to be done by “Red Tail” airplanes under the Qantas–AIPA collective agreements. We now have witnessed the launch of airline franchises including Jetstar Asia in Singapore, Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam, and Jetstar Japan. Qantas is now seeking regulatory approval for Jetstar Hong Kong, a new low-cost airline joint venture with China Eastern Airlines. Collectively, Jetstar airlines operate approximately 3,000 flights a week to 60 destinations and carried more than 20 million pas-sengers in FY2012. None of these steps has been well received by investors, and the share price of the Qantas Group has continued to fall. But CEO Alan Joyce persists.

Against this backdrop and Qantas’s unnecessarily militant approach to industrial relations, AIPA’s relationship with management deteriorated. The downward spiral culminated in manage-ment’s disastrous decision to ground the worldwide Qantas fleet in late 2011 and lock out employees, inflicting untold damage on the brand. Needless to say, employee morale has plummeted to an all-time low. Rather than address legiti-mate concerns and invest in modern aircraft, Qantas has ignored these issues and invested in marketing campaigns to cover up the problems.

The Australian government’s support for labor protections, once thought im-mutable, has also dramatically shifted. In response to the lockout, the Australian government applied to the courts to end the Qantas lockout and AIPA’s concerted activity—which amounted only to pilots’ wearing red ties and making respectful

announcements to inform passengers of Qantas’ s outsourcing. The federal government labour tribunal, named Fair Work Australia, forced the union to end concerted activity and arbitrate the dispute. Under Australian law, this means that pay, working conditions, and job security will soon be decided by a three-judge tribunal.

Along with its own resources, AIPA has requested and is receiving valuable help from ALPA’s International Pilot Services Corporation to testify in our trial, aid in planning, and help protect our careers. Your union’s strategic planning resources, financial analysis, and professional exper-tise have helped us to imagine the pos-sibilities the future may hold and work to prevent problems before they emerge.

Of course, the pace of change keeps intensifying. Qantas’s CEO has now proposed a strategy to shrink Qantas’s international flying and, in effect, hand over many international routes to the pilots of Emirates—the state-backed Middle Eastern airline. In a September 6 speech in Sydney, he characterized the proposed partnership between Qantas and Emirates Airline, which is still subject to regulatory approval, as “far bigger” than a code-share or a joint services agreement. No matter what the agree-ment is labeled, it will turn over a huge part of our country’s international flying to a foreign company.

As Capt. Lee Moak said during ALPA’s recent Board of Directors meeting, the aviation industry experiences cyclical changes, which are short-term, and secular changes, which are fundamental and affect the way we do business. The test airline pilots face is to examine our current environment and look ahead to predict and protect ourselves from the perils we may face in 10, 20, or even 50 years.

While every nation values exports, we hope not to export to others the job- security boomerang that AIPA pilots are now fighting.


n Airline Industry Update

FACTS, FIGURES, AND INFO

MarketWatchAirlines Parent Company Stock Symbol 10/31/12 10/31/11 % Chg.Piedmont, PSA US Airways Group, Inc. NYSE: LCC $5.77 $12.18 111.1% Bearskin, Calm Air Exchange Income Corporation TSX: EIF $20.74 $26.30 26.8% Alaska Alaska Holdings, Inc. NSYE: ALK $33.26 $38.24 15.0% FedEx Express FedEx Corporation NYSE: FDX $81.32 $91.99 13.1% Delta Delta Air Lines NYSE: DAL $8.52 $9.63 13.0% Hawaiian Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. NASDAQ: HA $5.35 $5.93 10.8% Spirit Airlines Spirit Airlines, Inc. NASDAQ: SAVE $16.46 $17.68 7.4% AirTran Southwest Airlines NSYE: LUV $8.52 $8.82 3.5% Continental, United United Continental Holdings, Inc. NSYE: UAL $19.32 $19.21 -0.6% Atlantic Southeast, ExpressJet SkyWest, Inc. NASDAQ: SKYW $13.19 $10.94 -17.1% Jazz Air Chorus Aviation TSX: CHR.B $3.90 $3.11 -20.3% Air Transat Transat A.T., Inc. TSX: TRZ.B $6.83 $5.30 -22.4% Air Transport Int’l, Capital Cargo Int’l Air Transport Services Group, Inc. NASDAQ: ATSG $5.54 $3.85 -30.5% American Eagle AMR Corp.1 OTC: AAMR.Q $2.63 $0.38 -85.6% Colgan, Mesaba, Pinnacle Pinnacle Airlines Corp.2 OTC: PNCL.Q $2.52 $0.02 -99.2%

1 AMR stock is no longer traded on the NYSE. The price shown is the over-the-counter traded value.2 Pinnacle stock is no longer traded on the NASDAQ. The price shown is the over-the-counter traded value.

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Hawaiian Airlines crew welcomed in Sapporo, Japan.

On November 14, the NTSB held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., to unveil its 2013 Most Wanted

list of transportation safety issues (see “ALPA Supports NTSB’s

Annual Most Wanted List and Commends Industry Progress,” page 9). On November 8, the FAA announced that the agency, airlines, and aviation labor unions have partnered with the NTSB to share safety information that could help prevent accidents. The information, which is deidentified, safeguarded, and then shared on a case-by-case basis through the Aviation Safety Information Analysis

and Sharing (ASIAS) Executive Board, will help the NTSB determine if an accident is a unique event or an indication of systemic risks. The Dallas Business Journal reported that American Airlines and its pilots reached a tentative agreement (TA) on November 9 after six years of negotiations. The pilot union sent a message to its pilots saying it had reached an “agreement in principle.” Its board of directors voted to present American with a counterpro-posal, which American agreed to. The union’s board will now vote to send the TA to the pilots and schedule a ratifica-tion vote. The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that the number

of passengers carried by u.S. airlines in July was 69.2 million, a 1.1 percent decline from the same period last year. Passenger count on domestic flights fell 1.1 per-cent, while capacity declined 0.6 percent from last year’s figures. Hawaiian Airlines launched its inaugural flight from Honolulu to Sapporo, Japan, on october 30, restor-ing nonstop service between

the two cities that had been discontinued by other airlines nine years earlier, reported The Seattle Times. Passengers on the flight received an island-style sendoff, including Hawaiian music, a traditional Hawaiian blessing, and a special performance honor-ing the Japanese culture, at Honolulu International Airport before boarding. Per The Washington Post, Transportation Security


n united, Continental

n Airline Industry UpdateAdministration (TSA) screeners have approved their first union contract with the TSA. Passenger screeners and related workers approved the agreement, which includes a change in their pay system to emphasize on-the-job perfor-mance, with a vote of 17,326 to 1,774. According to Reuters, the oil refinery that Delta Air lines purchased this spring and converted to produce aviation fuel is expected to break even or become

cash positive in the fourth quarter, per Paul Jacobson, the company’s chief financial officer. Delta anticipates reducing its costs by $300 million annually once the refinery reaches full produc-tion capacity. Per The Wall Street Journal, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported traffic at laGuardia, JFK, and Newark liberty Airports increased by approximately 10 percent in August compared to a year ago. About 10.8 million passengers used the three airports, which breaks a five-year-old record for the busiest month ever. The Department of Homeland Security is developing the Advanced Bottled liquid Scanner, a technology that would scan an entire bag without opening bottles to determine whether various liquids contain explosives

