Trainer Refinery, Delta’S Secret Weapon Tools for Managing Your 401(K)

THE

DELTAWIDGET MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL • ATLANTA, GEORGIA VOLUME 3 • NUMBER 1 • WINTER 2015

The Next Phase of the Negotiating Process Under One Banner C2015 Trainer Refinery, Delta’s Secret Weapon Tools for Managing Your 401(k)

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WIDGETDELTA MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL • ATLANTA, GEORGIA CONTENTS VOLUME 3 • NUMBER 1 • WINTER 2015 MEC REPORTS 3 Chairman’s Report Feature The Next Phase of the 5 Negotiating Process Articles Vice Chairman’s Report 6 Leading the Industry DAL.ALPA.ORG Secretary’s Report Your ONE STOP for 7 Is It Safe? Treasurer’s Report Proud to Serve 8 Executive Vice President’s Report The System Works 10 DAL MEC Communcations COMMITTEE REPORTS 10 Communications Delta Pilots Under One Banner Charitable Fund P TA ILO L T E 12 Negotiating S D

H D The Steps We’re Taking A N R U I F TA BLE 13 Contract Administration 24 Papers, Please . . . 15 Central Air Safety Pace and Procedures 18 Economic & Financial Analysis Economic and Industry Outlook 30 21 Scheduling Trainer Refinery, The MEC Scheduling Committee and the Resources Available to You Delta’s Secret Weapon 22 IT Tools for IT Committee Recommendations Managing Your 23 Strategic Planning Assessing the Tactical Situation 401(k) 24 DPCF DPCF Expands, Spreads Your Generosity 32 27 Government Affairs New Congress, Continuing Calls to Action

WINTER 2015 1 CONTENTS

30 Investor Relations Trainer Refinery, Delta’s Secret Weapon What Do You 32 Retirement & Insurance Mean, I Had a Tools for Managing Your 401(k) Heart Attack? 34 Feature What do You Mean, 34 I Had a Heart Attack? 35 Hotel Membership FLIGHT TIME New Year’s Resolutions for 2015 Committee 37 Training 3,837,488 (TOTAL HOURS) FAQs on STaC Update 38 Membership 38 Average 8,585 Stats on Our New Hires Least 2,300 TOTAL NEW HIRES 41 Code Share Most 25,000 International Scope— 964 Watching It All Come Together “The January 2015 AE/ 45 Surplus is one of the larger The Mainline Trifecta International bids we have posted . . . we are experiencing increasing demand for all mainline 47 Committee Corner Scope— Delta confirms flying, including the 744.” $14 billion order —Andy Hummel GM–Flight Operations 49 DAL MEC Directory Watching It for 50 widebody Crew Resources, January 2, 2015 Airbus, November jets 20, 2014 All Come —Reuters Together Delta strikes pilot deal to keep jobs from, December outsourcing 31, 2014 to Virgin 41 —Bloomberg

ABOUT OUR COVER Photo of the wing of an MD88 enroute from Houston to Atlanta at sunset. Photo credit: JFK MD88 Capt. Chris Nevins

The Widget is an official publication of the Delta MEC. It is intended as a forum for the Delta MEC and its members in good standing in the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l. Opinions, viewpoints, articles, and photographs are actively solicited from the membership. Materials from other than elected officers represent the view of the writer only. Poor taste will not be considered. Letters to the editor are welcomed and should be submitted in writing to the Widget at 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway, Suite 800, Atlanta, GA 30354, or e-mail to [email protected]. No anonymous material will be considered.

2 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

The Next Phase of the Negotiating Process By Captain Mike Donatelli The beginning of 2015 marks the beginning of the next phase of our negotiating process. We will start this year by welcoming some new faces to the Delta MEC and building on the continuous pace of events leading up to the exchange of openers in Contract 2015. Captain Mike Donatelli Delta MEC Chairman I always start our meetings by reminding end, both sides of the table must be willing pilots of the hard facts of why we are here, to reach an agreement, both sides must and what a union is supposed to do. We be empowered to reach an agreement, and elect our union to accomplish three tasks: both sides must have the courage to sign to negotiate contracts, to enforce contracts, an agreement. and to promote our profession. So if the deal is the goal, why are they Since emerging from bankruptcy, we have often so elusive in our line of business? distinguished ourselves by negotiating Sometimes the blame goes to the manage- improvements at every opportunity; we ment side of table, whether it’s a lack of are always open for business, and we have imagination or an inability to negotiate in made solid improvements to our pay, work good faith. Under our bankruptcy man- rules, and job protec- agement in 2005–2006, when we were We elect our union tions without having taken to court, we formed a Strike Com- to wait for an amend- mittee and were determined to strike if to accomplish three tasks: able date to negotiate management took action to negate our them. We’ve been contract and dictate terms. We under- to negotiate contracts, to successful with this stood the dire nature of the management’s rational approach, and position and were willing to be a part of enforce contracts, and to we intend to keep do- the solution—but were determined not ing business this way. to be made the scapegoat. Eventually, and promote our profession. because we were included, we did reach But there is one criti- an agreement. cal difference between all the letters of agreement of the last few years and the On the other hand, sometimes the ob- deal that is yet to come. Under our policy stacles are on the union side of the table. manual, you decide through membership Striking a deal imposes a responsibility that ratification to either accept or reject rejecting a deal does not; for the repre- the tentative agreement your elected sentatives who accept an agreement, it reps reach with the Company in Sec- means owning the improvements as well tion 6 negotiations. In addition to tasking as the shortcomings. It’s a balancing act that your elected reps with understanding requires keeping faith with membership the marketplace, the financials, and the and the perception to know that reaching economic and political landscape, you will a mutual agreement does not mean that we need to keep up as well. When you cast left money on the table. The contract survey your vote, it should be based on accurate isn’t a ransom note, and our opener isn’t information. an ultimatum. It takes courage to get to the point where you say “yes.” I’ve been around for a long time and I have seen a lot of changes in the industry, but We’ve spent the last year getting ready the recipe for a deal hasn’t changed. In the for these contract negotiations. We have

Continued on page 4

WINTER 2015 3 CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Continued from page 3

collected a lot of information from you, a senior management that has stated in front of you and tell you what we were the line pilot, and we’ve published a lot of unequivocally and publicly that they are able to achieve on your behalf. We will information for you, the line pilot. We’ve ready to bargain in good faith to reach an own the agreement in its entirety, and also polled you by telephone, gathered agreement prior to the amendable date, answer your questions as truthfully as we your input directly through your reps, and they have a history of following through know how, but we will never give you an conducted numerous meetings to discuss on their statements. agreement we don’t fully (although per- and collate that information, and are haps not unanimously) support. now getting ready to receive the direc- In the next phase of the negotiating pro- tion from the reps on exactly what our cess, you will receive a different series of It will then be left to you, the individual negotiating position will be. updates and informational pieces. I don’t pilot, to decide if the agreement is accept- like surprises and neither do you—access able. In this decision you are not guided Both sides of the upcoming negotia- to information is how we prevent surprises. by any written convention, but by what tion have shown, through their actions When the time comes for you to assess you consider best for you and your family. and statements, that they are ready and vote on a tentative agreement, you will My guarantee is that you will receive an to work for an agreement. The Delta have full knowledge of both the facts of the agreement in accord with your known MEC is equipped with the knowledge deal and the timeline of events. wishes, and that the buck stops with me. it needs—our markets’ economics, our airline’s financials, and the line pilots’ You won’t get a tentative agreement that priorities. Just as importantly, we have your MEC doesn’t support. We will stand

