APA News Digest

April 5, 2024

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In This Edition ...

APA’s Future: Listening to YOU

Last month, APA volunteers and elected officials were in terminals nationwide, talking with pilots and gathering feedback. These were not isolated events. APA volunteers will continue to engage in Concourse Conversations across the system each month through the end of the year. You need timely information, you deserve transparency, and you need to be able to voice your concerns – and know that your union is listening and values your input.

Now it’s time to highlight an important change for your union: The latest version of APA’s Strategic Plan is based on what we’ve heard from our members. The Strategic Plan is designed to codify APA priorities from year to year, integrate committee actions to make APA more efficient, and even help with resource allocation decisions – all to increase the value your union provides.

Although the Strategic Plan has been revised, its overall goal remains the same – to establish American Airlines pilots as recognized leaders in U.S. commercial aviation. This requires aligning the union and the pilot group in a common direction with a shared sense of purpose, as well as establishing APA pilots as leaders and stewards of aviation as we shape the future of the industry. As the union representing the pilots of the world’s largest airline, APA should serve as a benchmark for best practices, guiding principles, and operational standards.

Based on industry analysis and a deep dive into our own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, the plan focuses on four primary areas:

  • Organizational Structure – Grow into an adaptive, collaborative organization.
  • Pilot Engagement and Support – Foster unity and solidarity within the pilot group.
  • Professional Development – Develop standard-setting leaders, volunteers, and pilots.
  • Influence Aviation Industry – Serve as primary advocates and consensus builders.

We will address each of these areas and their defined objectives in future membership updates as we walk you through the revised Strategic Plan, and our National Communications Network volunteers will have additional information on each element of the plan during Concourse Conversations.

In the coming weeks, please continue to send us your SoundOffs, provide your feedback to NCN volunteers in the terminals, and engage your domicile representatives. Your voice is our future.

“A More Transparent and Responsive Union”

LGA Domicile Chair CA Lawrence Cutler and DFW Domicile Vice Chair FO Jason Gustin are members of the Board Steering Committee. In this short video, they talk about how your elected representatives are working to improve APA where meaningful change can be made while continuing to do what the union does well.

As a reminder, the APA Board of Directors will convene at union headquarters in Fort Worth for its regularly scheduled spring meeting on April 15. The agenda will include a 60-minute Membership & Guest hour on the first day. Click here for more details.

FAA’s Mental Health Committee Recommends Changes

In December, the FAA chartered the Mental Health & Aviation Medical Clearances Aviation Rulemaking Committee to discuss the barriers preventing pilots and air traffic controllers from reporting and seeking care for mental health issues. APA Aeromedical Committee Chair CA Rondeau Flynn represented the Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations on the rulemaking committee, which issued its recommendations on Monday. Among the recommendations:

  • Create a non-punitive pathway for disclosing mental health conditions and treatments.
  • Ensure that aeromedical screening protocols and requirements are based on Safety Management System principles (i.e., proportionate, relevant, and risk-based) and appropriately communicated to applicants.
  • Expand the use and promotion of peer support programs, such as Project Wingman.
  • Increase mental health training and improve quality assurance for aviation medical examiners.
  • Modernize the FAA's information management system.

If you or someone you know needs help in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach a fellow pilot at Project Wingman by dialing 848-APA-CREW, option 1.

Duckworth Calls on FAA to Investigate Boeing

Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois wants the FAA to take a closer look at how it responds to what she says is a pattern by Boeing of failing to disclose 737 MAX features to pilots.

This week, the chair of the Senate’s Aviation Safety, Operations, and Innovation Subcommittee sent a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, calling on him to investigate why Alaska Airlines pilots were unaware that the MAX’s flight-deck door was designed to automatically open during a rapid depressurization. That’s what happened during the January flight that lost a door plug at 16,000 feet.

“Boeing’s failure to disclose this feature is chilling given its history of concealing 737 MAX information from pilots,” Sen. Duckworth wrote.

Her letter was the subject of a report by CBS News, which turned to APA spokesman CA Dennis Tajer for your union’s perspective.

“We agree with Senator Duckworth,” he said. “As a fellow pilot, she understands the importance of informing pilots about safety-critical designs and systems. This nondisclosure of the cockpit door design just adds to Boeing’s rap sheet of withholding information from pilots. The FAA has got to stop this bad behavior before tragedy strikes again.”

Sully Highlights Trust Issues with Boeing

Last week, APA spokesman CA Dennis Tajer appeared on CNBC to discuss the impending departure of Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun. CA Tajer said it’s going to take more than another round of musical chairs in Boeing’s C-suite to restore pilots’ trust in the manufacturer.

“What I need to see is an airplane that’s been vetted, engineered, and properly assembled, so that I don’t have to run special checklists in an emergency,” CA Tajer said. “I just do my job and run the normal error trapping.”

CA Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger highlighted the interview this week on his social media channels, where he wrote this: “Pilots and professionals throughout the aviation industry are sounding the alarm about Boeing. We are all counting on Boeing to put people before profits – safety before the bottom line.”