or flammable materials, reported Wired.com. According to PR Newswire, on october 19 united Airlines broke ground on its first widebody airplane maintenance hangar at Washington Dulles International Airport, a major United hub and the airline’s principal gateway to the Middle East. The airline expects to complete construction of the hangar in fall 2013. Once completed, the 125,000-square-foot hangar will allow the airline to perform maintenance simul-taneously on two widebody airplanes. Per Flight Safety Information, Southwest Airlines has hired Randy Babbitt, former FAA administrator and AlPA president, as senior vice president of labor relations to direct negotiations and communications with the 11 groups that represent most of the airline’s workers. Alaska Air Group recently announced its order for 50 B737s, reported Bloomberg Businessweek. The order is a mix of current B-737s as well as B-737 Max-8s and Max-9s. About two-thirds of the new airplanes will be used to replace the airline’s older B-737s while the rest will be used for growth. Deliveries are set to begin in 2015. The Los Angeles Times reported that in 2012 the world’s biggest airlines are expected to collect $36.1 billion in passenger fees, including charges to check bags, buy food and drinks, and log on to onboard wireless Internet, according

to a recent study by IdeaWorksCompany, a con sultant on airline revenues, and Amadeus, a travel technology firm. The latest total represents an 11.3 percent increase, compared with the $32.5 billion estimate for 2011, according to the study. According to AviationPros.com, for the third consecu-tive year AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines, received the best ranking among u.S. airlines in Newsweek’s annual environmental list of the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the u.S. Per The Dallas Morning News, the National Media tion Board wants uS Airways and its pilots to negotiate a contract, whether or not the airline merges with American Airlines. Resolving the conten tious senior-ity issue, which has divided pilots since the 2005 merger between US Airways and America West, would be put off until every other contract issue has been resolved. USA Today reported that telecom industry reps and

airlines don’t agree on whether voice calls should be permitted aboard airplanes as greater broadband access makes inflight use of programs like Skype possible. About 7,000 airplanes are expected to have broadband service in the next five years, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. A Delta survey showed that two-thirds of passengers had an unfavorable opinion of allowing voice calls on flights. According to the St. Louis Business Journal, Boeing announced that it has logged more than 1,000 net orders so far this year, putting it on course to sell more airplanes than Euro pean rival Airbus. Boeing reported 1,009 new orders through November 6. Airbus reported 382 orders. A recent American Express Global Business Travel study predicts that business travel spending will increase in 2012 with the increase going into 2013, Fox Business reported. Business travel to India, Latin America, Poland, and Russia will be more expensive due to market growth, and business fares in North America will rise by an estimated 1 to 3 percent. l

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n Frontlinesn AlPA Supports NTSB’s Annual Most Wanted list and Commends Industry ProgressOn November 14, ALPA expressed qualified support for the NTSB’s annual Most Wanted List. However, with cargo pilots due to receive a lower level of protection from flight crew fatigue than their passenger counterparts, ongoing concerns about pilot fatigue remain. The NTSB list includes prevention of inflight fires and illustrates that con-cerns about pilot and control-ler professionalism have been effectively addressed.

Although the NTSB dropped transportation worker fatigue after the FAA published new flight-time and duty-time rules for passenger pilots in December 2011, Chairman Deborah Hersman made it clear that pilot fatigue—and, in particular, the exclusion of pilots who fly for all-cargo airlines from the recently adopted science-based flight and duty time limits—must continue to be addressed.

“We remain adamant that the new science-based federal aviation regulations on pilot fatigue must be expanded to cover pilots of all-cargo aircraft,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA president. “ALPA looks forward to maintaining our long-standing partnership with the NTSB in reviewing industry progress toward a true single level of safety for all pilots of all airliners.

“It has been demonstrated that many in Congress share our concerns in this area. The bipartisan Safe Skies Act

would provide a legislative solution to the cargo carveout by requiring the Department of Transportation to include cargo operations in the new regulations. ALPA worked hard with our partners on the Hill to get this bill introduced in Congress, and we will con-tinue to aggressively lobby for its passage.”

The NTSB’s new list includes prevention of inflight fires—something that pilots must be prepared to face each flight. The industry has made significant progress in addressing many aspects of this issue, but the NTSB’s inclusion may help push this work forward.

ALPA also hailed the NTSB’s recognition of extensive industry efforts, supported and led by ALPA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, to ensure that the highest standards of professionalism continue to be maintained. The removal of this reference to pilot and controller profes-

sionalism is a testament to the hard work of many in the aviation industry and the role of professional standards programs.

“This Most Wanted List reflects the dynamic nature of risk analysis and mitigation in our industry, and ALPA is committed, as it has been throughout its history, to a safer industry,” continued Moak. “We recognize and applaud the work of the NTSB in creating priorities for improving the safety and security of our skies. However, we continue to strongly be-lieve that pilots flying in the same skies, in and out of the same airports, must be flying under the same standards of safety—regardless of what’s in the back of the aircraft. We simply must continue this effort to truly achieve One Level of Safety.”

n united, Continental MECs Send TA to Pilots For Ratification VoteThe Continental and United Master Executive Councils (MECs) voted on November 12 to accept a tentative agreement (TA) on a joint collective bargaining agree-ment reached with United Continental Holdings, Inc. The agreement now goes before the pilots for a ratification vote.

Capt. Jay Heppner, the United pilots’ MEC chairman, and Capt. Jay Pierce, the Continental pilots’ MEC chair-man, commented in a joint statement: “With this step, we are closer to a new contract that will provide gains in compensation, work rules,

job protections, and retire-ment and benefits for our pilots and their families. We will finally begin to see the benefits of the merger that were promised to us, and an end to the concessionary and bankruptcy-era contracts we have lived and worked under for more than a decade.

“This agreement repre-sents years of determination and unity demonstrated by the pilots of both airlines during the two-and-a-half years of negotiations for a new contract following the merger announcement. Pilots from both United and Continental Airlines will now determine whether this agreement addresses their contributions to the success of the airline.

“This step is also good news for our passengers and United employees. Once there is pilot approval of a contract, the operations of the two airlines can finally begin to be integrated. We can begin to deliver on the promise of the world’s best airline.”

Integrating the seniority lists for the two pilot groups will occur after the pilots ratify the tentative agree-ment. The process is indepen-dent of airline management and involves negotiations between the two pilot groups. Absent an agreement, binding arbitration will be used to settle any remaining differ-ences. The process will follow a predefined time line after contract ratification that was agreed upon by the two pilot groups shortly after the merger was announced.

NTSB Chairman Hersman announces the agency’s 2013 Most Wanted List.


n FrontLines (continued)n Bankruptcy Court Denies Pinnacle Airline’s Request To Reject Pilot Contract A bankruptcy judge recently issued a ruling in favor of Pinnacle pilots, denying man-agement’s U.S. Bankruptcy Code Section 1113 motion to reject the pilots’ contract. While this means that the

and major modifications to work rules and benefits that would significantly reduce the value of the pilot contract.

“These proposals are not the basis for a consensual agreement,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president. “We’re stronger together, and we need to support the Pinnacle pilots as they stay the course and work to achieve a reasonable agreement.”

“There’s no real victory in this outcome, because our only future as Pinnacle pilots will come with a consensual deal that addresses Pinnacle’s significant financial hurdles while also recognizing our pilots’ needs,” said Capt. Tom Wychor, the pilots’ Master Executive Council chair-man. “We are committed to remaining at the bargaining table until we are able to reach a tentative agreement with management.”

ALPA and the company agree that the only solution to Pinnacle’s crisis is a pilot-

ratified agreement. However, getting to that agreement has been arduous, with negotia-tions continuing up to the judge’s ruling.

“A pilot-ratified agreement is the only viable outcome here,” Wychor added. “We need to negotiate a bankruptcy agreement that preserves jobs worth having while creating an environment in which the company can thrive and attract new pilots. Going forward, we also need to safeguard that we share in any unforeseen gains Pinnacle makes as a result of our restructured agreement. We need to make sure the pilots who have sacrificed to allow Pinnacle the ability to thrive share in the benefit of that success.”

n Known Crewmember Arrives at ATl, ClTOn November 6, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)—the world’s busiest—became the 28th

airport in the U.S. to join the Known Crewmember® (KCM) program.