DAL.ALPA.ORG Your ONE STOP for

4 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC VICE CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Leading the Industry By Captain Ed Havrilla

On January 1, 2015, the Delta pilots enjoyed their ninth pay raise in the last eight years. This achievement is not happenstance nor the inheritance of company largesse, but the result of planning and hard work. Our company continues to produce strong profits to support these contractual improvements. But is that all there is to it? Captain Ed Havrilla Delta MEC Vice Chairman Ultimately, our business is a service. The and problem solving, and achieve for us a pilots are leaders in that service, and the world-class contract. quality of the product we deliver contributes a great deal toward those industry-leading Meanwhile, your elected representatives, profits. Our management team recognizes along with our committee volunteers and our contribution to the operation, and this staff professionals, are working hard in recognition forms the foundation of our re- preparation for the forthcoming opener. lationship with the company: mutual respect Your challenge is to stay involved and stay and problem solving. informed as we move forward through this process. Wear your ALPA pin, meet Since assuming the office the pilot volunteers in the lounge, and Ultimately, our business is a of MEC vice chairman on read our communications. I also challenge service. The pilots are leaders in January 1, I have met with you to close the communication loop and the Flight Operations team contact your local representatives. This that service, and the quality of the on several occasions. The is your union and your contract. Be part product we deliver contributes a hallmarks of our meet- of the process and make a well-informed ings are professionalism decision when ratification comes following great deal toward those industry- and cordiality. Your ALPA the tentative agreement. leading profits. team is respected and fully engaged with our company In closing, it is a great time to be a Delta leaders. The main theme in pilot. We anticipate delivery of 36 B-717s our meetings is problem solving, and I have and 19 B-737s in the near future. Delta has been pleased to see that our pilots’ concerns placed widebody orders, and we expect are addressed fairly and in a timely manner. delivery of the first additional A330s this summer. Meanwhile, pilot hiring continues This relationship is the result of both sides at record rates (>115 per month) and in recognizing the value of cooperation in a the latest advance entitlement, a pilot hired service industry. Just last year alone, ALPA in 2008 was awarded an MD-88 captain negotiated seven letters of agreement bid. Our company is enjoying record prof- (LOAs) that included two major contractual its, and we have a contract opener right improvements (FAR 117 and Virgin Atlantic in front of us. The future is bright, but it JV). In decades past, negotiations like these shines only through our continued hard would have had to wait for the contract work. Stay informed, stay involved! We amendable date. have never needed each other more than we do now. Very soon, we will present our 2015 contract opener to the company. We expect these negotiations to mirror our efforts that achieved these past nine pay raises, proceed on the basis of mutual respect

WINTER 2015 5 SECRETARY’S REPORT

Is It Safe? By Captain Greg Rizzuto

What a question to ask. We ask it everyday as part of our normal routine. As airline pilots, we spend much of our time searching for that one weak link in the chain that might turn a safe flight into a catastrophe. We are trained to question everything and we do that very well. We are not

Captain Greg Rizzuto alone in our vigilance; our union also keeps constant watch, engaging Delta MEC Secretary every entity that affects our professional lives.

We also work for a company that makes At 3:27 p.m. on April 5, 2010, a coal dust safety a fundamental obligation to its cus- explosion ignited a large quantity of meth- tomers and employees. Imagine what our ane gas. The sirens sounded and the com- lives would be like if we did not have a strong munity rallied in a vain attempt to rescue union backing us, or a company that put their friends and family members. In the profits before safety. end, 29 men were killed in the largest mining accident in 35 years. What if you worked A union does much more for a non-union com- The investigation that followed led to crimi- than negotiate contracts—a pany that was strug- nal charges for the owners and managers of gling? What protections the mine. Reports of unsafe working condi- union also has the responsibility would you have? Who tions, threats of termination, and payoffs to protect its members. would have your back? to inspectors were alleged. The mine itself Would the government had 369 safety violations in 2009 and over protect your job or 1,100 violations within the last three years. even your life? What if you worked for a company that had over 350 uncorrected So why would an aviation union guy bring safety violations? A place where speaking up the problems of the coal-mining commu- up or holding your ground meant threats of nity? Quite simply, a union does much more termination. “Can’t happen,” you say, “not than negotiate contracts—a union also has today, the government would not allow the responsibility to protect its members. such treatment and would protect you.” Unions have a great effect on even their Think again. non-union counterparts. This is a cautionary tale of what could happen if we allow our In 1984, there were more than 200,000 house to divide, if we don’t continue to be miners in the United States. Today that the watchdog of our profession. We must number has dwindled to less than 15,000. strive to grow our ALPA membership to During this time frame, environmental include every airline pilot. Belonging to a mandates were enacted that cut into profits, large, strong union allows us the confidence laws were created that limited the national to continually ask the question, “Is it safe?” union’s ability to take unilateral action, mine owners began to slowly lose money, and many unions were broken. The perfect storm began to brew for cutting corners and putting profits over safety. This culmi- nated on April 5, 2010, in the small town of Montcoal, West Virginia, at the Upper Big Branch coal mine.

6 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC TREASURER’S REPORT

Proud to Serve By Captain Matt Geddie

Thanks for the opportunity to been very disciplined in executing on their introduce myself and to give you budget, resulting in a dues rebate to our my view on my new role as Delta members. This year should be no different. Although we are in a contract year, your MEC treasurer. MEC has continued to hold the line on spending while building a surplus in our ac- Captain Matt Geddie I was hired by Delta in 1991 after serving 14 count. This surplus should cover any actions Delta MEC Treasurer years in the Air Force. I was a flight engineer necessary during contract talks. The MEC for six years before going to the right seat will analyze the budget situation this spring of the 757/767. I barely survived the first with the intent to return excess dues dollars furlough in 1993, and held a second job for to you in the fall, effectively implementing a a couple of years anticipating furlough while dues reduction for our pilots. keeping the clock running on my Air Force time with a position in the Reserves. Begin- I take my responsibilities as treasurer very ning in the fall of 1998, I worked for three seriously and will work hard for you to and a half years in Flight Operations for the make sure your dollars are spent in a way senior vice pres- that furthers the goals of Delta pilots. “The Quite frankly, we need ident of Flight mission of your MEC is to serve and lead the O p e r a t i o n s Delta pilots. To engage anywhere necessary everyone on board, and our before moving to address opportunities and threats; always leverage in these negotiations will to the Training protecting and advancing Delta pilot careers, Department on pay, working conditions, benefits, and job secu- be in exact proportion to the the 757/767 in rity.” Right now we have a huge opportunity degree that we are united. 2002. While in before us—negotiating a contract when the Training De- our company is making record profits. I’m partment, I was proud to be serving during this time and will elected Council 48 chairman and served do my utmost to ensure our organization three years in that capacity. I left the Training has the resources to successfully complete Department in 2012 to fly the line as a 737 its mission of negotiating the contract, captain based in Atlanta. enforcing the contract, and supporting the profession. During the last three years, I have also worked as a volunteer in the Pilot-to-Pilot program helping answer questions while dispelling rumors and innuendo regarding our union. P2P is a very important and helpful grassroots committee for setting the record straight and building pilot unity. Quite frankly, we need everyone on board, and our leverage in these negotiations will be in exact proportion to the degree that we are united.

