May 2018 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: » Human Trafficking » Sleep Apnea » Brexit Update Air page 50 page 58 page 47 Line PilOt Official Journal of the Air Line Pilots Association, International ALPA-PAC ROLL OF THE DISTINCTION PILOT- page 29 PARTISAN AGENDA 7th Edition page 18 ALPA INSPIRES AT WOMEN PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. IN AVIATION CONFERENCE page 48 TWITTER FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM twitter.com/wearealpa facebook.com/WeAreALPA instagram.com/we_are_alpa ■ ■ ■ MAY 2018 Contents VOLUME 87, NUMBER 4 COMMENTARY 5 OUR UNION THE PILOT-PARTISIAN AGENDA ALPA-PAC Rules, What Rules? WE NEED A STRONG ALPA-PAC TO PROTECT OUR CAREERS! 6 GUEST COMMENTARY Members of Congress fly thousands of miles each Safety Front and Center year on our aircraft to and from Washington, D.C. alpa-pac helps us 7 GUEST COMMENTARY But not all of them know about the issues that guide, educate, build Fair and Balanced Labour affect our careers. relationships, and inform the decision- Relations makers who control our ABOUT THE COVER industry. From left, F/Os Brendan Cantwell PILOT-PARTISAN (Delta), Alex Cole (United), and Jack AGENDA Lux (FedEx Express) visit Members of ns in Congress c Congress to promote ALPA’s pro-pilot PILOTS mpio an’t a r priorities. Photo by Chris Weaver. ch et Flying Above n ai 18 sa n ti th the Noise r e AIR LINE PILOT (ISSN 0002-242X) IS PUB- pa ir - s LISHED MONTHLY EXCEPT FOR COMBINED t e o a JANUARY/FEBRUARY AND JUNE/JULY ISSUES il t FAA Reauthorization and 19 p s BY THE AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, r f Advancing ALPA’s Pilot- u o INTER NATIONAL, AFFILIATED WITH AFL-CIO, o r e e the PAC CLC. EDITORIAL OFFICES: 535 HERNDON v Partisan Agenda c helps us identify e PARKWAY, HERNDON, VA 20170. TELEPHONE: n r i our next champions , S before they land 703-481-4460. FAX: 703-464-2114. Aviation Security and in Congress. COPYRIGHT © 2018―AIR LINE PILOTS 21 ASSOCIATION, INTER NATIONAL, ALL RIGHTS Undeclared Hazardous RESERVED. PUBLICA TION IN ANY FORM Materials: Congress Takes ALPA-PAC allows us to plan for our future. WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. AIR The more robust our PAC, the better we’re able to fill Congress with LINE PILOT AND THE ALPA LOGO REG. U.S. PAT. Action on ALPA Priorities pilot-partisan champions who’ll support our priorities. AND T.M. OFFICE. FEDERAL I.D. 36-0710830. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT HERNDON, VA International 20170 AND ADDITIONAL OFFICES. 22 Postmaster: Send address changes to Air Hot-Topic Issues BACK THE PAC! Line Pilot, 535 Herndon Parkway, Herndon, VISIT WWW.ALPAPAC.ORG TO LEARN MORE. VA 20170. Disclaimer: The descriptions of the Air Line Pilots Association PAC are not a solicitation to contribute to the PAC. Only ALPA members, ALPA executives, senior administrative and professional staff personnel, and their immediate family members First Offi cer Qualifi cation living in the same household are eligible to contribute to ALPA-PAC. ALPA-PAC maintains and enforces a policy of refusing to accept contributions from any other source. ALPA members may learn more about ALPA-PAC and about contributing Canadian Publications Mail Agreement 23 to ALPA-PAC by entering the members-only portion of www.alpa.org. #40620579 Regulations Must Not 28 » Air Line Pilot May 2018 Canada Post: Return undeliverables to P.O. Be Eroded Box 2601, 6915 Dixie Rd, Mississauga, ON L4T 0A9. 25 From Atop 28 Parliament Hill 27 Want to Be a Pilot- DEPARTMENTS Partisan District Advocate? Here’s How. 9 PREFLIGHT 28 We Need a Strong ALPA-PAC to Protect Our 52 ALPA@WORK Careers! ASO Security Council Meets, Receives Updates; 29 2017 ALPA-PAC HIMS Seminar Draws Roll of Distinction Record Attendance; ALPA Conducts First- FEATURES Ever Veterans Aff airs 48 Seminar; Jumpseat 47 U.S. Workers Heading Council Receives for an Emergency Briefi ngs, Discusses 58 HEALTH WATCH 60 THE LANDING Brexit Row? Upcoming Air Safety Could Sleep Apnea Be Legacies of ALPA Forum; Maintaining Keeping You Awake at Champions ALPA Shines at 2018 48 the Standards of the Night? International Women Profession 62 WE ARE ALPA in Aviation Conference 59 OUR STORIES ALPA Resources and 50 Slavery in the 57 GLOBAL VIEW Every Service Member Contact Numbers 21st Century World’s Pilots Join Forces Has Unique Story to Tell May 2018 Air Line Pilot » 3 Pilots, Not Politics ALPA-PAC fl ies above the partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., because our safety, security, and careers are more important than party politics. Photo courtesy of Dave Dildine and WTOP Dave of courtesy Photo Support the PAC. Protect pilots. www.alpapac.org Disclaimer: The descriptions of the Air Line Pilots Association PAC are not a solicitation to contribute to the PAC. Only ALPA members, ALPA executives, senior administrative and professional staff personnel, and their