“Having the program in Atlanta, where I live, will allow me and other pilots to get to our aircraft as quickly as possible, while still providing the highest level of safety and security,” said Capt. Mike Hanson (Delta), during the opening of KCM at ATL. “The program is a win for everyone—the traveling public will see shorter lines, verified crewmembers will go through a more efficient screening process, and we will make more effective use of Transportation Security Administration [TSA] screen-ing resources.” Those using the KCM access point at ATL included pilots from AirTran, Atlantic Southeast, and Delta.

One checkpoint has been established at the North Ter - minal of the airport, with the possibility of opening a second checkpoint at a later date.

On October 30, ALPA

pilots will not face terms that management would unilater-ally impose, the judge made it clear that the two sides should return to the bargain-ing table immediately to reach an expeditious resolu-tion to negotiations.

Pinnacle Airlines filed for bankruptcy on April 1, 2012, and both sides presented their cases at an October hearing over management’s right to reject the pilots’ con-tract under U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Management’s most recent proposal went so far as to demand that first officers upgrading to captain revert to first-year longevity for captain’s pay—a provision not seen anywhere else in the industry. Additionally, management had proposed capping captain wage scales at 12 years and first officer wage scales at 4 years, the lowest in this segment of the industry; wage rates that would take the Pinnacle pilots to the bottom of the industry;

Pinnacle pilots on their way to attend 1113 hearing.

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pilots and staff were on hand at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to launch KCM. The CLT KCM access point is located in the F checkpoint access door hallway behind the informa-tion desk. More than 70 pilots went through the KCM check-point in Charlotte during the program’s first few hours of operation.

“The Known Crewmember program reflects both airline pilots’ professional respon-sibility and the extensive background checks we receive throughout our careers as the most highly screened employee group in the airline industry,” said Capt. Robert Hamilton (PSA), ALPA’s Security Council chairman, who attended the launch to help pilots with the new screening process and to pres-ent ALPA’s views to journalists covering the event. “This program is part of a risk-based approach to aviation security that matches our security resources to our vulnerabili-

ties,” Hamilton said.“Going

through the Known Crew-member screening process today was fast and efficient,” said Capt. Jesse Coeling (PSA), his pilot group’s Master Executive Council chairman. “KCM will make a tremen-dous difference for pilots when we report for work, while at the same time mak-ing the whole system more secure for everyone.”

Pilots are reminded to register and use their KCM barcode cards to help expedite the screening process. Crews should also remember that the location of a KCM access point does not determine who is allowed to use it. If a pilot’s airline participates in the pro-gram and the individual meets the conditions for use—in-cluding being in uniform and having appropriate identifica-tion—he or she is allowed to use any KCM access point. For example, if the KCM access point is in the JetBlue JFK terminal, a Delta pilot may use that access point; it’s not just for JetBlue pilots.

For up-to-date informa-tion on the current airports implementing KCM and their specific KCM portal locations, select the KCM tab on the ALPA smartphone app for iPhones and Droids, or visit www.knowncrewmember.org.

n Aviation Coalition Reaches out to FAA Regarding uAS/RPA, Airspace ConcernsA coalition of aviation groups—including ALPA and leaders representing airports, airlines, and general avia-

tion—wrote to FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta on November 8 to ask that the FAA focus on safety and airspace coordination as remotely piloted aircraft (RPA, also referred to as unmanned aircraft systems or UAS) are integrated into the U.S. national airspace system.

The industry leaders asked Huerta to carefully consider how the national airspace will be affected by the new technology. “The FAA must aggressively protect its preem-inent role as manager of the national airspace system,” the letter reads. “It is important that the FAA ensure that the focus on UAS/RPA integration does not hinder agency prog-ress on areas like certification of civil aircraft, repair stations, or operators where delays are already too commonplace or program improvements are lagging.” The document is signed by 20 aviation lead-ers with a diverse range of interests.

n Delta Pilots Donate SMRA Refund to CharityIn August 2012, the Delta Master Executive Council (MEC) voted to refund a substantial portion of the Special MEC Reserve Account (SMRA) to the pilots.

The SMRA refund represents a return of more than $7 million in dues and demon-strates the MEC’s confidence that it will continue to remain financially well prepared to face any challenges that may lie ahead.

Pilots were offered the opportunity to donate any portion of their refunds to the Delta Pilots Charitable Fund (DPCF). In total, the Delta pilots contributed $50,911.61 to the fund. The DCPF was formed in 1999 by Delta pilots and supports nonprofit organizations that provide services to children primarily in areas where Delta pilots work and live.

Since its inception, the fund has donated more than $1 million to more than 50 children’s charities. The char-ity is managed and funded entirely by Delta pilots and their fund-raising efforts.

n Medical Certificates only Available onlineALPA’s Aeromedical Office ad-vises that as of October 1 the FAA is only accepting applica-tions for the airman medical certificate, Form 8500-8, through an online request process called MedXPress. Paper applications for pilots are no longer available or accepted. MedXPress has been available on an optional basis since 2007 but is now mandatory. MedXPress can be accessed at https://medxpress.faa.gov/.

A pilot who has not previ-ously completed MedXPress for a medical application will need to go to Request an

F/O Len Empie (Delta), his pilot group’s Master Executive Council Aviation Security Committee vice chairman, at the new KCM site at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

www.knowncrewmember.orghttps://medxpress.faa.gov/https://medxpress.faa.gov/


NA

SA P

HO

TO

Account and then will receive a registration confirmation with the pilot’s e-mail and password to access the appli-cation. The pilot should com-plete the application within 30 days of starting the online application, or all information will be deleted. When com-pleting the application, save

records. A pilot must see an aviation medical examiner (AME) within 60 days of sub-mitting the application, or the application will be deleted.

The AME must have the pilot’s confirmation number to access the application. The AME may make changes to the application in consulta-

For more information on MedXPress, pilots may contact ALPA’s Aeromedical Office at 303-341-4435 or the 24/7 FAA MedXPress Support Helpline at 877-287-6731.

n Affected by Sandy? AERF Can HelpIn late October, Hurricane Sandy, one of the largest storms ever to hit the U.S., hammered the East Coast with torrential rains and violent winds. Many of the millions of residents in the storm’s path suffered damage to their homes and flooding. The ALPA Emergency Relief Fund (AERF) is available to help ALPA pilots and their families affected by Sandy as well as other natural disasters. To apply for a grant, sign on to the members-only site of www.ALPA.org, click on the Relief Fund link, and complete and submit an application.

In the aftermath of Sandy, requests for grants have significantly depleted the fund’s balance. AERF’s board of directors is concerned

n FrontLines (continued)about the fund’s ability to respond to another event of this magnitude in the near future. AERF calls on all ALPA pilots who can to make a donation to this important member benefit.

AERF is a nonprofit corporation that provides for the immediate needs of ALPA pilots and their families who fall victim to natural disasters and other large-scale catastrophes. AERF is funded largely by contributions from ALPA members and staff, and that’s why your support is so important at this time. Please make a donation, and remember that contributions are tax-deductible in the United States.

To donate, send your check, payable to the ALPA Emergency Relief Fund, to ALPA Emergency Relief Fund, Cashiering Department, P.O. Box 1169, 535 Herndon Parkway, Herndon, VA 20172-1169. To make a donation online, go to www.ALPA.org and click on the Relief Fund link.

the data every 15 minutes just to be safe. Before submit-ting the MedXPress applica-tion, click the block Show Validation Errors to check all answers. After verifying that the information is accurate, enter your password and click Submit.