I am excited about serving as your MEC treasurer. My primary job will be to make sure your dues dollars are spent in accordance with the budget set forth by the MEC. In recent history, your MEC has faithfully

WINTER 2015 7 EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

The System Works By First Officer Drew Massey

One of the things that I get asked out on the line, and even by some active volunteers, is “what exactly does the executive vice president do?” The short answer is the EVP is a member of the Executive Council, which is currently made up of seven EVPs and the four national officers. The Executive Council is one of the three governing First Officer Drew Massey ALPA Executive Vice President–DAL bodies of our international union. The structure of our representative de- ity of owners’ representatives and general mocracy, the structure of our bottom-up trusteeship of the Association’s business and governance starts with you, the line pilot, funds, and shall effect loans or guarantee through your LEC representatives and the notes as necessary for the implementation MEC, to the Executive Council, the Execu- of approved programs. In addition, the tive Board (all MEC chairmen), and finally Executive Council shall perform any duties the Board of Directors (all of the status/ mentioned elsewhere in the Constitution voting representatives). and By-Laws . . .

The Executive Council, as a . . . The members of the Executive Council national governing body, has a shall be ex officio members of the Execu- Far from being primary responsibility to the As- tive Board. broken, the system sociation at large, very similar to how your local reps who, while does work, and works representing the interests of their local council membership, EVP Duties well as we constantly are concurrently charged with Include: representing all Delta pilots and refine and improve Interpreting the Constitution also the Association at large as hh and By-Laws the process of how members of the ALPA Board Recommending policy of Directors. hh our Association does changes The official EVP definition is Initiating and recommending your business. found in the ALPA Constitu- hh tion and By-Laws and the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws Administrative Manual: changes Adopting Association-wide hh The Executive Vice Presidents serve on the immediate or long-term Executive Council and are responsible to planning the Association at large . . . Instituting Association-wide hh . . . The Executive Council shall attend all action meetings of the Board of Directors and National budget approval or hh the Executive Board. It shall act in consul- modification tation and cooperation with the President Overseeing OCF (operating in furthering the objectives and policies hh announced by the Board of Directors or contingency fund) or MCF the Executive Board. It may interpret the (major contingency fund) Constitution and By-Laws and Policy. The expenditures Executive Council shall act in the capac-

8 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Some of you are probably asking what (A note on representational governance at change; however, since any change to the this has to do with you and how it ALPA: while reps, EVPs, members of the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws requires a affects your daily life as a pilot? The Executive Board, and Executive Council two-thirds vote of the Board of Directors answer is that the governance of a exercise judgment on how they vote and (All MEC status reps, meets every two large organization like ALPA requires amend a resolution, as opposed to being years), the resolution became an agenda comprehensive policies and procedures “directed” when considering adopting item for consideration at the October 2014 to best represent your interests by resolutions brought forward, the presenta- BOD meeting. The resolution passed, and exercising oversight and implementing tion of those agenda items, once submitted the ALPA Constitution and By-Laws were changes or improvements. or passed in the form of a resolution, is amended. mandatorily passed on to the next level of At a national level, proposed actions governing body consideration.) So a couple of line pilots who perceived a are evaluated through the lens of how better way of doing business, working within a proposed change or policy benefits and using the system we have in place, were all ALPA pilots and strengthens the As- able to implement change at the highest lev- sociation. While the emphasis is in on I occasionally hear els of the Association, and not only improve the “Association at large,” my job as EVP complaints that the line the process by which Delta pilots choose is also to directly represent the interests their representation, but how the entire As- of the Delta pilots, through input from pilots don’t or can’t sociation elects interim reps. Other pending the MEC, to the Association while resolutions have been submitted by pilots remaining mindful of the greater good make a difference at to their LECs and forwarded to the national of the Association and its membership. the national level. My governing bodies by their MEC—those will be agenda items at the next regularly sched- I occasionally hear complaints that the experience is that is not uled Executive Council meeting. line pilots don’t or can’t make a difference at the national level. My experience the case. Far from being broken, the system does work, is that is not the case. A recent example: and works well as we constantly refine and The two LEC (Council 20 and Council 66) improve the process of how our Associa- In the spring of 2013, members of resolutions were amended and combined tion does your business. However, in order Council 66 (NYC) together with into a single resolution to present the agenda to change, you first have to participate to Council 20 (DTW) submitted LEC item for consideration at the next Executive initiate any improvements. Please call your resolution(s) to amend the ALPA Council meeting (which normally meets four reps to discuss your concerns or offer Constitution and By-Laws language times each year). The Delta EVP at the time, suggestions, consider writing resolutions governing interim representative elec- First Officer Scott Smetana, presented the (your reps can assist you if you don’t know tions (due to an unscheduled vacancy). agenda item, and the Executive Council di- where to start), vote in every election, fill The language at the time provided rected the Special Representation Structure out surveys, and consider volunteering to for a council-wide electronic election Review Committee (SRSRC) to study the is- help improve the pay, benefits, and work- process for vacancies, which occurred sue for impact and feasibility and report back ing conditions of your fellow Delta and all prior to 365 days before the end of to the Executive Council in October 2013. ALPA pilots. the term, and a special LEC meeting The SRSRC reported back with a favorable election (with only those actually pres- consideration recommending changing the ent allowed to vote) to fill vacancies window for a council-wide electronic elec- occurring with fewer than 365 days tion from 365 days to 240 days prior to the remaining in the term. The proposed end of the term, and the Executive Council resolution directed the EVP to present subsequently passed a resolution directing an agenda item to the Executive Coun- the SRSRC, ALPA vice president–admin- cil calling for an examination of the istration, and legal staff to draft proposed existing language and any recommen- language changes to the Constitution and dations for change. The MEC’s goal By-Laws for consideration at the Executive was to decrease the time remaining Board (all ALPA MEC chairman, meets in a LEC representative term that still twice each year) meeting in May 2014. The allowed for a council-wide electronic Executive Board approved the proposed interim representative election.

WINTER 2015 9 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Communications

Under One Banner By Captain Tim Parker Delta MEC Communications Committee Chairman As a rule, men worry more brings you to another page with several options for password reset or recovery, depending on what you need. about what they can’t see than about Plan on our using social media extensively to keep you apprised— what they can. you’ll find all of our communications, including social media, at dal.alpa.org. You don’t even need to log in to the website. Look —Julius Caesar in the upper left-hand corner for these symbols: We are about to enter negotiations for Contract 2015. Our job on the Communications Committee is to keep you informed from start to finish, and to that end we’ll be using all the tools at our disposal. In order from left to right are the Delta MEC pages for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, Instagram, RSS feed for articles con- Know your ALPA number and password! cerning the aviation industry, and a link to sign up for PilotBlast, Everything we publish about negotiations is going to be placed our text-notification service. Our new website is mobile-friendly, for your easy access at dal.alpa.org under a banner titled so you can access the information you need at any time. “Negotiations Contract 2015.” To read these publications, you must be able to log on to the website to get beyond the firewall. Our goal To do that, you must know your ALPA number and password. We want to deliver as much information as possible about your contract, your union, your airline, and your industry.

