APA News Digest

Aug. 4, 2023

Editor’s note: Some links in this message will work best if you log in to AlliedPilots.org before clicking them.

In This Edition ...

• Get Informed Before You Vote on TA 2.0
• TA 2.0 Ratification Vote Procedures
• RSVP for a TA 2.0 Road Show
• STOP Committee: APFA and SWAPA Need Our Support
• Family Awareness Committee: Thanks for Coming Out to Oshkosh
• CIRP Subcommittee: Join Us for Training in Late September
• Hotel Committee: Late Check-in Procedures
• Contract Compliance Committee: Incorrect Assignments for Reserve Pilots
• Aeromedical Committee: Our Recommended Reading List
• Maintenance and Technical Analysis Committee: Pigs of the Week
• Membership Committee: APA Welcomes New Pilots
• Membership Committee: APA Welcomes Captains’ Leadership Class
• Membership Committee: Gone West
• Pilot Pipeline Hasn’t Been Properly Maintained
• Domicile Events
• Week in Review
• Are You Willing to Serve?
• Professional Standards FAQ
• If You’re 50, Join The Grey Eagles
• Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars

Get Informed Before You Vote on TA 2.0

On Aug. 1, the APA Board of Directors approved sending Tentative Agreement 2.0 to the membership for a ratification vote. Voting will open at 1200 Central on Aug. 7 and close at 1200 Central on Aug. 21.

APA members can visit the Contract 2023 website to review:

• The full language of Tentative Agreement 2.0 with changes indicated
• An Executive Summary of TA 2.0
• Comment Letters from Board Members
• An Implementation Timeline
• A Back-Pay Calculator
• Supplemental Information:
  • APA Survey & Polling Summary Data
  • Implementation Process Flow Chart
  • Sequence Construction Interactions

Additionally, the Negotiating Committee has provided Contract Comparisons that highlight differences between TA 2.0, our existing JCBA, the Delta CBA, and the United TA. These documents are also on the Contract 2023 website.

TA 2.0 Ratification Vote Procedures

Following the Board of Directors’ approval of Tentative Agreement 2.0, and in accordance with the APA Constitution and Bylaws, the ratification vote will be conducted via electronic ballot. Voting opens at 1200 Central on Aug. 7 and closes at 1200 Central on Aug. 21.

The electronic balloting will be supervised and conducted by the American Arbitration Association (AAA), which sent all members detailed voting instructions via email and regular mail last month. These instructions, including your PIN, still apply to the ratification vote for Tentative Agreement 2.0. AAA sent you a reminder email with the voting instructions and your PIN number today. If you did not receive these instructions, please contact AAA at 1-800-529-5218 between 0800 and 1600 Central, Monday through Friday.

If you have any questions about the ratification voting process, please contact APA Election Coordinator Kathy Lazenby by phone at 817-302-2175 (between 0900 and 1630 Central, Monday through Friday) or by email at TA2023@alliedpilots.org.

RSVP for a TA 2.0 Road Show

On Aug. 1, the APA Board of Directors authorized road shows on TA 2.0 to commence no sooner than Aug. 7 and conclude no later than Aug. 18.

Members are free to attend any of the road shows, regardless of where they are based.

Each of those RSVP links will require you to log into AlliedPilots.org first. That way, the website will be able to identify you. Simply click the “Submit” button, and you should see a message that says, “Your RSVP has been submitted.”

Pilots who cannot attend a road show in person have five opportunities to view one via Zoom. You can register for next week’s Zoom sessions by clicking the links below. Links for the following week will be shared soon.

• PHL (9 a.m. EDT on Aug. 9)
• DCA (9 a.m. EDT on Aug. 10)
• PHX (9 a.m. MST on Aug. 15)
• LAX (10 a.m. PDT on Aug. 16)
• DFW (9 a.m. CDT on Aug. 17)

APFA and SWAPA Need Our Support

This is a new message from the APA Strike and Tactical Operations Planning Committee.

The Association of Professional Flight Attendants plans to conduct informational picketing at our 10 base airports, plus MCO, on Aug. 30. The picket times will be either from 1000 to 1200 or from 1100 to 1300. If you can stand with our fellow crewmembers that day, click here to RSVP.