Submitting the application requires acknowledging the Privacy Act and Pilots’ Bill of Rights statements as well as the pilot’s electronic signature at the bottom of the form affirming that all information is complete and accurate. As with the paper version of the form, the pilot’s elec-tronic signature gives the FAA authorization to access the National Driver’s Registry to search for any motor vehicle action records.

After submission, the pilot will receive a confirmation number via the Internet and e-mail. Save the confirmation number and click on Exam Summary to print a copy of the application for your

Satellite image of Hurricane Sandy.

tion with the pilot when the AME opens the application using the pilot’s confirmation number. AMEs will print the pilot’s new medical certificate from the online application at the time of the exam.

MedXPress uses the pilot’s e-mail address to communi-cate directly with the pilot. The pilot’s e-mail address is his or her unique user name and is protected with the pilot’s selected password.

www.alpa.orghttp://www.alpa.org/ReliefFund/tabid/1981/Default.aspxhttp://www.alpa.org/ReliefFund/tabid/1981/Default.aspxwww.alpa.org


Canada

To read Transport Canada’s fatigue management report, scan the QR code.

n Transport Canada to Review Report on Ways to Modernize Fatigue Rules In CanadaTransport Canada’s Cana-dian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council (CARAC) Technical Committee con-vened in early November to review the recommenda-tions of the CARAC Flight Crew Fatigue Management Working Group, which made public its report in September. The proposal

offers ways to modern-ize pilot flight- and duty-time regulations and rest require-ments in

Canada. To read the pro-posal, scan the QR code.

The proposed recom-mendations are the result of a two-year cooperative effort by the 11-member advisory group, which was formed in 2010 to evaluate and propose amendments to current regulations relat-ing to pilot fatigue manage-ment. Capt. Martin Gauthier

(Air Transat) was ALPA’s representative on the work-ing group, which included representatives from govern-ment, pilot labour groups, and operators in Canada. The working group was co-chaired by Capt. Dan Adamus (Jazz), ALPA’s Canada Board presi-dent, and Jacqueline Booth, chief Technical Program Evaluation and Coordination, Standards, TCCA.

Now that the report has been tabled, a public comment period will follow. Transport Canada will then make the final recommenda-tions for drafting the regula-tion, a process that involves Canada’s Justice Department. ALPA will continue to be fully engaged in the next steps to ensure that the process results in new science-based regulations for all flight crews in Canada.

n AlPA Addresses Recent CTA Decisions“The Canadian Transporta-tion Agency’s (CTA) recent decisions confirming that Sunwing Airlines contin-ues to be controlled by Canadians and approving

the airline’s application to use foreign flight crews and aircraft on a seasonal basis underscore a growing con-cern in the Canadian airline industry,” ALPA commented regarding CTA’s confirmation that Sunwing Airlines, Inc., operates within Canada’s foreign ownership and con-trol limits and the agency’s approval of Sunwing’s ap-plication to wet-lease foreign airplanes and pilots through spring 2013.

“While we respect the CTA’s decision on ownership, the fact of the matter is for this winter season, more than half of Sunwing’s pilots will be foreign and two-thirds of their aircraft will be leased from abroad,” the Association commented.

“As for the CTA’s decision allowing Sunwing to wet-lease foreign aircraft, simply put, with the absence of a Canadian wet-lease policy, the agency had little choice but to grant the application. ALPA has long advocated for restricting this practice as it allows foreign pilots to perform flying that can and should be done by

Canadian pilots. At a time when a number of quali-fied Canadian pilots have been furloughed from their airlines, ALPA believes that the granting of this applica-tion undermines the viabil-ity of Canadian airlines and deprives Canadian pilots of work opportunities.

“ALPA does, however, applaud the CTA for rec-ognizing this problem by taking the initiative to review the way the agency approaches wet-lease ap-plications. Further, ALPA commends the agency’s initiative to consult with industry stakeholders such as ALPA regarding wet-lease approval requirements and the considerations that the agency should undertake in its assessment of necessity under the regulations. We look forward to working co-operatively with the agency and other interested par-ties to establish appropriate guidelines for a Canadian wet-lease policy that will help level the playing field for all Canadian airlines and bring our furloughed members back to work.” l

Please apply for help if you need it, and please contribute to this important Association resource if you are able.

n ‘FABulous Flying’ Calendar Now AvailableThe First Air Master

Execu tive Council has cre-ated a “FABulous Flying” calendar featuring photos of First Air operations in the north. Proceeds from the calendar will go to the children of the First Air Flight 6560 crew-

members who died in the August 2011 crash

in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada.

The First Air 2013 FABulous Flying cal-

endar is available for CDN$20 or USD$18.63

by going to http://tinyurl.com/FABcalendar. l

http://tinyurl.com/FABcalendarhttp://tinyurl.com/FABcalendarhttp://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/npa-apm/d_d.aspx?lang=eng&file_id=10019


legislativeupdaten AlPA lauds House Passage of Eu ETS Prohibition ActALPA applauds the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the bipartisan Thune–McCaskill European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) Prohibition Act (S.1956). S.1956, passed on November 13, provides the U.S. secretary of Transportation with the authority to prohibit U.S. airlines from participating in the EU ETS. The legislation will now be sent to the president.

“We urge President Obama to swiftly sign this bill into law. By doing so, he will protect U.S. air carriers from paying an illegal tax and safeguard American jobs and the sovereignty of our nation,” said Capt. Lee Moak, ALPA’s president. “We thank members of Congress for supporting this bill, which will allow the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO] to focus its efforts on creating a global solution to reducing aircraft emissions.”

Under the EU ETS, all airlines using EU airports would be required to pay significant taxes for each ton of carbon used over historical emissions. The EU ETS could cost U.S. airlines an estimated $3.1 billion over the next 10 years, which could lead to lost airline jobs.

On November 12, the European Commission pro-posed “freezing” the applica-tion of the EU ETS for flights

to or from Europe until after the triennial ICAO meeting in October 2013. The proposal comes after tremendous pressure from ALPA, Congress, airlines, consumers, and other aviation organizations to protect airlines from the EU ETS. “ICAO is and remains the proper and most appropriate venue to address the issue of aircraft emissions worldwide,” said Moak. “To have one player determine the rules of the game for everyone cannot and will not provide solutions to the real problems our industry faces.”

ALPA has strongly support-ed the EU ETS Prohibition Act (S.1956) since its introduc-tion. The Senate unanimously passed the bill in September.

n AlPA Writes to Senate opposing S.3468On November 7, ALPA sent a letter of opposition regarding S.3468—the Independent Agency Regulatory Analysis Act of 2012—to members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. S.3468 would require independent agencies to conduct cost-benefit analyses at the direction of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). While support-ers claim that this is a very commonsense approach to issuing regulations, S.3468 needlessly injects politics into the regulatory process and creates severe budget

concerns for agencies suffer-ing from underfunding and understaffing.

Congress wisely created some federal agencies to operate quasi-independently of both the executive and legislative branches of gov-ernment. This is not to say that these agencies are free to run amok as they see fit. This level of independence provides them with a certain level of insulation from political pressure. Instead of relying on political whims and ideology, these bipartisan agencies can solicit informa-tion and comments, hold public hearings, and voice agreement and disagreement in a transparent manner.

There is a common mis-conception that independent agencies do not perform any cost-benefit analysis, which is not true. Furthermore,

cost-benefit analyses can’t be the be-all and end-all in determining whether to move forward with a rulemaking. There are simply too many shades of gray when applying a cost-benefit analysis to rules that are meant to protect the public and workers. For exam-ple, ALPA need only look at its effort to classify lithium batteries as a hazmat material on cargo airplanes for shipping purposes. Such classification was determined to be “too expensive.” ALPA is also concerned that S.3468 will politicize the indepen-dent rulemaking process at the SEC and CFTC and harm the Association’s efforts to rid the oil market of rampant speculation by Wall Street players. l

To read ALPA’s letter scan the QR code.