Our methods As mentioned, we intend to display all published material having to do with C2015 negotiations under one banner at dal.alpa.org.

You will receive frequent updates on the progress of negotiations. Beneath the text of every update, we’ll place a link to every article we have published concerning negotiations.

If you don’t know your ALPA number, call Membership Adminis- We have integrated social media into our repertoire. Again, it’s tration at 1-888-FLY-ALPA and select option 3. They can provide easy to find on the public page of our website, and you don’t you with both your ALPA number and a password. If you know need to sign in to access these pages. Social media is a great tool your ALPA number but not your password, go to dal.alpa.org for spreading the word and raising awareness, but it often falls and look in the top right-hand corner for “Forgot login?” That short of the full story. Be sure to get that full story—the nuance, detail, and critical thinking that should motivate the decisions you DON’T KNOW DON’T KNOW will make later—on the Delta MEC website. YOUR YOUR Electronic bulletin boards (EBBs) are up and running in every pilot lounge, and we will use those in the same way we use social media. LOGIN? ALPA NUMBER? We have adjusted the message “run time” so that you can spend a minute or two with the EBB and get on with your day at work. Visit the site and CallCall ALPA ALPA Membership Membership Expect to see box stuffers now and then for hard-copy communi- Administration at 1-888-FLY-ALPA choose “Forgot Services at 1-888-FLY-ALPA cations related to negotiations. Certainly when we reach an MEC Login” in the top —select—select option option #3 #3 and and ratified TA, the Negotiating Committee will produce a series of right- hand corner. selectselect option option #3 #3 again. again. Negotiators’ Notepads to thoroughly explain all negotiated changes.

10 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Communications

Everything we publish about negotiations is going to be placed for your easy access at dal.alpa.org under a banner titled “Negotiations Contract 2015.

These will be part of our effort to give you all the material the MEC has had available to them (except for negotiating tactical priorities) so that you may pass your own judgment on the agreement.

We will also be along for road shows to answer your questions, and host webinars which will be archived on our website so that any Delta pilot may view them.

What to expect Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but no one is entitled to their own facts. We’re going to publish everything we can, as often as we can, without interfering with negotiations. We cannot help, change, or comment upon the rumors, crazy talk, and innuendo that always plague us during contract time, but we can answer your questions and show our work.

Before you feel your train running off the track with the sky certain to fall, proceed to dal.alpa.org, and read what we’ve posted for you. The best inoculation from misinformation is a careful study of the facts, and we will do our best to provide all the facts you need.

WINTER 2015 11 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Negotiating

The Steps We’re Taking By Captain Matt Coons, Captain John Morgado, and Captain Kevin Powell Delta MEC Negotiating Committee

In this article, we would like to give you a further explanation of the process that your Negotiating Committee uses in conjunction with the MEC in all negotiations concerning the pilot working agreement, including both Section 6 negotiations and the negotiation of letters of agreement and memoranda of understanding. We will also review the steps we have taken over the past year to prepare for Contract 2015, update you on our current progress, and give receives reports from labor attorneys, subject-matter experts, you a preview of what you can expect as we continue and members of the National Mediation Board. This is our cur- through the Section 6 process. rent position in the process.

1. Receive 3. MEC Gives Direction The committee starts by collecting information from the mem- Your elected representatives discuss and debate until reaching a bership. Last year we provided the membership a number of consensus on the priorities for the opening round of negotiations. Negotiators’ Notepads that described and explained the Railway This is a critical step, as the consensus of the MEC will be used Labor Act, the negotiating process, and the role of costing in the to develop the direction to the Negotiating Committee that will negotiating process. We also published hard-copy versions of the become the contract opener. The entire MEC then reviews the Contract History and Contract Comparison. These publications contract opener before it is finalized. Once finalized, the Negotiat- are still available on the Negotiating Committee’s page of the ing Committee will begin negotiating with management for C2015. Delta MEC website, getting the facts in front of the membership prior to the first step of our process. 4. Negotiate After receiving direction, we proceed with negotiations until Prior to distributing the survey, we also hosted a number of either an agreement is reached that meets the MEC’s direction webinars that provided the membership an opportunity to give or, failing that, we return to the MEC for redirection. This process direct input on the content of the survey, which your elected rep- continues until we reach a tentative agreement. resentatives relied upon in crafting and vetting the final product. 5. Repeat from #3 We greatly appreciate every pilot who participated in the survey. Keep in mind that this is not a one-time or one-way process. We It accurately reflected every demographic of our pilot group and live in a dynamic environment, and the Negotiating Committee provided valuable data on your goals and priorities. The results continually updates the MEC during the course of negotiations, of the survey, along with your council resolutions, input from our soliciting their guidance as negotiations proceed. The MEC will subject-matter experts from the various committees, and your also provide additional direction to the Negotiating Committee direct input to your elected representatives will form the core of as needed to accommodate new developments that could influ- the data that your representatives will use to create our contract ence our negotiations. opener. This is your direction to the MEC. 6. Tentative Agreement 2. Analyze and Report Our objective is to put a tentative agreement in front of you that We then perform a thorough analysis of that direction and pro- meets your goals via the direction you have given the MEC. We vide both the raw data and the analysis to the MEC so they have will follow our process and, with your support and engagement, as much information as possible before the next step. Over the achieve a world-class contract. course of several meetings, the MEC discusses the findings and

12 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Contract Administration

Papers, Please . . . Unraveling the U.S. Passport, Russian Crew Visa, and Chinese Crew Visa Notification of Expiration and Renewal Process By Captain Hartley Phinney Delta MEC Contract Administration Committee Chairman