immedi- ate family members living in the same household are eligible to contribute to ALPA-PAC. ALPA-PAC maintains and enforces a policy of refusing to accept contributions from any other source. ALPA members may learn more about ALPA-PAC and about contributing to ALPA-PAC by entering the members-only portion of www.alpa.org. Our Union Pilots, Not Politics ALPA-PAC fl ies above the partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C., because our Rules, What Rules? safety, security, and careers “ lay ball!” When the umpire’s call rang out on attempts to weaken first officer training and expe- are more important than party politics. the first day of the 2018 baseball season, the rience requirements. Moreover, the House version P sound carried both the promise and expecta- enhances the safe transport of lithium batteries, tion of competition. Every year, players and fans re- improves voluntary safety report acceptance, and spect that the umpire knows the rules and holds an requires secondary cockpit barriers on new pas- “almost religious respect for a level playing field,” as senger airliners. It also protects fair competition by noted in a recent article in The New York Times. preventing airlines with flag-of-convenience busi- Whether a Braves or Blue Jays fan, you know that ness models from serving the United States in the an umpire making the “big call” and enforcing the future (see page 19). However, we oppose Section rules is essential. Without “teeth,” it’s too easy for 744, a provision that promotes single-operator com- players to ask, “rules, what rules?” This situation is mercial cargo aircraft and threatens the safety of clearly in play for the government of Qatar and its our skies. ALPA will remain engaged as the Senate subsidizing of its state-owned airline that violates now takes up the reauthorization. its Open Skies agreement with the United States. Collective bargaining agreements also create a Earlier this year, the Trump administration rulebook. ALPA has recently made progress with took steps to protect fair competition and defend strong agreements at Air Transport International American jobs. In a nonbinding agreement with and Calm Air (see page 11). Air Wisconsin pilots just Qatar, the U.S. government secured important reached a tentative agreement with management pledges to further transparency and to not engage after seven years of negotiations (see page 11). in Fifth Freedom flying from Europe to the United WestJet pilots are in negotiations that will set their States. While encouraging, ALPA is watching to see course for years to come (see page 12). JetBlue pilots whether Qatar delivers. The Trump administration continue to make progress toward an agreement now must enforce the U.S. Open Skies agreement but are frustrated at the more than three years with the United Arab Emirates to end its similar it’s taken and will not tolerate further delay. And subsidies. I recently sent a letter to the National Mediation Enforcing the rules is essential, but equally Board requesting a proffer for the Frontier pilots important are their quality and effectiveness. As (see page 11). This is the first step in what will lead regulators, lawmakers, and policy makers create to a release to self-help if Frontier management and uphold the rules that govern the airline indus- continues to seek a below-market agreement. Nine try, ALPA engages to ensure they understand airline of our 34 pilot groups currently are at the negotiat- pilots’ perspectives and how the rules affect flight ing table for a new agreement, and the full power of operations. our union is behind these pilot groups as they press Following the recent Southwest Flight 1380 for fair contracts. accident, ALPA urged exercising caution before Anyone who has ever watched a game recognizes speculating about its cause. We emphasized that the that baseball players pass along a legacy to the next Photo courtesy of Dave Dildine and WTOP Dave of courtesy Photo sole focus must be on allowing the NTSB to conduct generation. ALPA also takes seriously its respon- a full investigation with the goal of preventing a sibility to encourage the next generation of union similar accident in the future (see page 10). volunteers and aviators. Our commitment is clear With the same goal in mind, when four fatal air- as we back the Promoting Women in the Aviation Support the PAC. line accidents occurred in the United States in the Workforce Act, our Education Committee strategiz- six years before 2010, Congress acted to make flying es for 2019, and we create opportunities for ALPA safer by passing the Airline Safety and FAA Exten- pilots to refine skills and get involved, such as the sion Act of 2010. At lawmakers’ direction, the FAA 6th annual Legislative Summit. Protect pilots. reviewed the four accidents and others and found At ALPA, we work from our union’s rulebook— shortcomings in pilot qualifications and training.