News at Your Fingertips The aviation industry is changing faster than ever before, and ALPA Daily will keep you informed about the latest industry developments and analysis from around the globe. Check it out each day to stay up-to-date on the news that affects airline pilots and the piloting profession.

ALPA members can sign up to receive ALPA Daily in their e-mail.

Scan the QR code, then log in with your ALPA member number and password. select E-mail Distribution Lists. check the box for ALPA Daily. submit your request.

It’s that easy. Sign up today.

ALPA Nat’l & Pilot Group News Airline News Industry & Legislative News

ALPA Nat’l & Pilot Group News United, Continental MECs Send Tentative Agreement To Pilots

Aero-News Network - 11/14/2012Contract’s Fate Now In The Hands Of The Membership

Pinnacle Strikes Deal With DeltaAviationPros.com - 11/14/2012Nov. 13--The deadline for Pinnacle Airlines Corp. to file a reorganization plan has

been extended. Pinnacle said Tuesday it struck a deal with Delta Air Lines to extend the

deadline to Dec. Lewis Jordan To Address The Atlanta Aero Club

Aero-News Network - 11/14/2012Co-Founder Of ValuJet And Its Successor, AirTran Airways Guest Speaker November

29th

Delta gives $350K to Fisher House Foundation

Atlanta Business Chronicle - 11/13/2012

Delta Air Lines Inc. on Tuesday ended its three-day Veterans Day observance

with a $350,000 gift to the Fisher House Foundation at Reagan National Airport

in Washington, D.C.

http://pilotpartisan.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/alpa-letter-to-senate-11-6-2012.pdfhttps://www.alpa.org/AlpaLogin/tabid/2415/Default.aspx?returnurl=http%3a%2f%2fcrewroom.alpa.org%2falpa%2fDesktopDefault.aspx%3ftabindex%3d6%26tabid%3d3436%26GoTo%3dpreferences


n Fleet Makeup of Airlines with ALPA Pilots

Fleet Size by Airline with ALPA Pilots

Fleet by Carrier Category

The fleet makeup of airlines with ALPA-represented pilots is diverse (as shown below).

From small turboprop airplanes flying in the northern re-gions of Canada to the large widebody aircraft flown across oceans and around the world, ALPA pilots have it covered.

At airlines with ALPA pilots, more than 3,600 airplanes are in use.

As a comparison, the three big airlines in the Middle East—Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar—have only 359 airplanes currently in use. l

DELT

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UNIT

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NENT

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SOUT

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PRES

SJET

FEDE

X EX

PRES

S

AMER

ICAN

EAGL

E

PINN

ACLE

AIRT

RAN

JAZZ

ALAS

KA

AIR

WISC

ONSIN

MES

APS

A

PIED

MON

TSP

IRIT

COM

PASS

HAWA

IIAN

WASA

YA

COM

MUT

AIR

TRAN

S STA

TES

AIR

TRAN

SAT

KELO

WNA

AIR

TRAN

SPOR

T IN

T’L

BEAR

SKIN

RYAN

SUN

COUN

TRY

CANA

DIAN

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THEV

ERGR

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FIRST

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H AM

ERIC

ANCA

PITA

L CAR

GO

CANJ

ET

ISLAN

D AI

R

800

600

400

200

0

Narrowbody 41%

RJ/Turborop 37%Passenger

49%

Freight/Charter 14%

Regional 37%

Source: Aviation Week, commercial jet fleet directory, company documents


Fleet Mix of Airlines with ALPA PilotsWidebody

22%



n Engineering & Air Safety Update

Education Committee updateCommittee Gears up for Ace Club MeetingsOn November 7, ALPA Education Committee member Capt. George Burnette (Delta) was on hand at the ERAU-Prescott campus leading the ACE Club meeting and discussing the supply of pilots in the U.S.

On November 14, F/O Susan Bailey Schmidt (Delta) spoke to students

Seth Heckard (Atlantic Southeast) addressed students at ERAU–Daytona Beach about the same topic.

Pilots who’d like to volun-teer for upcoming Education Committee events can go to the members-only site of www.ALPA.org, click on ALPA Toolbox, and then Education. Select the Events Application to view upcom-ing events.

The committee would like

to remind ALPA members to take a few minutes each month to partici-pate in student surveys posted on the commit-tee’s web site. Aviation students, some of whom are current ALPA pilots, need to gather survey information as part of their course of study. A new survey on automa-tion was recently posted on the site. l

n Air Safety organization Plans for Improved Training Programs in 2013 ALPA’s Air Safety Organi za - tion (ASO) conducted a two- day workshop in ALPA’s Herndon, Va., Conference Center November 6–7 to review the curricula of all ASO-sponsored training courses and prepare for the 2013 training year. Fifteen pilot-instructors—represent-ing ALPA’s safety, security, and pilot assistance disci-plines—and Engineering and Air Safety Department staff collaborated to ensure the quality, efficiency, and integration of all their training events for the coming year.

As part of this review, subject-matter experts reviewed ALPA’s Safety Two School (STS) course

curriculum with a focus on safety management systems (SMS), aviation safety ac-tion programs (ASAP), flight operations quality assurance (FOQA), and central air safety chairman (CASC) duties.

The group agreed to divide the current STS content into two separate training events. The STS course will remain available to central air safety chairmen, local air safety chairmen, technical group leaders, and project team leaders and continue to provide them with a founda-tion in the administrative and managerial skills needed to efficiently and effectively lead safety representatives. A new Risk Management course (RMC) will further familiarize experienced safety representatives with current

safety reporting programs, such as SMS, ASAP, and FOQA, and provide them with the functional knowledge required to work successfully with management and regulatory representatives in the areas of hazard identification and risk management.

The RMC is currently planned to be offered in spring 2013.

n TSA Steps up to Hurricane Sandy ChallengeIn an effort to help ensure that airline travel resumed as quickly as possible following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) redoubled its efforts at north-east U.S. and New York/New Jersey-area airports. More than 280 TSA security of-

ficers came from around the country to supplement the workforce at JFK International Airport, which was hit the hardest by the storm.

Federal air marshals, be-tween flying missions, also provided security for water ferries, which is a primary means of transportation in the area.

TSA Administrator John Pistole toured the New York area airports shortly after the storm passed and commended his workforce for their efforts to restore airport security in the face of the tragedy, and for individual acts of kindness performed by security of-ficers to benefit passengers who were stranded in the terminals. l

at the University of North Dakota about crew resource management, while Capt.

Air Line PiLot Wants Your PhotosShare your photos from the line, and let us see what you see. Give us some details as well—where the photo was taken, when, by whom, and any other pertinent info.