When a pilot’s China crew visa is nearing expiration, a nonremov- able notification will appear in iCrew 90 days prior to expiration. This notification will remain until the pilot provides Crew Records As a leading first-tier international airline with a with the updated Chinese crew visa. presence on six of the seven continents, Delta Air Lines requires all of its pilots to possess a valid The long-range notification scheme gives the pilot significant and adequate notice that a renewal requirement is approach- passport. However, some countries served by Delta ing. Pilots need to plan accordingly to renew their documents. require additional documentation. For example, the If you believe that your situation cannot be resolved using the government of the Russian Federation requires Delta instructions and guidance provided here, you need to contact crewmembers to possess a Russian crew visa, and the your regional Operations manager at your Chief Pilot’s Office government of China requires a Chinese crew visa. or the Passport and Visa Program coordinator at 877-325-2359 for additional assistance. The PWA provides for pay protection if the pilot has complied with the company’s application procedure completely, and the Renewal Process passport/visa has not been returned to the pilot. If you have There are two methods available to renew your documents. First, questions about the application process or difficulty in scheduling pilots may take the responsibility of document renewal completely time to complete the passport/visa process, contact your regional upon themselves. Second, pilots can utilize the company-provided director or regional Operations manager immediately. CIBT services to renew their documents. In certain circumstances, an individual’s efforts along with the utilization of CIBT may be Keep reading to learn more about the notification and renewal most effective. processes for passports and crew visas. Primary (Regular) and Secondary U.S. Passports Renew on your own: Notification Process hh For same-day passport application processing, pilots can go When a pilot’s U.S. passport or Russian crew visa is nearing its directly to any of the National Passport Processing Centers. expiration, three iCrew pop-up notifications will be generated to DeltaNet’s Passport and Visa Services website (located on alert the pilot of the document’s impending expiration: the Flight Operations page under “Pilot Tools”) will provide 9 months prior to expiration: The first notification of all the information necessary to accomplish a same-day U.S. hh expiration will appear when the pilot logs into iCrew. This passport renewal. notification can be removed by the pilot by acknowledging h Appointments can be made by calling 1-877-487-2778. the notification. h h Keep in mind that the company will only reimburse the cost 6 months prior to expiration: The second notification h hh of your passport photo and the associated processing fee. of expiration will appear when the pilot logs into iCrew. This notification may also be removed by the pilot by Renew with CIBT: CIBT processing will take approximately 10 business days acknowledging the notification. hh from the date that a pilot’s application is received. h 4 months prior to expiration: A final notification of h DeltaNet’s Passport and Visa Service site provides expiration will appear when the pilot logs into iCrew. This hh notification cannot be removed by the pilot and will remain instructions on how to renew your passport via CIBT. The until the pilot provides Crew Records with the updated FedEx overnight/next-day airway bill is also available here. U.S. passport and/or Russian crew visa information.

Continued on page 14

WINTER 2015 13 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Contract Administration

Papers, Please . . . Continued from page 13

The Chief Pilot’s Office or FedEx store will provide you days from the date the new secondary U.S. passport is with a next-day envelope. submitted to the Russian Federation Embassy. Again, proper planning is essential. This process will take Russian Crew Visas hh Currently, only NYC 765- and 7ER-category pilots are required approximately three weeks before the Russian crew visa is to have the Russian crew visa. The Russian crew visa is valid for 21 returned. months and is placed in the secondary U.S. passport. It can only China Crew Visas be obtained through CIBT. The Russian crew visa renewal process Currently, all 777, 747, 330 categories, and 7ER categories in DTW, normally corresponds with the renewal of a pilot’s secondary LAX, MSP, SEA, and SLC are required to possess a current Chinese U.S. passport. A pilot has two options for the renewal process: crew visa.

1. Utilize CIBT to process both the secondary U.S. Similar to the Russian crew visa scenario described above, hh passport and the Russian crew visa. the Chinese crew visa is only renewed through CIBT. 2. Renew the secondary U.S. passport on your own and However, the Chinese crew visa does not require a utilize CIBT to renew the Russian crew visa. secondary U.S. passport. The Chinese crew visa is placed Renewal of both secondary U.S. passport and the Russian crew directly into the pilot’s primary U.S. passport. visa using CIBT: A pilot’s primary U.S. passport must have a minimum of 30 hh months’ validity remaining and For CIBT to process a secondary hh at least two blank opposing visa U.S. passport application, the pilot’s Your passport and visa pages. primary U.S. passport will also be are necessary to perform your If these requirements cannot provided as proof of citizenship. hh The secondary U.S. passport will duties as a Delta pilot. Early be met, then the primary U.S. be completed approximately five passport must be renewed business days from the date it is planning and engagement will first. CIBT can process both the received. The new secondary U.S. give you the best opportunity passport and visa applications, passport and the original primary but it will take approximately U.S. passport will be returned with to comply with the company’s 14 business days from the date instructions to sign the secondary your application is received to passport and return it to CIBT to application procedure. complete. complete the Russian crew visa 14 business days translates hh application. into a minimum of three weeks, so plan accordingly. CIBT will return your Russian crew visa approximately These requirements are addressed on the Flight Operations page hh 11 business days from the date the new secondary U.S. of DeltaNet. Go to DeltaNet’s Passport and Visa Services page, passport is submitted to the Russian Federation Embassy. located under “Pilot Tools;” click on “Passport and Visa Services,” Proper planning is essential. At a minimum, this process will then click on “Russian Crew Visa” to get complete instructions hh take approximately 16 business days before a Russian Visa is and the CIBT application kit. returned to a pilot. Summary Furthermore, while your secondary U.S. passport is being hh Your passport and visa are necessary to perform your duties processed, you will not have your primary U.S. passport for as a Delta pilot. Early planning and engagement will give you at least five days. the best opportunity to comply with the company’s application Renewing your secondary U.S. passport on your own and renewal procedure. When applying for a passport or visa, it is essential of the Russian crew visa using CIBT: to plan ahead. If you are having difficulty with the process or clearing enough time on your schedule, communicate with your Please refer to the pilot’s renewal of a secondary U.S. hh regional director/regional Operations manager immediately. The passport process as described in this article. Delta MEC Contract Administration Committee stands ready Send the new secondary U.S. passport to CIBT. CIBT will to help guide you through the process at 800-USA-ALPA or hh return your Russian crew visa approximately 11 business [email protected].

14 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Central Air Safety

Pace and Procedures By Captain Flip Colmer Delta MEC Central Air Safety Committee

n just a few short years, Delta has When you’re done doing the thing you’re become the model for our doing, do the next thing. Linear progression of Iindustry, and for good reason. We procedures helps eliminate mistakes by not doing offer an extraor- too much at the same time. dinarily safe and efficient traveling experience for our cus- tomers, surrounded by friendly employees who are proud of their company. Flight Ops’ emphasis on improving a variety of metrics, from saving fuel to saving time, makes good business sense, and the pilot group’s execution of these policies has contributed significantly to Delta’s bottom line.

However, we all have come to understand and accept that unresolved distractions and operational pressures may result in a bad event. The historical answer to this has been to take as much time as necessary, MULTITASKING prioritize the workload, expand the team, and avoid rushing.

I think we are looking at the problem the wrong way. We say that operational pressures and distractions can cause us to speed up, rush, stumble, and fail to priori- Preflight checklist tize. In reality, perhaps it is our pilot culture of rushing that contributes to errors, preflight procedure, reading a checklist, developed the patterns needed to just mistakes, incidents, and mishaps. After completing the WDR procedure, fighting stop. It is easy in hindsight to say that we all, distractions and operational pressures through task saturation, or inducing multi- should have slowed down. But this implies are everyday, every-flight occurrences, so tasking, rushing leads to errors, errors lead that multiple speeds are okay, so long as maybe it is our trained responses to them to mistakes, mistakes lead to incidents, and mistakes are not made. that are the problem. incidents lead to mishaps. A new approach On today’s flight deck, it seems as though The standard admonition is to “slow I propose that we only have one speed some pilots consider it a badge of honor down or stop the operation when during our operations: methodical. to be able to get through a checklist necessary.” However, the crew that Is everything going our way? Be speedily—to do the preflight inspection is already task-saturated, running at a hh methodical. in a short amount of time, to rapidly load “machine gun” pace, still thinks they are the FMS. How many line check pilots have doing it right—right up until they have h Are we late? Be methodical. their mishap. They lack the objectivity at h witnessed a crew sounding like a machine h Is there weather? Be methodical. gun when firing back and forth with chal- that moment to realize the predicament h they are in. Few of us have been trained Does the company want an on-time lenge and response in every one of our hh checklists? Whether it is doing the actual to pace the operation consistently or departure? Be methodical. Continued on page 16