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association plans to conduct informational picketing at five airports (ATL, BWI, HOU, LAX, and MDW) on Aug. 31. If you can stand with your fellow pilots that day, click here to RSVP.

Thanks for Coming Out to Oshkosh

This is a new message from the APA Family Awareness Committee.

CA Wes Smith, FO Paul Meyers, FO Tim Jackson, FO Natalie Anagnostou, CA Eric Rehm, CA Andrea Hoover, and CA Adrian Radosav.

We would like to thank all of the APA members and their families who stopped by our hospitality area last week during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. We averaged between 150 and 200 visitors per day, and our July 26 dinner – which honored three veterans who received the Medal of Honor for their service in Vietnam – had 500 attendees.

We would also like to thank the ORD Domicile Officers and the volunteers from the Government Affairs Committee, the STOP Committee, the ASAP Subcommittee, and the LOSA Subcommittee for helping us represent APA.

You can see more photos from Oshkosh on APA’s Facebook page.

Join Us for Training in Late September

This is a new message from the APA Critical Incident Response Program Subcommittee.

Are you a good listener? Would you like to assist other pilots? The Critical Incident Response Program (CIRP) wants you!

CIRP volunteers talk to pilots when they experience a critical incident. If you are interested in becoming a CIRP volunteer, we will be conducting training Sept. 26-28 using the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Model. This training is for volunteers who have not been previously trained in the ICISF CISM Model or those who have been previously trained and want a refresher.

The training will be at APA HQ in Fort Worth. You will need to bid for Sept. 26-28 off in PBS. Plan on traveling to DFW prior to the first day of training and returning home late afternoon on the last day. Training materials (electronic book), certificate (upon completion), A12 travel to/from, hotel, and most meals will be provided.

If you are interested in volunteering, please plan your September PBS bid to be available Sept. 26-28. To volunteer, or if you have questions, contact FO Jim Woodke at jwoodke@alliedpilots.org or 847-331-8409.

Late Check-in Procedures

This is a new message from the APA Hotel Committee.

If you have a layover spanning two overnights and want to use the hotel room for only the second night, or your plan on checking in on the second day of your layover for any reason, please call ahead to the hotel and inform them you will be checking in the following day. Hotels often monitor the inbound flight arrival and will mark crew members as no-shows if they do not arrive the first day. Calling the hotel the day of your scheduled arrival to inform them you will check in the following day should ensure your room will be available when you arrive.

September Bidding Alert: The Hotel Committee reminds you to not bid for trips based on the hotels listed on the bid packages, as the final hotel allocations are not complete at the time the package is published.

For more information, see the QRH – Quick Reference Hotels document, which should answer 99 percent of all hotel and transportation questions while providing helpful solutions. Suggestion: Download this QRH document to your AA iPad for easy access in the future.

Incorrect Assignments for Reserve Pilots

This is the latest in a series of Q&As from the APA Contract Compliance Committee.

Q: I believe I was assigned out-of-order as a Reserve pilot. There are other pilots available in lower Variance Groups (less GTD) who appear legal for my assignment. How do I remedy this issue?

A: If you believe you have been incorrectly assigned as a Reserve pilot, your first action should be to compile a list of pilots who you believe to be Qualified, Legal, and Available (QLA) for the assignment. It will be helpful to identify the associated pilot’s employee number for use when discussing the issue with Crew Scheduling, and it is best to have that conversation prior to the conclusion of DOTC (1500 HBT), or as soon as possible.

Some aspects to consider when reviewing an assignment that may not be readily apparent:

• The other pilot may not be qualified.
• The other pilot may be VMAX or IMAX limited.
• The other pilot may have a 30/168 issue.
• The other pilot may not be contactable to provide contractual notification of the assignment.
• The other pilot may have already received a next day sequence or RAP assignment that conflicts with the assignment in question.

If you are unable to secure a satisfactory resolution, please submit a Contract Compliance Report.

Our Recommended Reading List

This is a new message from the APA Aeromedical Committee.

In an effort to improve our members’ health, we have created a recommended reading list. Each month, we will highlight a book that has helped in the prevention of, treatment of, or recovery from an injury or illness, or has elevated a member’s education. Feel free to send your book recommendations to aeromed-committee@alliedpilots.org.

Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity

Wouldn’t you like to live longer? And better? In this operating manual for longevity, Dr. Peter Attia draws on the latest science to deliver innovative nutritional interventions, techniques for optimizing exercise and sleep, and tools for addressing emotional and mental health.

Aging and longevity are far more malleable than we think; our fate is not set in stone. With the right roadmap, you can plot a different path for your life, one that lets you outlive your genes to make each decade better than the one before.

Disclaimer: This recommendation is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine or other professional health care services. Always consult with your medical provider when making health care decisions.

Pigs of the Week

APA commends American Airlines’ hardworking aircraft maintenance technicians for their outstanding work. We believe they are the best in the business. When repetitive problems do arise, they’re often due to managerial decisions that fail to properly prioritize tasks and to management’s decision to outsource a significant portion of the airline’s maintenance to offshore, third-party repair stations.

• In the last week, A320 aircraft 119 has been written up five times and been out of service four times for number 1 brake temp. It returned to service today, but it is restricted to class 1 and 2 maintenance stations.
• Since July 17, B737 aircraft 3BJ has been written up and out of service six times for the right engine thrust reverser. At the time of this writing, it remained out of service.
• Update 1: Since May 26, the right engine bleed air on A319 aircraft 757 has been written up 18 times and been out of service 11 times At the time of this writing, the bleed air was on MEL and the aircraft was restricted to AA maintenance stations.
• Update 2: In the last month, B737 aircraft 3HT has been written up and been out of service seven times for right wing to body overheat. It was recently operated under a Special Flight Permit to a maintenance base for repairs. At the time of this writing, it remained out of service.

APA Welcomes New Pilots

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

Click the image for a closer look.

The APA Membership Committee welcomed the following pilots during a casual dinner on Aug. 1: Christopher Addington, Khaleel Ahmed, Timothy Baldwin, Kevin Bell, Miles Bewley, David Blessing, Benjamin Brennan, Dakota Buderus, Jared Bulach, Robb Burbach, Martin Burden, Samuel Caldwell, Omar Colon, Martin Corbeel, Rafael Corrales Rodriguez, Blaine Cyr, Adam Dagan, Kyle Domski, Paul Downing, Christopher Duhon, Farouk Elhadidy, Clint Fleishman, Brian Fojt, Anthony Forest, Jonas Frazier, Nicholas Gennarelli, William Gisler, Michael Goebel, Matthew Harris, Chad Harrison, Abigail Hartman, Andrew Hill, Max Jackson, Gene Jacobus, James Jarrett, Michael Kenney, Kory Kiefer, Andrew Kmiec, Nilton Kodama, Jarred Lang, Anton Lindt, Lucas Louden, Joseph Martin, Carlos Martins, Eliab Mejia, Kevin Miller, Irvin Mitchell, Kevin Nelson, David Neville, Evan Noah, Martin O’Brien, Patrick Orrison, Troy Pothast, Tresor Ruhorimbere, Bruce Sato, Thomas Short, Daniel Shuron, Yuheng Sun, Hernan Turtula, and Michael Woodrum.

APA Welcomes Captains’ Leadership Class

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

Click the image for a closer look.

On Aug. 2, the APA Membership Committee hosted a casual dinner for the following pilots who were in Fort Worth for American Airlines’ Professionalism, Leadership, and Mentoring class: Kendall Bascom, Bryan Black, Joseph Cardillo, Manuel Castro, Jorge De La Vega, David Elston Jr., Nikki Green, Samuel Hernandez-Carlo, Eduardo Jorge, Timothy Lynch, Jonathan Marquart, Rick Massimi, Brian Murphy, Lucas Myers, Andrew Nash, Adam Rockhill, Kevin Romero, Charalambos Rommo, Andrew Rozell, David Sanders, Joseph Settles, Gordon Sheals, Ian Shirey, Keith Sternberg, Jennifer Witschger, Daniel Woodard, Dennis Woodlief, and Forrest Zetterberg.