Air Line Pilot encourages you to submit your high-quality prints from a developer or high-resolution digital images. Your photos

could be featured in a future issue!Send your photos to [email protected].

mailto: [email protected]://apps.alpa.org/EducationEventSignup/tabid/2585/Default.aspxhttp://apps.alpa.org/EducationEventSignup/tabid/2585/Default.aspxhttp://apps.alpa.org/EducationEventSignup/tabid/2585/Default.aspx


n AlPANegotiationsupdateThe following is a summary of the status of ALPA contract negotiations by airline as of Nov. 12, 2012:

Air Wisconsin—A Section 6 notice was filed on Oct. 1, 2010. Negotiations continue December 4–7 and 18–21. Atlantic Southeast—A Section 6 notice was filed on May 20, 2010. A joint Section 6 notice was filed on March 28, 2011. Negotiations are under way for the Atlantic Southeast/ExpressJet joint collective bargaining agreement.CanJet—A notice to bargain was filed on Dec. 1, 2011. Negotiations continue December 10–14.Continental—The Continental and United Master Executive Councils (MECs) voted on November 12 to accept a

tentative agreement on a joint collective bargaining agreement reached with United Continental Holdings, Inc. The agreement now goes before the pilots for a ratification vote.Evergreen—The Evergreen negotiating team and manage-ment met with a National Mediation Board mediator in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2012. The parties agreed to send management’s last pro-posal to the pilots through the ratification process. The ballot was scheduled to close on Nov. 28, 2012. ExpressJet—A Section 6 notice was received on May 28, 2010. A joint Section 6 notice was filed on March 28, 2011. Negotiations are under way for the Atlantic Southeast/ExpressJet joint collec-tive bargaining agreement.*First Air—A notice to bargain

was filed on Oct. 1, 2010. Negotiations are under way. Mesa—A Section 6 notice was filed on Sept. 10, 2010. Negotiations continue December 4–6, January 15–17, February 5–7, and March 12–14.Piedmont—A Section 6 notice was sent on March 13, 2009. An application for mediation was filed with the NMB on April 21, 2010. Mediation is under way.PSA—A Section 6 notice was sent on Jan. 19, 2009. A joint ap-plication for mediation was filed on July 12, 2011. Negotiations continue.Ryan—A Section 6 notice was sent on Sept. 2, 2011. Negotiations are under way.Sun Country—A Section 6 notice was sent on Feb. 23, 2010. Sun Country filed for mediation on May 9, 2012. united—The United and

Continental Master Executive Councils (MECs) voted on November 12 to accept a tentative agreement (TA) on a joint collective bargaining agreement reached with United Continental Holdings, Inc. The agreement now goes before the pilots for a ratifica-tion vote.

*Editor’s note: ALPA negotiators at this Canadian airline have experienced many delays in bargaining because of management shakeups and the loss of Flight 6560. Since bargaining opened in 2010, the pilot group has had two CEOs, three vice presidents of flight operations, and four company lead negotiators. However, the team members remain confident they will make progress in the coming sessions.

flightdeck.alpa.orgflightdeck.alpa.orgflightdeck.alpa.org


Capt. Russell C. Hazelton TWA OctoberCapt. C.W. Humphries Eastern OctoberCapt. J.J. Hurley Delta OctoberCapt. Raymond A. “Randy” Kuley, Jr. FedEx OctoberCapt. J.W. Lankford Eastern OctoberCapt. Brent G. Layton Delta OctoberCapt. Sylvain Normand Jazz OctoberCapt. Eldred L. Olson TWA OctoberCapt. Walter A. “Mickey” Schmid IV Continental OctoberCapt. Samuel N. Sims Delta OctoberCapt. Grady B. Stone Eastern OctoberCapt. W.T. Wilder Eastern OctoberCapt. Donald W. Winn TWA OctoberCapt. Tom J. Colette Delta NovemberCapt. W.R. Krepling Eastern NovemberCapt. W.H. Morris US Airways NovemberCapt. Robert O. Norris Delta NovemberCapt. Carl D. Scrivener Delta NovemberCapt. Jimmy L. Thompson Delta November

n Compiled from information provided by ALPA’s Membership and Council Services Department

n In Memoriam“To fly west, my friend, is a flight we all must take for a final check.”—Author unknown

2011S/O F.E. Harrington United February

2012Capt. C.R. Follansbee United MayCapt. Gilbert R. Hanson Delta MayCapt. Michael L. McDermott TWA JulyCapt. E.B. “Buddy” Moreman, Jr. Pan American JulyCapt. Joseph C. Andrews United AugustCapt. Charles R. Watkins TWA AugustF/O Edward J. Brown Northwest SeptemberCapt. Jerry J. Campbell United SeptemberCapt. Donald J. Cook TWA SeptemberCapt. Ralph Hunt Pan American SeptemberCapt. Byron D. Otten Northwest SeptemberCapt. Philip M. Rouzer Continental SeptemberCapt. Robert G. Rowe United SeptemberCapt. C.J. Zahner Pan American SeptemberF/O Thomas J. Brennan United OctoberCapt. C.W. Christensen Eastern OctoberCapt. James P. Donegan TWA OctoberCapt. Gregory E. Durio Delta October

MailbagGreat columnI just received my November issue of Air Line Pilot and want to compli-ment Cap. Lee Moak [on his “Aviation Matters”] “Winds of Change” column. If this article doesn’t get every-one’s attention, nothing will. We need to put a stop to this encroachment before it goes any further. It will not stop with the airlines. Write your congressman, write the president, and put your vote where it counts.Capt. Samuel Andrews (United, Ret.)

‘Comair Flies West’Thanks for the article on Comair’s final flight [see “Comair Flies West,” November, page 25]. What may not have been clear from the article is the signif-icance of Capt. Tim Mullane flying that final flight. Capt. Mullane was one of the

original pilots flying those two Piper Navajos and, for a significant portion of his career (certainly as long as I was there), was Seniority #1.Capt. Coleman Weidenbusch (Comair, Ret.)

A lifetime friendshipOur daughter Ashlee (18) had the experience of her young life this summer when she took advantage of the wonderful International Youth Exchange program. After Ashlee completed an online profile (when and where she wanted to travel), IYE sent us three profiles of girls in the countries Ashlee was interested in exploring. Ashlee chose to visit Andrea (also 18) in Spain because she wanted to try out her Spanish. We could not have found a more perfect match than Andrea! The girls quickly got to know each other through Facebook and e-mail,

and we skyped with Andrea’s family to discuss travel dates, expectations, finances, etc. Both of our families became quick friends, and we shared a level of trust well before the exchange began.

Ashlee flew to Madrid to spend two weeks with Andrea and her family. Within days, Ashlee felt like a part of their family. Every day, for two weeks, they graciously showed her around their town and country. Sometimes the whole family would go,

and other times, it was just the girls. Andrea then vis-ited us for two weeks, and we did the same.

Having the opportunity to show Andrea a little slice of America was a great reminder of the beautiful country we live in. Andrea was quickly nicknamed our “Spanish daughter,” and we made some special memo-ries with her. The girls are already planning their next visit! We highly recommend the IYE program, which brought two worlds together and formed a lifetime friendship.Capt. Scott Ginn (United)

Letters to the editor may be submitted via regular mail to Air Line Pilot, Letters to the Editor, 535 Herndon Parkway, P.O. Box 1169, Herndon, VA 201721169, or by email to Magazine@ ALPA.org.

Andrea, left, and Ashlee at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, Spain.

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.alpa.org/publications/Air_Line_Pilot_November_2012/#?page=4http://www.alpa.org/publications/Air_Line_Pilot_November_2012/#?page=4http://www.alpa.org/publications/Air_Line_Pilot_November_2012/#?page=24http://www.alpa.org/publications/Air_Line_Pilot_November_2012/#?page=24


FIRE IN THE SKY A DC-10 at FL370 flying eastbound over Washington state. Taken from a United B-737-800 at FL360 flying from Denver to Anchorage.Photo by Capt. Kenneth Castle (Continental)

Capturing moments in an airline pilot’s day (and night) that make you stop dead in your tracks and stand agape, staring with admiration. Using only ALPA member photos, we proudly present Air Line Pilot’s take in our second annual swimsuit edition:

SECOND ANNUAL

Swimsuit Issue


FRom oUR PoINT oF VIEW.

JAW DRoPPING


UP ALL NIGHT Followed by an approach into the rising sun. Photo by Capt. Paul Skene (Continental)

SUNSET oN THE HoRIZoNPhoto by Capt. Rand Peck (Delta, Ret.)

READY FoR o’HAREThis photo was taken at Sioux

Gateway Airport in early spring 2012. American Eagle

had just started service into Sioux City, Iowa. This was a

new destination for American Eagle. The EmB-145 was being prepared for the flight back to o’Hare International Airport.