WINTER 2015 15 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Central Air Safety

Pace and Procedures Continued from page 15

Is ATC giving contrary instructions? to do anything while they are listening or “thrust levers.” A methodical approach hh Be methodical. responding to an ATC communication. If to our checklist reading will set a more We should only speed up the pace of the captain seems to be giving multitask- appropriate pace for both pilots to follow operation under two circumstances: ing instructions, it always means, “When throughout the flight. you’re done doing the thing you’re doing, walking between gates to get to the next Recent QCQ modules on effective flight or walking to the food court. No one do the next thing.” Linear progression of procedures helps eliminate mistakes by not pilot monitoring provide a great review should rush a preflight to get an on-time of how it works. But as a crew, the ef- departure. No one should rush through doing too much at the same time. So let’s collectively change the dialogue. Rather fectiveness of the monitoring can be the second engine start and insertion dramatically improved if we simply pace of the WDR performance numbers to than say to ourselves after a mishap (or incident, mistake, or error) that we should the operation more methodically and make a LATT. In our current operational avoid multitasking. culture, multitasking and speeding up the have slowed the operation down, let’s say pace are believed to be good things. They This discussion is not meant to increase are not. We cannot multitask and rush latency or “dwell time.” Reducing latency through 875,000 flights a year and always As a crew, the and dwell time improves our pilot group’s get it right. effectiveness of the profit sharing! Management’s ability to adjust our procedures and interactions Here’s an analogy from the competitive monitoring can be with our other work groups affects latency skydiving world. A group of four skydivers dramatically improved and dwell time, and should be considered leaps out intending to do a sequence of independently from our pace within the formations. For each completed forma- if we simply pace procedures. It can actually be reduced with tion, they get a point. When a team flies the proper application of the methodical smoothly and is expeditious (methodical) the operation more approach (remember the skydiving). in transitioning from formation to forma- methodically and avoid tion, they do it in the shortest amount of If the pace is methodical, it is easier to catch time and get the most points. But when multitasking. mistakes and avoid multitasking. When a team rushes, they bobble, don’t fly as multitasking, it is much harder to monitor cleanly as they could, get out of sync with effectively. For example, if we are pushing each other, take more time to create each to ourselves before anything ever happens, back, the captain is supposed to monitor formation, and ultimately score lower. This to paraphrase Winston Churchill, “Never, the push and monitor the first officer leads to a skydiving training mantra: never, never speed up.” starting the motors. But if the first officer is also plugging in numbers, the captain will h Slow is smooth. The culture we’ve developed, varying the h try to monitor that as well. What is going to h Smooth is fast. speed of our work, is inhibiting our ability h be missed here? Does the captain miss the h Slow is fast. to be effective monitoring pilots. Watch a h “set brakes” call from the tug driver? Does crew that makes the reading of the preflight Translated to our operation, the mantra the captain set the brakes without looking checklist sound like a machine gun. There becomes: outside to detect movement? Does the is no way for the responding individual to h Methodical is smooth. first officer insert an incorrect takeoff speed h actually assess the status of a switch or sys- h Smooth is fast. number or miss a drop in oil pressure? h tem if they are already answering the next h Methodical is fast. h query. For example, consider the parking What pace should we take through our The first corollary of the mantra is this: brake on the 757. The checklist response workday? Imagine that we are tired and don’t multitask or allow others to multitask is “set,” but for the brakes to be set, the working in bad weather with all of the you. With the arrival of two or more si- handle has to be pulled and latched out, operational pressures and pop-up distrac- multaneous tasks, you must choose one to the light on the center console needs to be tions we can imagine. In these conditions, perform and briefly set the others aside to on, the EICAS message should be displayed, we won’t be perfect—nobody ever is. be done in sequence. Don’t plug in perfor- and the brake pressure gauge should show That is why we need to complete our mance numbers while starting an engine. If sufficient pressure to show the brakes are procedures as linearly as we can and apply studying ATIS, don’t commence an engine actually engaged. No one can do all of that them methodically. Consider too that by start until done. Do not ask the other pilot while they are now answering the query planning proactively, we can sometimes

16 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Central Air Safety

anticipate potential bottlenecks and work around them, which is simply another way to avoid multitasking.

The more our procedures are performed linearly, the more it becomes our standard approach to all task-management issues, with reduced temptation to multitask. This is the way to prevent cascading multitasking from becoming a mishap. Eliminate it from the conduct of our procedures and our culture as a pilot group.

In a nutshell, there are two challenges for all Delta pilots. The first is to eliminate pilot-induced multitasking from our normal way of doing our jobs. We should go through the day linearly, rather than risk doing more than one thing at a time. The second is to always work methodically within the constraints of our current procedures. These are simple and effective ways to manage all of the distractions and operational pressures we face. This way, when the proverbial “stuff” hits the fan, we won’t have to remember to slow down because we are always working at our normal, methodical pace. Always.

Sign up to become a P2P VOLUNTEER It’s a simple and easy way to become more involved in your union. Goals of the ^^Bring ALPA into the crew rooms P2P Program: ^Êducate pilots on union matters ^Încrease pilot participation in our union ^^Help control rumors ^Ênhance two-way communication

E-mail [email protected] for more information.

WINTER 2015 17 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Economic & Financial Analysis

Economic and Industry Outlook By Kye Johanning ALPA Economic & Financial Analysis Department

2014 will U.S. Economy Rebounds After 1Q Drop mark the fifth U.S. Ecomony Rebounds After 1Q Drop 6% straight year of profitability for 5% 5.0 U.S. passenger 4.6 4.5 4.6 4% 3.9 carriers—and the 3.5 3% industry is poised to post another 2.9 2.9 2.7 2.7 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.5 2.5 2.5 year of profitability in 2015. 2.3 2% 1.8 1.7 1.6

As of the writing of this article, 1% 0.8 full-year results for 2014 have 0.1 0%

not been reported. Instead, as Real GDP Annualized % Change

we prepare to bargain a new -1% PWA, this article focuses on −1.5 −2.1 the economic and industry -2%