APA Contract Minute: Reassignments

This is a new message from the APA Contract Compliance Committee.

CA Jason Saxer is back with another edition of the APA Contract Minute. This time around, CA Saxer touches on the reassignment premium that is available to all pilots, including reserves.

YOUnion 101 on April 10

This is a new message from the APA Compass Project Committee.

The Compass Project and APA Vice President CA Chris Torres will host a “YOUnion 101” meeting via Zoom at 1100 Central on Wednesday, April 10.

YOUnion 101 is intended to be a “top off” for new hires, to explain the many services APA offers as well as opportunities to become involved in the union.

  • 1100 Central on Wednesday, April 10
  • These Zoom meetings are intended for new pilots, but they include information that benefits all members.
  • The information is presented by subject matter experts from several national committees.

Click here to register for the April 10 meeting.

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.

  • Since March 23, A320 aircraft 123 has been written up five times for the left engine oil pressure. It had five rejected takeoffs in one week. It most recently returned to service on April 3 and is restricted to Class 1 and 2 maintenance stations.
  • Since March 21, the alternate brakes on A320 aircraft 030 have been written up nine times, and it has been out of service seven times. It most recently returned to service on April 4 and is restricted to Class 1 and 2 maintenance stations.
  • UPDATE: Between Jan. 30 and Feb. 6, B737 aircraft 3RF had been written up and out of service three times for speed trim fail. On Feb. 6, it entered an MBV (Main Base Visit) at an MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul). It returned to service on March 6, but a functional check flight was not accomplished. It has since been written up another 12 times and been out of service nine times. At the time of this writing, it remained out of service.

APA Welcomes Captains’ Leadership Class

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

Click the image for a closer look.

On April 3, 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: Kenneth Asbridge III, Rob Blissett, Johannes Bruce, Martin Clarke, David Egner, Roy Frazel III, Mark Giles, Cristian Guardado, Juan Guardado Reyes, Demetrius Ingram, Jaison Joy, Dimitrios Karvounis, Scott Kulifay, Dawn Martinez, Christopher Miller, David Miller, Hector Palos Jasso, Joshua Rainwater, Marco Rincon, Jeremy Ryder, Frank Scelso III, Jonathan Walthers, and Eric Weber.

Domicile Events

Visit AlliedPilots.org/Calendar to RSVP for any of these upcoming domicile events:

  • DCA: Retirement Party on June 29
  • DFW: Pilots For Kids Golf Tournament on May 20; Texas Rangers game on Aug. 6
  • LAX: Family Awareness lunch at MYF on April 9; Family Awareness lunch in Thousand Oaks on April 10; Family Awareness lunch in Dana Point on April 11; Family Awareness event at Camas Airport on April 23; Family Awareness event at Boeing Museum of Flight on April 24; Family Awareness event at Rowland Freedom Center on April 25; Retirement Party on April 27; Family Awareness lunch in Thousand Oaks on May 8; Family Awareness lunch at MYF on May 14
  • LGA: Refinery Rooftop Social on May 18; New York Mets game on Sept. 2
  • MIA: MSY Crawfish Boil on April 6; Air Dot Show Tour at FLL on May 11 and 12
  • ORD: Domicile Meeting on May 1; IMAX Traing on May 1; Contract Compliance Training on May 2; Galt Airport Fly-In and Pancake Breakfast on May 25
  • PHL: Philadelphia Phillies game on June 18

Week in Review

Here are several recent messages you may have missed.

Are You Willing to Serve?

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

  • Aeromedical Committee (0)
    • Disabled Pilot Awareness Subcommittee (3)
    • Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (2)
    • Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
    • Project Wingman Subcommittee (3)
  • Appeal Board (1)
  • Captain’s Authority Committee (2)
  • Communications Committee (0)
    • National Communications Network (7)
  • Flight Time/Duty Time Committee (1)
  • Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1)
  • Scheduling Committee (5)
  • Training Committee (5)
    • Checkmate (1 on 777)

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

Professional Standards FAQs

Is management required to use Professional Standards?
No. Management is not required to use Professional Standards. However, management is encouraged to refer issues that are most appropriately addressed at the peer-to-peer level. Since 2016, management has been regularly utilizing Professional Standards to assist in resolution of cases for every appropriate opportunity.

To read all of the FAQs, click here.

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

Supporting Our Nation’s Veterans

100 Vets Who Give a Damn supports veterans by donating to numerous organizations. The group’s next meeting is Thursday, April 18, beginning at 1800 Central at the C.R. Smith Museum in Fort Worth.

Golf Tournament Funds Scholarships for Female Pilots

The third annual Francesca Norris Memorial Golf Scramble is scheduled for Oct. 25 at Sky Creek Ranch Golf Club in Keller, Texas. This event benefits the Francesca Norris Memorial Scholarship, which awards advanced flight rating scholarships to women who are trying to become airline pilots. Norris, the daughter of retired APA member CA Brian Norris, died at the age of 25 in 2019, when she was serving as a flight instructor on a Piper PA-34 that tried to land at the airport in Gainesville, Texas.

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 April 26 at ATL followed by May 18 at HNL. 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.

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