Gone West

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

We extend our deepest sympathies to the loved ones of these pilots, whose deaths we learned of last month: Larry Ray, 80, on Feb. 13; John Roach, 72, on April 21; Tam Brogdon, 60, on May 1; Cliff Bizek, 90, on June 1; Dale Calender, 74, on June 6; Joe Mason, 94, on June 13; Don Waggoner, 84, on June 14; Terry Norman, 84, on June 16; John Shaw, 89, on June 22; Jim Drasal, 85, on June 29; Ron Devos, 85, on July 2; Bob Gregor, 84, on July 4; Denny Joyce, 91, on July 4; Gary Anderson, 83, on July 7; Ron Such, 86, on July 7; Terry Mestas, 74, on July 11; Robert “Monty” Montgomery, 89, on July 19; Matt Kelch, 86, on July 21; Mike Hennessy, 67, on July 26; and Rich Hansen, 55, on July 28.

Pilot Pipeline Hasn’t Been Properly Maintained

This week, USA Today published an article headlined “Empty cockpits, canceled flights, crowded airports: Congress tackles the pilot shortage.” Some members of Congress want to increase the number of airline pilots by raising the retirement age and/or lowering training standards, but the article notes that APA, ALPA, and SWAPA are all opposed to both proposals.

“There’s pilots out there; they’re just not getting through the pipeline quick enough,” APA Communications Committee Chair CA Dennis Tajer told USA Today, adding that the pipeline problem starts in the cradle and ends in the cockpit. “This is what happens when you don’t tend to the pipeline, and then you turn on the faucet and expect to have a good flow, and there’s only a trickle coming out.”

Domicile Events

Get more details about these upcoming events at AlliedPilots.org/Calendar:

• DFW: Family Awareness event at TopGolf in Austin on Aug. 8
• LAX: Concourse Conversations on Aug. 17
• LGA: New York Mets game on Sept. 2

Week in Review

The following messages were sent since last week’s News Digest was published.

• Secretary-Treasurer: How to Find Your Unique Identifier
• Secretary-Treasurer: Tentative Agreement 2.0 Ratification Vote
• Negotiating Committee: 2023 Tentative Agreement Version 2.0 Update
• Membership Committee: Voting After Probation Ends
• Information Hotline: APA Board of Directors Convenes at HQ
• Information Hotline: APA Board of Directors Approves TA 2.0
• Information Hotline: APA Board of Directors Adjourns Meeting
• Multiple committees: Managing Stress in Stressful Times

Are You Willing to Serve?

Each of these national committees or subcommittees has the indicated number of vacancies:

• Aeromedical Committee (1)
  • Critical Incident Response Program (1)
  • Disabled Pilot Awareness Subcommittee (3)
  • Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (3)
  • Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
  • Project Wingman Subcommittee (3)
• Captain’s Authority Committee (5)
• Communications Committee (0)
  • National Communications Network (6)
• Compass Project (5)
• Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1)
• Jumpseat/Non-Rev Committee (2)
• Professional Standards Committee (1)
• Retirement & Benefits Committee (2)
• Safety Committee (0)
  • Environmental Sustainability in Aviation Subcommittee (2)
• Scheduling Committee (7)
• Training Committee (1)
  • Checkmate (1 on 777 and 1 on 320)

If you would like to serve on one or more of these committees, visit the Member Engagement Portal.

Professional Standards FAQs

How long are terms for committee members?
There is no set term. Due to the length of time it takes to train and release a volunteer to handle cases individually, we encourage a minimum one-year commitment. The average longevity is seven years; some have volunteered for more than 25 years.

To read all of the FAQs, click here.

Professional Standards’ 24/7 hotline: 817-402-2181

If You’re 50, Join The Grey Eagles

Are you a pilot for American Airlines, at least age 50, active or retired? Please join The Grey Eagles for food, fun, and fellowship. We offer cruises, conventions, monthly luncheons, retirement dinners, professional mentoring, and assistance to surviving spouses – all for a one-time lifetime fee.

Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars

Future & Active Pilot Advisors’ next Pilot Job Fair and Future Pilot Seminar are scheduled for Aug. 19 at IAD. Click here for more information.

Industry News

For more about what’s happening in the industry, be sure to visit the Industry News page on AlliedPilots.org.