environment that will serve as a -3%

backdrop to these negotiations. 1Q10 2Q10 3Q10 4Q10 1Q11 2Q11 3Q11 4Q11 1Q12 2Q12 3Q12 4Q12 1Q13 2Q13 3Q13 4Q13 1Q14 2Q14 3Q14 4Q14 1Q15 2Q15 3Q15 4Q15 Source: BEA, Wall Street Journal Economic Forecasting Survey: December 2014. U.S. Economic Outlook Is Positive After a disappointing first quarter, the U.S. wages increase only 1.7% in December Global Economic Forcast economy rebounded in the second and from a year earlier, below the recent trend GDP Forecast 2014 2015 2016 third quarter. 3Q14 GDP growth of 5% of about 2% growth. was the strongest growth rate in 11 years. World 2.4 2.6 2.9 Consumer sentiment has reached its high- Developed 1.6 1.9 1.9 The growth was spurred by consumer est level since January 2007, which can be spending on health care and restaurant attributed to improving job prospects and Emerging 4.2 4.1 4.8 meals, business investment in equipment falling gasoline prices. Overall, the data U.S. 2.3 2.8 2.6 point toward a gain of about 3.0% in real and new software, and a rise in exports. Eurozone consumer expenditures during 2015. 0.8 0.9 1.2 Fourth-quarter GDP growth is likely to UK 3.0 2.4 2.5 be lower, as the summer months were European and Latin Russia 0.4 (3.0) (1.5) supported by an unusually large increase American Economic Asia-Pacific 3.9 4.2 4.5 in military spending. For 2015, GDP is Growth looks Weak China 7.5 7.3 7.4 forecast to grow around 3%. While the good news is that U.S. growth prospects have improved, the bad news Japan 0.2 0.6 0.9 The unemployment rate continues to is that this growth is offset by disappoint- India 5.5 6.5 7.1 decline, with the current rate at 5.6%. ments in the Eurozone and Japan. The economy added 2.95 million jobs in Latin America 1.0 1.2 3.3 2014, the biggest calendar-year increase Despite relatively robust consumer spend- Brazil 0.2 (0.5) 2.8 since the figure topped 3 million in 1999. ing in the Eurozone (forecasts are for less Mexico 2.2 3.2 3.8 However, the increase in employment has than 1.5% growth), investment spending Argentina (2.3) (2.0) 3.0 so far not led to significantly higher wages. continues to disappoint and is currently Private-sector employees saw their hourly 20% below the precrisis level. Source: HSBC

18 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Economic & Financial Analysis

Japan’s economic performance continues Potential area of concern year average does not tell the whole story, to disappoint. Household spending is weak. One area of potential concern is the growth as the drop in fuel prices really didn’t begin Wages are not keeping up with prices, in capacity. While capacity is expected to until about September. squeezing purchasing power; this, in turn, grow slower than traffic, it is poised to is putting a damper on production and outpace GDP growth. Historically, capacity On September 2, 2014, the price for a investments. growing faster than GDP has led to industry barrel of WTI crude oil was about $93; losses. Is this time different? Yes. on January 12, 2015, the price was down In the emerging markets, the economies to about $46—a drop of over 50%! of Brazil, Argentina, and Russia are likely to There are fewer players in the industry contract next year. While China’s growth today (4 major carriers today versus 10 This price drop has come amid concerns forecast is still above 7%, the forecasts major carriers in 2000). And carriers are about a worldwide glut of oil, as supply have been lowered because of a slowdown focusing more on return on investment growth has outpaced demand and global in property investments (perhaps a sign of and returning capital to shareholders, inventories have piled up. In an attempt to a housing bubble) and a slowing of indus- rather than market share and fleet size. maintain market share, Saudi Arabia has trial production. But also no, this time is not different. The Airline profits are expected aircraft order book is at 20% of exist- The U.S. to continue to increase ing fleet, which is significant even when U.S. airline fundamentals remain favorable, factoring in retirements of aging aircraft. airline industry is especially in the domestic arena where Furthermore, Southwest’s order book is expected to post demand looks strong. This demand will 42% of its fleet, which could potentially continue to lead to high load factors, cause disruptive growth in the domestic another year of which will increase the pricing power of and near-international markets of the the airlines. In addition, unit cost growth Caribbean and Latin America. profits in 2015, should remain low due to up-gauging and the drop in jet fuel prices. All of these fac- Falling fuel prices which will mark six tors point to U.S. airlines posting record The dramatic drop in fuel prices over the straight years of breaking margins. past several months is a major development. For the full year 2014, jet fuel prices profitability. The domestic market should continue to averaged $2.70 per gallon, down 22¢ from perform well because of the favorable the 2013 average price. However, the full- supply/demand fundamentals. Domestic demand (in terms of RPMs—revenue Crude Oil Prices Have Dropped Dramatically passenger miles) is projected to increase 3.6% in 2015 and 4.0% in 2016. Meanwhile, $110 domestic capacity (in terms of ASMs— available seat miles) is projected to grow $100 at a slower pace of 3.1% in 2015 and 3.6% $90 in 2016. This will lead to continued high load factors. $80 High load factors give the airlines pric- $70 WTI Crude Oil Prices ing power. Real domestic airfares have (per barrel) increased 14% from 2009 through 2Q14, $60 despite a 4% decline in real median house- Real GDP Annualized % Change hold incomes. In addition, high load factors $50 allow airlines to focus on the high-yielding corporate travelers and to allocate fewer $40 seats to lower-yielding leisure travelers. 1/2/14 4/2/14 7/2/14 10/2/14 1/2/15 Source: EIA

Continued on page 20

WINTER 2015 19 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Economic & Financial Analysis

Economic and Industry Outlook Continued from page19 stated that OPEC will not cut output even Operating Margins if prices fell to $20/barrel. Part of OPEC’s problem has been the production of U.S. 2013 2014F 2015F 2016F shale oil. Citigroup has estimated that the marginal cost of production for U.S. shale Spirit 17.1% 19.1% 28.0% 28.2% is about $40/barrel. It would likely take a Alaska 12.8% 16.9% 22.9% 21.9% prolonged period of sub-$40 prices before U.S. production is scaled back. American 8.0% 12.2% 20.2% 21.0% Delta 9.3% 13.1% 17.1% 19.9% 2015 outlook Southwest 8.1% 12.6% 17.3% 16.7% The U.S. airline industry is expected to Hawaiian 5.6% 9.5% 14.2% 15.9% post another year of profits in 2015, which JetBlue 7.9% 8.7% 15.7% 15.7% will mark six straight years of profitability. United The latest forecasts have the 2015 operat- 4.6% 7.3% 13.7% 15.4% ing margins more than doubling what they Total 7.7% 11.3% 17.4% 18.7% were in 2013. Source: Morgan Stanley, 1/12/15

According to comments made at its December 11 Investor Day presentation, Delta is projected to deliver pretax profits “well in excess of $5 billion” in 2015. Delta reported that the revenue environment PilotBlast looked strong and stable. With the ex- DELTAMEC ception of overcapacity in the Pacific, it Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l Do you wonder when your schedule is out? is Delta’s view that overall capacity is in Would you like a heads-up for deadlines? decent shape. Delta’s adjusted net debt Did you ever forget to bid a vacation? should be less than $6 billion at the end of the year (down from $17 billion at the You are busy. You have a lot to manage. end of 2009). But if you have a cell phone, we can help. PilotBlast allows you to “opt in” to receive The one negative to Delta’s 2015 forecast targeted text messages that are of performance is the current state of its fuel particular interest to you. hedge book. In December, the company stated that its projected fuel hedge losses PilotBlast is SIGN UP TODAY! were about $1 billion. Given the continued one more way http://bit.ly/18jW8Rt drop in fuel prices, and the fact that Delta’s your union is making ][ hedge position does not enable the com- it easier for you to or stay connected. If your smartphone is equipped with pany to fully participate in this drop, the We remind you hedge losses (measured at today’s prices) about PBS and a QR code-scanning application, scan are likely worse. However, Delta will still vacation bidding, this QR code to be directed to the benefit overall from lower fuel prices. It’s preliminary sign-up application, schedule posting, just that Delta will not benefit as much as AE/VD/MD bidding or carriers who don’t hedge or who have a and awards, Click on the PilotBlast graphic on the smaller hedge book. insurance enrollment home page of the Delta MEC website deadlines and more. http://dal.alpa.org. Local Councils may also use PilotBlast to PilotBlast is FCC CAN-SPAM compliant. Your information will never be provided communicate IROPS, to any third party and we will only send reminders and information you request. parking or other You may update preferences or opt out at any time. Please remember that local issues. message and data rates may apply.