Photo by F/O Andi Lusha (American Eagle)


DAWN oF A NEW DAY Photo by F/O Jerome Peterson (ExpressJet)



Big nose B-757-300. photo by P Wilkinson.FEDEX FRANçAIS FedEx Express B-777 at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Photo by Capt. Doug Moss (FedEx Express)


December 2012 Air Line Pilot 23December 2012 Air Line Pilot 23


AVIAToR’S SUNRISE Spirit Flight from Detroit metropolitan Wayne County Airport to LaGuardia Airport.Photo by F/O Daniel Gill (Spirit)

FRom THE THRoTTLE’S PoINT oF VIEW

Here is a photo I took of myself and F/o Nick Zikas.

The camera is just in front of the throttles of a

B-767-400 using a 14-24 mm lens set at 14 mm.

Photo by Capt. Scott Olson (Continental)

AT THE GATEThis photo was taken April 13, 2011, at the gate in Indianapolis while doing a walkaround. The aircraft is one of our Jazz CRJ200s. The photo is actually three different photographs combined to create an HDR (high dynamic range) photograph. Photo by Capt. Kevin Rodger (Jazz)


HEAT oF THE momENT Photo by Capt. Jim Dingess (United)



HEADING NoRTH Photo by Capt. Rand Peck (Delta, Ret.)



LoW-VIS LANDINGTaken at Hartsfield–Jackson

Atlanta International Airport.Photo by Capt. Giff Beaton (Delta)

DoUBLE RAINBoWAt LaGuardia Airport, Summer 2012. Photo by Capt. Leon Newman (AirTran)

PHoENIX HABooBPhoto during the Haboob (a type of intense dust storm) in Phoenix last year. We decided to “camp out” in the aircraft and finish our preflight while waiting for the dust storm to sweep by. Photo by F/O Rob Neighbour (Fedex Express)


he explosive passenger growth of Emirates and the other Persian Gulf carriers regularly hits the headlines, but less well known is that these airlines are also carrying more weight in cargo. The new Dubai World Central–Al Maktoum International Airport states that by the mid-2020s it will have the capacity to handle a staggering 12 million tons of cargo annu-ally. To serve as perspective, the

Airports Council International reports that Memphis International, FedEx’s main hub, currently the world’s busiest cargo airport, handled 3.91 million tons of cargo in 2011.

Dubai’s ambitious plan for Emirates Airline and its potential to move the world’s cargo reflect a commitment from all corners of the emirate. A survey of the state-of-play shows the resounding support that the aviation sector enjoys in Dubai—and across the United Arab Emirates—and the direction in which the region is headed when it comes to air cargo.

“Today, oil makes up just 5 percent of Dubai’s gross domestic product, while aviation makes up 28 percent or $22 billion, as well as directly and indirectly supporting more than 250,000 jobs,” Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, told the International Aviation Club of Washington, D.C., in September 2012. “This is a direct result of Dubai’s pro-aviation policy and vision of the leadership.”

Investing in air cargo infrastructureOne of the seven states that make up the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has fewer oil reserves than other nearby states such as Abu Dhabi and countries such

as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. As a result, Dubai’s leaders for decades have used the Emirates’ policies and pocketbook to drive economic diversification in trade, financial services, and tourism.

In describing the vision for Dubai World Central (DWC), Dubai’s plan for a global center for logistics, tourism, and commerce, the emirate’s leaders see it as a gateway—some say a “new Silk Road”—to emerging markets in Africa,

Australasia, Europe, and the Middle East. “From the creation of Port Rashid to the Dubai Metro, the Emirate has a tradition of investing in its future and developing the infrastructure necessary to spark future growth and further diversification of its economy. Dubai World Central is a continuation of this legacy,” declares the Dubai World Central website.

Dubai’s commitment to this vision is borne out in the investment numbers. Costs for the entire DWC project, of which Al Maktoum International Airport is an integral part, have been estimated by the emirate to exceed US$32 billion. Examples abound of Dubai’s commit-ment to turning its pro-aviation policy into airplanes and pavement.

For example, in 2007, DWC reported that it completed the first runway at Al Maktoum International Airport on time and in the projected 600 days, which the

airport says is an aviation record for the fastest A380-enabled, 4.5-kilometer CAT III runway construction. While myriad factors influence runway construction, the project’s rapid time line is a notewor-thy demonstration of the Emirates’ con-centration on aviation. Eventually, DWC will have a 92-meter air traffic control tower and a total of five parallel runways, each 4.5 km long.

In 2008, DWC opened its cargo megaterminal, which was built at a cost of more than US$200 million, to link airlines, customs, and freight-forwarding agencies and to create more than 1.2 million additional tons in cargo capacity.

Emirates’ fleetThe Dubai government–owned Emirates Airline has a total fleet of 186 widebody airplanes that serve 126 destinations in 74 countries. While the airline flies

n The new Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International Airport states that by the mid-2020s it will have the capacity to handle a staggering 12 million tons of cargo annually.

TEmirates’ Growing Hold on Air CargoBy Capt. Scott Stratton (FedEx Express), Master Executive Council Chairman


trade lanes, this has been a landmark year for Emirates SkyCargo in the U.S. Our operation has grown significantly in the eight years since we launched our JFK passenger service, and 2012 marks the start of an exciting new chapter in our partnership,” said Ram Menen, Emirates’ divisional senior vice president of cargo, in a statement released on Oct. 2, 2012, during the International Air Cargo Association’s Air Cargo Forum in Atlanta.

Given Dubai’s geographic location at the crossroads—or flight paths in this case—of Africa, Asia, and Europe, Emirates’ leaders estimate the airline has the ability to reach 1.5 billion customers within an eight-hour period. To capitalize on this advantage, the Gulf carrier has custom-designed its special handling capabilities for a wide range of cargo needs. Emirates’ website says the airline looks to enhance its services in the areas of transporting live animals, tempera-ture-sensitive consignments, high-value goods, priority items, and door-to-door delivery.

In his comments before the Interna-tional Aviation Club of Washington, Clark elaborated on Emirates’ air cargo strategy. “In America, we provide critical uplift to a host of firms across many industries—totaling nearly 800 tons of

capacity per week out of the U.S. We carry auto parts from JFK, apples and cherries from Seattle, and oil and gas equipment from Houston. Our new ser-vice to Dulles opens up vast new options for U.S. passengers and exporters. Not only will we introduce competition into the nonstop market to Dubai, but we will be highly competitive for connections to points beyond.”

Procargo aviation policy— an unfair playing field While it may appear that Emirates is simply engaging in free enterprise, capitalism, and the free market system, in fact the airline and others like it are not doing business on a fair playing field, which puts U.S. all-cargo airlines, including FedEx, at a severe competitive disadvantage.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, a member of the ruling family of Dubai and Dubai Airports chairman, attributes the emirate’s success in aviation to a “model that features a liberal regulatory climate, a tax-free business environ-ment, and a consumer-centric focus that provides value for money and close coordination and collaboration within the sector.” As evidence of the emirate’s pro-aviation governance, the chairman also serves as president of the Dubai

belly cargo in its passenger airliners, its fleet also includes eight freighters: one B-747-400F, two B-747-400ERFs, and five B-777Fs. Emirates Airline reports it is the first to provide nonstop freight service to six continents. Emirates says it operates more B-777s and more Airbus A380s than any other airline. Through the end of the decade, Emirates says it will re-ceive an average of one new airplane per month, including adding more B-777Fs to its SkyCargo fleet.

In 2012, Emirates SkyCargo began operations at Dallas/Fort Worth, Seattle, and Washington, D.C., and now has a total of seven trade lanes in the United States, which also include Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. “With the creation of these three new

TOP: Emirates SkyCargo B747F.It also operates two B747400ERFs and five B777Fs. ABOVE: The cargo megaterminal opened at Al Maktoum International Airport in 2008.

WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Emirates’ Growing Hold on Air CargoBy Capt. Scott Stratton (FedEx Express), Master Executive Council Chairman


Scan the QR code to read about ALPA’s work to

level the playing field for U.S. airlines.

airlines in that region experiencing an 11.3 percent increase in air freight traffic compared to a year ago.

Long-term industry forecasts set air cargo to expand. In its recent Air Cargo World Forecast, Boeing predicts that the global air cargo market will expand an average of 5.2 percent per year over the next 20 years. The U.S. airplane manufacturer expects trade to increase based on liberalization of markets, more efficient airplanes, and infrastructure improvements that will reduce the cost of air cargo.

Gaining hold on air cargoGiven Emirates and other Middle Eastern airlines’ long-term vision, their govern-ment leaders’ commitment to collabora-tion in advancing their aviation and air cargo sector, and the state investment in airports and cargo infrastructure, these airlines have become significant air cargo competitors and will continue to be so based on their growth plans.

The real question is whether foreign-government backing of their airlines with billions of dollars and pro-aviation policies will challenge the U.S. govern-ment to do the same. For our country to maintain a world-class airline industry, our government needs to start com-peting—competing with its foreign counterparts, just as our cargo and passenger airlines do. And so, we need a government-sponsored airline industry policy that includes cargo. If this does not happen, the growth of companies

n For our country to maintain a world- class airline industry, our government needs to start competing— competing with its foreign counterparts, just as our cargo and passenger airlines do.thanks in part to ALPA’s unflagging ad-vocacy, the U.S. Congress’s reauthoriza-tion for the U.S. Ex–Im Bank contained critical reforms to shed needed light on the bank’s use of U.S. taxpayers’ money to subsidize state-backed airlines and end worldwide subsidies of widebody airplanes. There is little doubt that this is indeed an unfair playing field, a battle that ALPA continues to engage in, and an advantage that airlines in the region are maximizing.

Cargo capacity growth across the Middle EastEtihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, operates out of its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport. The airline began cargo operations in 2004, and Etihad currently has a fleet of seven dedicated cargo airplanes: one B-777F, two MD-11Fs, two Airbus A330-200Fs, and two Airbus A300-600Fs.

Qatar Airways’ cargo division in October 2012 began scheduled B-777F

Akbar Al Baker in October 2011. “We have identified tremendous route expan-sion opportunities around the globe, including North America, where the freighter market is huge.” And recently, Qatar has expressed its interest in acquiring Cargolux entirely.

Strong longterm forecastToday, many air cargo markets are struggling, but in the Middle East, cargo appears to be maintaining strength and even growing. In its recent market analysis, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) indicated that inter-national air freight markets contracted by 0.8 percent in August 2012 compared to a year ago. According to IATA, total demand for air freight carried by Asia/Pacific airlines was 5.5 percent lower and 3.9 percent lower in Latin America during the same time frame. In dramatic contrast, air freight carried by Middle Eastern airlines continued to “expand strongly,” according to IATA analysts, with

service to three North American destina-tions—Atlanta, Houston, and Toronto. Based in Qatar’s capital of Doha, Qatar Airways currently flies dedicated freight-ers to Chicago in North America. It has a fleet of three Airbus A300-600Fs and two B-777Fs.

“With the recent completion of our 35 percent stake in Cargolux, Europe’s larg-est cargo airline, we have increased our focus on freighter operations, which ties seamlessly into the airline’s strategy to have as many connecting points across the globe from our Doha hub,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer

Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai’s version of the FAA.

In addition to doing business in a country that levies no corporate taxes, Emirates Airline has benefited from U.S. Export–Import Bank financing for its airplanes at below-market rates unavailable to U.S. and many European airlines. Since 2007, when the bank gave Emirates its first loan guarantee for seven GE airplane engines used to power B-777 extended-range airplanes, U.S. Ex–Im Bank financing has helped to provide Emirates with more capacity for cargo and passengers. In May 2012,

like Emirates, made possible by an ex-tremely unfair playing field, will continue to slowly strangle U.S. cargo airlines and take the jobs of U.S. pilots.

Go to levelingtheplayingfield.ALPA.org or scan the QR code to read more about ALPA’s work to level the playing field for U.S. airlines so that they can compete and prevail in the global marketplace.

levelingtheplayingfield.alpa.orglevelingtheplayingfield.alpa.orglevelingtheplayingfield.alpa.org


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By Jan W. Steenblik, Technical Editor

In this fifth installment of “On the Bookshelf,” we offer up this holiday season a sampling of aviation books that should interest many readers, including our Canadian members, devotees of military aviation, and general aviation enthusiasts.

On June 11, 2005, the world lost one of the last great roman-tics: Gordon Baxter, known to millions as simply “Bax,” died.

A lifelong resident of southeast Texas, Bax was a popular radio personality in Beaumont and Port Arthur, a private pilot, and a columnist for newspapers and magazines. In 1970, he began writing a monthly column, “Bax Seat,” for Flying.

Bax Seat: Log of a Pasture Pilot, a Ziff-Davis book distribut-ed by McGraw-Hill, was published in 1978. Columns from Bax’s

The Bridges at TokoRi focuses on a resentful 29-year-old U.S. Navy fighter pilot, Harry Brubaker, recalled to active duty for Korea and thus leaving behind his wife, two young daughters, and a career as an attorney in Denver. Brubaker flies the McDonnell F2H Banshee, a single-seat carrier-based fighter. He confronts his fear of participating in an attack on the fiercely defended rail and truck bridges that run through a narrow valley and are vital to the communists’ supply chain.

One of the principal themes of the novel is the lack of knowledge of, and interest in, the war on the part of the Americans back home.

Michener authored or coauthored more than 40 titles, including Pulitzer-winning Tales of the South Pacific and best-sellers Hawaii, Texas, The Covenant, and The Source. Measured

against these blockbusters, The Bridges at TokoRi is a trifle, but it remains one of the few liter-ary treatments of the Korean “police action.” As such, it has earned a place on

aviators’ bookshelves. Do judge Ace McCool, by Canadian

airline pilot Jack Desmarais (now retired), by its cover: The crazy characters who work for fictional Down East International, a small, corner-cutting outfit based in Moncton, New Brunswick, are over-the-top cartoonish. But, oh, are they funny. Desmarais’s monthly column about DEI ran

for 14½ years in Canadian Aviation. Desmarais whipped up insane, convoluted plots that somehow always worked out in the end.

World War II veteran Ace McCool started DEI with a hangar and a de Havilland Dragon Rapide (1930s cabin biplane), both obtained by questionable means, then moved up to DC-3s, Vickers Vanguards, and a Boeing 727. The columns are, among other things, a paean to the Vanguard, a four-engine turboprop similar to the Lockheed Electra. The airline is perpetually on the brink of financial ruin, but the challenging flying and the weekly “pilot meetings” at the Heroes Bar & Grill more than make up for the shaky credit rating.

DEI’s limits for hand-flown ILS approaches are 50 and an eighth, but the weather in the Maritimes is often WOXOF, and Moncton Tower controllers turn a blind eye to the “Woxies” landing in zero-zero. All DEI airplanes sport a “Have Landed” light in the cabin to let passengers know the pilots (“polemasters of the first order”) have once again painted it on in the fog.

Buy this book only if you’re willing to laugh long and hard at your airline industry (no matter where you live and work). It’s a superb spoof by a g

Documents

SECOND ANNUAL Swimsuit Issue Cargo Pilots: Why Emirates ......By Capt. Barry Jackson (Qantas) President, Australian and International Pilots Association Boomerang GuestCommentary B