APA News Digest

Aug. 9, 2024

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In This Edition ...

APA Pilot App: Statistics for July 2024

This is a new message from the APA IT Steering Committee.

For the month of July, 15,851 pilots utilized the APA Pilot app and the convenient features it provides, with a record 5.2 million My Open Time Alerts sent to 7,063 pilots. During the last 18 months, the APA IT Department has rolled out successive updates and new features based on member feedback and requests. Recently, these have included a new Robocall, Calendar Sync, Commute Info, and an improved My Open Time alerts. With each new rollout, the membership has responded with positive feedback and follow-on requests for further capabilities. The APA IT Department is hard at work with ongoing development, focusing on the continual improvement of these applications.

Looking ahead, here’s a preview of some of the features we will bring online in the coming months:

  • Trips Marketplace. Ability to pilot to pilot drop, advertise shared and last live leg sequences in one convenient application.
  • Logbook. New and updated logbook integrated into the APA Pilot app.
  • Sequence History. One stop to find every change to your sequence HSS/HI3, so pilots will be able to readily reference what their sequence looked like at any point in time.
  • Calendar Sync. Include RAP, DFP and other calendar events for syncing.

The APA IT Department, in conjunction with the IT Steering and Operational Analysis Committees, has continued to improve and develop products that pilots have requested. We value all membership feedback — please provide yours via the APA Pilot app, main menu, select feedback. The APA IT Development team will respond promptly.

APA Contract Minute – Expenses Away From Base

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

CA Saxer is back with a new APA Contract Minute. In this edition, he discusses Section 7.A, which provides pilots who are scheduled, rescheduled, or reassigned to a sit period in excess of more than four hours lodging at a short-layover hotel.

APA Medical Minute – FAA Standards for Blood Pressure and Hypertension Medications

In the latest edition of the APA Medical Minute, APA Medical Advisor Cassie Bien addresses the FAA’s standards for blood pressure and hypertension medications.

YOUnion 401 Retirement Preparation Seminar

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

Intended to help retiring pilots understand their AA & APA Benefits and Programs. This a joint AA & APA collaboration and is not an all-inclusive, comprehensive class, but an exposure to the benefits so you can properly prepare for retirement and ask questions. We have got a lot to cover, please plan on a 90-minute session, and sign up now! 

  • For - Pilots within 15 years of retirement
  • From - AA & APA SMEs on the topic of retirement
  • When - Wednesday, Aug. 14, 1100 Central
  • How - Via Zoom Webinar

Register in advance via the link below:
https://alliedpilots-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bfkfzJKyTkyt_ZqNPOIWeA#/registration

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Send your feedback to YOUnion@alliedpilots.org

Non-Contracted Hotels

This message from the APA Hotel Committee was originally published on March 1, 2024.

When there is no APA Hotel Webpage for your assigned hotel, it is a good indicator that you are staying at a non-contracted hotel. We create a webpage for a new hotel once AA has signed a contract with the hotel and an official CCI announcement has been made. If there is no webpage, then APA and AA, most likely, have not vetted this hotel. We see this often in our pop-up and overflow markets, in IROPs situations, and with off-schedule flights, as our contracted hotels may not have availability to accommodate additional rooms. We also see this during relocations, which can happen for a myriad of reasons.

Can the company put you at a non-contracted hotel in these situations? Yes. Should you be concerned if you are at a non-contracted hotel? Not necessarily. Often these hotels are very good, but sometimes they are not. One of the concerns the Hotel Committee has with non-contracted hotels (and the source of many Hotel Debriefs on these properties) is that the hotel may not understand crew. When AA signs a contract with a hotel, the market specialist coaches the hotel on how to handle crew. Additionally, this occurs when we conduct a site review. There are many nuances for hotels to plan for when accommodating crew, like room placement and abnormal check-in/checkout times.

When you check in to a non-contracted hotel, we recommend you take more caution. Is there a quieter side of the hotel you can request? Request a non-adjoining room if this is important to you. Do they have a late checkout annotated properly if your show time is after the hotel’s normal checkout? Please also understand that there will most likely not be a negotiated discount.

Just like a layover at a contracted hotel, you can contact the Hotel/Limo Desk and/or the Duty Pilot to be relocated if you have issues. If you are unable to solve a problem, sometimes a quick call from the Hotel/Limo Desk to the hotel can help. Please debrief issues at non-contracted hotels so we can have AA look into the root cause of the issue or poor selection of the hotel. Sometimes we ask the company to move these hotels to a “do not use” list after receiving your debriefs.

“The Safety Culture Needs a Lot of Work”

The National Transportation Safety Board conducted a two-day hearing this week in Washington, D.C. regarding the Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines midflight door plug blowout and broader concerns about the state of Boeing’s manufacturing and quality control. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said “the safety culture needs a lot of work. It is not there from the evidence itself. There’s not a lot of trust.”

In a News Nation interview, APA Communications Committee member CA Dennis Tajer — who attended the hearing — characterized the situation at Boeing as “a human factors nightmare.”

National Aviation Week at the 9/11 Memorial

During National Aviation Week from August 19-25, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York is inviting active and retired flight crewmembers, passenger service members, and their guests to visit for free during regular operating hours. You may reserve tickets using this link: www.911memorial.org/aviationweek

Please print your ticket before you visit. Once you arrive, you will be asked to present your flight crew credentials. The Memorial is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern, and the Museum is open Wednesdays through Mondays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Last entry to the Museum is at 5:30 p.m.

