APA News Digest

June 13, 2025

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

In This Edition ...

We Mourn All Lost in Air India Flight 171 Tragedy


APA mourns the loss of life in the accident involving Air India Flight 171 and extends its deepest condolences to all concerned. We stand ready to assist in the investigation into the cause of the crash.

The APA Aeromedical Committee’s Critical Incident Response Program, Project Wingman, and Sudden Grief Response Program volunteers are here for you. Please reach out if you or someone you know needs assistance: 848-APA-CREW.

Mark Your Calendars: National Telephone Town Hall Meeting on June 17

The APA Communications Committee sent the following message to all members today.

APA President FO Nick Silva will host a national town hall meeting on Tuesday, June 17, beginning at 1600 Central. The town hall will feature updates from the Joint Implementation Action Committee, Negotiating Committee, and Scheduling Committee, and subject-matter experts from other APA committees will also be on hand. Click here to register to connect via Zoom. While registration is not required, doing so in advance will provide you with a link to the meeting and call-in numbers, and you will receive reminders prior to the meeting’s start.

The town hall will include a question-and-answer session with participating pilots, with priority given to questions submitted in advance. Email townhall@alliedpilots.org to submit your questions in advance. Deadline for receipt of questions is 1200 Central on Tuesday, June 17. For those unable to participate live, we will upload a recording of the town hall to AlliedPilots.org/Videos after it concludes.

Shortly before the town hall begins, all members in good standing will receive a call from Telephone Town Hall Meeting, the vendor that assists APA with its town halls. The phone number that will appear in your caller ID is 817-302-2171. We encourage you to add this number to your contacts so you recognize the caller. For members who do not answer this call or do not participate via Zoom, you may also connect by dialing 855-269-4484 or by clicking a link on the AlliedPilots.org member home page.

To recap, you will have four different ways to connect: via Zoom, by answering the call from Telephone Town Hall Meeting, by dialing 855-269-4484, or by clicking a link on the AlliedPilots.org member home page. If you wish to ask a question during the meeting, you must be connected via Zoom.

We look forward to updating you and providing answers to your questions.

APA Board of Directors to Convene Special Meeting on June 18-20

The APA Communications Committee sent the following message to all members on Wednesday.

In accordance with the motion the APA Board of Directors approved on May 9 at the close of its regularly scheduled spring meeting, APA President FO Nick Silva has scheduled a special board of directors meeting for June 18-20 at APA headquarters in Fort Worth. As reflected in the agenda, the purpose of this meeting is to elect the members of the APA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee and provide initial tasking.

The Board established the committee with its approval of R2025-05 Rev 5, “APA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee.” Among the resolution’s stipulations: “[The] APA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee shall be comprised of a minimum of three and a maximum of five members. … The APA President shall be an ex-officio voting member of the committee.”

The Board’s motion directed the collection of resumes from members in good standing wishing to serve on the committee. Twenty-three members submitted their resumes for consideration, and interviews took place on June 2-11.

We will provide daily APA Information Hotline updates and summaries of all main motions and resolutions the Board considers during its meeting next week.

We thank each member who expressed a willingness to serve on the APA-ALPA Merger Negotiation Committee. Membership engagement is a vital element in our pilot group’s collective success.

Exercise Caution During Layovers

This is a new message from the APA Hotel and Security Committees.

In light of recent world events, and increased planned and unplanned “spontaneous” protests, we recommend that judgment be exercised when venturing out of your hotels on layovers. As protests can turn violent quickly, it is recommended to avoid any public congregations and be very aware of your surroundings. Consider sending a Pilot Security Report found in Comply 365-Flight Ops if you encounter any serious security issues, a Security Debrief for more routine security issues, or a Hotel Debrief for anything hotel-specific.

Pilots and Controllers Discuss Challenges at LGA

This is a new message from the APA Safety Committee.

This week, members of the APA Air Traffic and Procedures Subcommittee met with LGA air traffic controllers, a local APA safety representative, and an analyst with American Airlines’ technical data group. This meeting was part of an ongoing outreach program between APA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

The objective of these meetings is to enhance the safe and efficient operations of American Airlines aircraft. The discussions are controller-centered, fostering open discussions about safety threats and procedural challenges at each airport or facility.

five men and one woman in a conference room

The individuals in the photograph are (from left):

  • FO Ric Babcock, member of the APA Air Traffic and Procedures Subcommittee
  • CA Drew Watkins, member of the APA Air Traffic and Procedures Subcommittee
  • CA Steven Lipstraw, Deputy Chair of the LGA Safety Committee
  • Jennifer Schrader, a senior LOSA/LIT analyst for American
  • Ray Dahlstrom, LGA Facility Representative for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association
  • Jim Hayden, an air traffic control manager at LGA

APA, in collaboration with American, has produced a series of videos demonstrating the pilot workload during various maneuvers in the terminal area. These videos aim to “bring the cockpit to the controller.” Additionally, APA has developed a data collection tool for surveying controllers. This data is anonymized and used to enhance the Safety Management System (SMS) at American.

APA Safety is continuously working to innovate, enhance, and improve safety for our pilots and all users of the national airspace system.