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.

The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance

The debate is as old as physical competition. Are stars like Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Serena Williams genetic outliers put on Earth to dominate their respective sports? Or are they simply normal people who overcame their biological limits through sheer force of will and obsessive training?

In this controversial and engaging exploration of athletic success and the so-called 10,000-hour rule, David Epstein tackles the great nature vs. nurture debate a how far science has come in solving it. Through on-the-ground reporting from below the equator and above the Arctic Circle, revealing conversations with leading scientists and Olympic champions, and interviews with athletes who have rare genetic mutations or physical traits, Epstein forces us to rethink the nature of athleticism.

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.

  • Since July 7, A319 aircraft 738 has been written up for a right engine start fault 13 times and out of service eight times. It was last signed off on August 8 and is currently restricted to AA maintenance stations only.
  • Since April 4, A319 aircraft 769 has been written up for vibration issues 19 times and out of service 17 times for a total OTS time of more than 1,400 hours (two months). During this time, it has operated under an SFP (Special Flight Permit) to maintenance bases three times and has accomplished six Functional Check Flights (FCFs). It remains out of service and is restricted to AA maintenance stations only.

APA Welcomes Leadership Class

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

Click the image for a closer look.

On August 7, 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: Gregory Allen, Micholas Charnas, Justin Chase, William Cordoba Arenas, Andreas Demiris, Jose Garza Jr., William Green, Robert Habisreitinger, William Hewlett, Mitchell Lucas, Brian Martin, Andenet Mekonnen, James Nunley, David Schmarr, Andres Serrano, Michael Tsegai, Derek Turner, and Robert Tyson.

Congratulations to Newly Upgraded Captains

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

We would like to recognize and congratulate the following pilots who upgraded to captain in August. They are listed by their post-upgrade base and equipment.

CLT 737: Scott Adams, John Gorman III, David Huddler, Christopher Oerter, Konstantin Shevnin, Michael Valdes

DCA 737: Craig Maternowski

DCA 320: Timothy Buchanan

DFW 777: William Green

DFW 787: Mark Anderson, Mark Branstrom, Todd Fieser

DFW 737: Alexander Averhart, Christopher Davidson, Gregory DeBourge, Joseph Elredy, Justin Fishman, David Grojean, Mahmood Enawe, Rochell Roache-Lanza, David Leedom, Jesse McGough, Julien Riegel, David Schmarr, Michael Stock, Luis Zelaya

DFW 320: Matthew Cliver, Bradley Zimmerman

LAX 737: Patrick McBride

LGA 737: Anthony Bevilacqua

LGA 320: Derek Turner

MIA 777: Jeffrey Wegner

MIA 787: Christopher Archibald

MIA 737: Ernesto Cintado, Michael Ghannoum, Todd Holbrook, Stanley Kendra, Joshua Kratz, Fabrice Malary, Andenet Mekonnen, Maci Minor, Bo Praestegaard, Andres Serrano, Ryan Skubik, Armia Yacoub

MIA 320: Terry Armstrong Jr.

ORD 737: Jonathan Hudik, Brandon Turner, Andrew Yergler Spencer

PHL 737: Christopher Humphries

PHX 320: Todd Murphey, Erik Whitt

Domicile Events

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

Domicile Elections

Pilots based at CLT, LGA, and MIA will elect a Chair and Vice Chair to represent each domicile for three-year terms that will begin on Nov. 1.

These candidates’ resumes were emailed (and posted on the Elections page on AlliedPilots.org) on Aug. 6:

CLT Chair
CA Heather Ducimo Boulanger
CA Erik DeWinne
CA Casey Granger

CLT Vice Chair
CA Casey Granger
FO Hickory Ham
CA Michael Pfeifer
FO Tammy Smart

LGA Chair
CA Jeff Kerr
CA Mark Lokey

LGA Vice Chair
CA David Hines
CA Michael Phelan
CA Sam Pool
CA James Scanlan

MIA Chair
CA Thomas Copeland
CA Andrew Weingram
CA Jay Wilhelm

MIA Vice Chair
CA Scott Craig
FO Jamie Funderburk
FO Steven Mann
CA Ken Wells
CA Anne Witcher

When there are four or more candidates for a domicile position, the APA Constitution and Bylaws calls for a Nomination Round that winnows the field to three. The Nomination Round voting period opened from 0000 Central on Aug. 7 and remains open until 0001 Central on Aug. 29. The deadline for receipt of mailed paper ballots is 1000 Central on Aug. 29.

For more information, visit the Elections page on AlliedPilots.org.

Week in Review

Here are some 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 (1)
    • Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
    • Project Wingman Subcommittee (3)
  • Captain’s Authority Committee (2)
  • Communications Committee (0)
    • National Communications Network (2)
  • Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1)
  • Scheduling Committee (7)
  • Training Committee (4)
    • 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

Will Professional Standards handle issues with Crew Schedule/Crew tracking?
Absolutely! As you should be well aware, every call to Crew Schedule/Crew Tracking (CS/CT) is recorded from the time you are connected until you hang up – even when you are on hold. While cases with CS/CT are rare, they do occur. There is a protocol for handling issues that arise with our colleagues in CT/CS: conversations are reviewed jointly by Professional Standards and the CS/CT manager for resolution.

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. 23 at IAD followed by Sept. 20 at TPA. 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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