Safety Forum Addressed Mental Health

This is a new message from the APA Aeromedical Committee.

two pilots in suits

APA Aeromedical Committee Chair CA Rondeau Flynn and Deputy Chair FO Peter Gillespie, who oversees the Project Wingman Subcommittee, were in Brussels last week to speak at the Safety Forum at Eurocontrol’s headquarters. Organized by the Flight Safety Foundation, the forum focused on examining mental health, well-being, fatigue, and workload management as essential factors in maintaining resilience in aviation. CA Flynn and FO Gillespie discussed APA’s “system of systems” approach to mental health, which includes both peer support and professional support for our members.

New Resources Created for A Plan Participants

This is a new message from the APA Retirement and Benefits Committee.

Fidelity has created a Pilot Pension Observations and Questions document to address concerns regarding the Legacy AA A Plan. Meanwhile, American Airlines has prepared a Pilot Pension Basic Accumulation presentation that explains how A Plan participants can estimate and calculate their payment options. Both of these resources can be found in the A Plan folder on our committee’s page on AlliedPilots.org.

Make Plans to Join Us at Oshkosh

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

a group of pilots in matching Hawaiian shirts

Click the image for a closer look.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the world’s largest aviation gathering, is scheduled for July 21-27. APA’s Family Awareness Committee will host gatherings on a daily basis. If you plan to attend any of these dinners or happy hours, please let us know via the RSVP links at AlliedPilots.org/Calendar.

(To see the Family Awareness events, you may need to adjust your preferences by clicking the gear icon at the top of the calendar. However, we have included direct links to each event below.)

Volunteers needed! If you are interested in volunteering a few hours from 1600 to 2000, we will reward you for your efforts:

  • If you agree to volunteer for one night, you will get a one-day pass to the airshow.
  • If you agree to volunteer for three or more nights, you will get a weeklong pass to the airshow.

If you are interested, please contact CA Jerry Gemma via jgemma@alliedpilots.org or 561-703-2219.

APA Welcomes Leadership Class

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

a group of pilots in a lobby

Click the image for a closer look.

On June 11, 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: James Brown III, Eric Carlson, Bryce Debban, Anthony Devita, Robert Hart, Jon Kaskela, Michael McConnell, Joseph Walters, and Scott Wasulko.

Medical Advisors Attend Scientific Meeting

Four women and one man posing for a photo

A few of APA’s Medical Advisors attended the Aerospace Medical Association’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta last week, when they were updated on the latest medical and scientific advancements from around the world. Cassie Bien (right), Kathy Parr, and Tina Smith are pictured with Dr. Emara Noha, a physician from Egypt, and Dr. Scott Rossow, a former Deputy Regional Flight Surgeon with the FAA. APA’s Medical Advisors strive to stay on top of the most current information so they can continue to provide our pilots with the best advice possible.

APA Medical Minute – Kidney Stones

In this encore edition of the APA Medical Minute, APA Medical Advisor Christopher Ryan provides guidance regarding kidney stones.

You can watch previous Medical Minute videos on APA’s YouTube channel.

Domicile Elections

Pilots’ names can be submitted for nomination in this year’s PHL and PHX domicile elections until 0900 Central on July 1. Here’s how many pilots were officially seeking nomination for each position as of 1200 Central today:

  • PHL Chair: 0
  • PHL Vice Chair: 1
  • PHX Chair: 1
  • PHX Vice Chair: 3

PHL pilots will elect a Chair and Vice Chair to represent their domicile for a three-year term beginning on Nov. 1, while PHX pilots will elect a Chair and Vice Chair to represent their domicile for a one-year term starting on the same date. This is in accordance with the realignment of APA election cycles, as stipulated by R2024-12 Rev 1, “BOD Term Length and Limits,” and R2025-02 Rev 1, “Election Category Modifications.”

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

Domicile Events

During the LAX Retirement Dinner on June 7, CA Ken Wuttke, CA Tom Harwood, CA Kevin McGlynn, and CA Wayne Cassingham received certificates of appreciation for their local union work. They are pictured with CA Ed Cook (Western Area Director for the Grey Eagles) and LAX Domicile Vice Chair CA Tim Dick.

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

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 Motivational Study Subcommittee (1)
    • Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
  • Captain’s Authority Committee (2)
  • Communications Committee (0)
    • National Communications Network (2)
  • Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1)
  • Retirement and Benefits Committee (1)*
  • Training Committee (0)
    • Checkmate (1 on 777)

* Seeking volunteer with financial services experience and possible AIF®, CFP®, or related designations.

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

Professional Standards FAQs

What is the process for handling issues that occur repeatedly?
As human beings, it is expected that behavior changes slowly and, as such, some pilots will always behave as their personality dictates. The Professional Standards process should not be expected to “change” a personality, but more thought of as an opportunity to share how a certain behavior affects peers and colleagues. There will also be the possibility of an employee exhibiting the same behavior because they have yet to be informed there is a different expectation. If an issue has been referred to a committee member, and an employee exhibits the same issue, please be patient and give the committee the opportunity to re-address the issue. As a submitter, if you are concerned, you have the option of updating the committee volunteer on observed progress. If at any time you are concerned with the time needed to process any submission, contact any national deputy or your elected Domicile Officers.

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. Our next cruise, a nine-night excursion across the southern Caribbean, launches Oct. 9.

Pilot Job Fair and Future Pilot Seminar

The Future & Active Pilot Alliance’s next Pilot Job Fair and Future Pilot Seminar are scheduled for July 11 and 12 at DEN. 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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