20 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Scheduling

The MEC Scheduling Committee and the Delta Pilots’ Scheduling Reference Handbook Resources Available to You By Captain Steve Uvena Delta MEC Scheduling Committee Chairman

Maintaining a staff of scheduling These documents play a critical role in hh experts (all are former Delta contract enforcement—they have been schedulers) to answer pilot questions reviewed and accepted by the company, and research issues and document which means the guidance and content violations. are not controversial. We believe that Prepared by the Delta MEC Scheduling Committee Resolving disputes by engaging the the more informed our pilot group is, the Version 3 November 2014 hh upper levels of Crew Scheduling more likely we are to prevent contractual and Crew Resources management violations. As the date for exchanging to seek appropriate pay restitution contract openers rapidly when violations are found and look Pit Crew Our scheduling professionals are avail- for solutions to improve future approaches, and many of our able Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 contractual compliance. efforts are focused on negotiating p.m. eastern time, at 800-USA-ALPA, the best contract in the industry, Scheduling Reference option 3. These subject-matter experts I would like to remind pilots that Handbook and Quick are capable of answering a wide variety we have considerable resources Reference Guide of pilot questions. Additionally, they have access to DBMS, which allows them to devoted to enforcing our The Scheduling Committee also posts and maintains the Scheduling Reference research and document pilot issues to contract. This article summarizes Handbook (SRH) and Quick Reference Guide determine if violations have occurred. If the work, services, and (QRG) on the Delta MEC website. The an issue rises to the level of a potential documents produced by the Delta SRH is a compilation of scheduling-related pay dispute, the Scheduling Committee MEC Scheduling Committee. information that has been previously uses their research and documentation included in Scheduling Alerts and Contract to engage the company on your behalf. The primary responsibility of the Schedul- Awareness Bulletins. We designed it to be The staff, affectionately known as “the ing Committee is to enforce the Scheduling downloaded and stored on computers, pit crew,” represent another crucial part sections of the PWA. These sections are tablets, and smartphones and to function of contract enforcement by providing where the rubber meets the road when as a searchable PDF document. The vast our pilots easy access to research and it concerns pilot scheduling. The daily majority of questions regarding scheduling expertise in order to accurately de- pressure of managing an enormous, global issues can be answered with a quick search termine their contractual rights. Many operation leads to inevitable mistakes and of this document. To download the SRH, of the calls to the “pit” simply result misapplications of the contract by Crew click on the “Electronic Flight Bag” button in an explanation to the pilot because Scheduling. This in turn sometimes results on the Delta MEC homepage or use this the scheduling issue raised was PWA- in incorrect coverage of rotations and URL: http://dalm.ec/SRH. compliant. incorrect pay for our pilots. The QRG serves as a concise reference Dispute Resolution We accomplish contract enforcement in designed for pilots actively flying or serving If during our research we identify a situ- the following ways: in an on-call status. The QRG concentrates ation where we believe a pilot has been on FAR and contractual limits, pilot con- harmed by a contractual violation, we Providing informational and hh tractual responsibilities, and deciphering submit a dispute to Crew Scheduling educational resources for our pilots company paperwork. To download, click management. Often, we are able to to help identify PWA violations when on the “FAR 117 Quick Reference Guide” resolve the issue directly and get the they occur. button on the Delta MEC homepage. pilot paid correctly. We have been very

Continued on page 22

WINTER 2015 21 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | IT Committee

The MEC Scheduling Committee Continued from page 21 successful in recovering pay for our pilots e-mail to a committee member or LEC Remember, there is no alert system for when engaging the company on these representative. The pit crew and pilot contract violations. All pilots should stay issues because of credibility earned by members of the committee research and informed and engaged and act when they thorough research and documentation document the issue, and the Scheduling believe the company is not following the of the issues that we contest. In other Committee vice chairman, chairman, or contract. For their part, the company is words—we ensure we’re on the right ALPA’s contract liaison seeks resolution very receptive and professional in helping side of the contractual argument when from the company. Some disputes take a us resolve disputes and pay the pilot their we engage the company. long time to be resolved, while others are due in accordance with the contract. We resolved very quickly. Rarely do we have are committed on our end to helping you The process starts when a pilot brings to proceed to an arbitrated grievance to stay informed and to vigorously pursuing an issue to our attention. Usually this is reach a resolution. any perceived violations that are brought from a phone call to the pit crew or an to our attention.

IT Committee Recommendations By Captain Silas Hart Delta MEC IT Committee Chairman

Your ALPA IT Committee has the following recommendations for all pilots:

As the electronic flight bag (EFB) hh rollout continues, pilots are encouraged to continue filing FCR/ ASAP reports every time your device malfunctions or performs in a less-than-optimal fashion. The success of this program depends on your continued feedback, and in essence you are the beta testers. Your ALPA Information Technology hh Committee continues to post electronic tablet tips on the ALPA website under the “Electronic Flight Bag” link: https://dal.alpa.org/ Flight-Bag. These links can be quickly viewed prior to log-in and offer a to your virus protection software Should you have questions on this or any single-site collection of EFB tips. could cause the DA to stop working. other IT-related topics, please contact us The PBS Committee reports that Check the settings on your antivirus at [email protected]. hh personal firewall and antivirus issues and firewall and consider temporarily continue to be problems when using turning them off if necessary. the PBS desktop application (DA). EFB tablet update blackout dates can hh If you are having trouble getting the be found in the secure content locker desktop application to work, check under “supporting information.” your antivirus and firewall settings. Remember to check there before Even though you may not have updating your tablet. changed anything in the DA, updates

22 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Strategic Planning

Assessing the Tactical Situation By Captain Rich Harwood Delta MEC Strategic Planning Committee

With Greg Rizzuto’s election as MEC secretary, he vacated his position as Strategic Planning Committee chairman. MEC The purpose of the Strategic Planning Committee is to provide Chairman Donatelli has appointed me as the the MEC with information that can help them make decisions. new chairman; subject to MEC confirmation We gather information about a variety of topics, including: in March. hMacroeconomic environment hDelta route network planning Some background on me—I am h h hAirline industry economics hDelta’s finances rejoining the Strategic Planning h h Airline industry trends Delta’s fleet plans Committee after three years hh hh of flying the line in Detroit and hhRLA negotiation updates Cincinnati on the 757 and 737. I am partnering with Mike Hanson, who has extensive experience in completing the Contract Survey. This ministration throughout the negotiating included the Contract History, Contract process. As we all know, our industry is in the union, including as an LEC Comparison, and a summary of the Railway never static and the tactical situation will be representative. I have worked in Labor Act process. That survey data will different three months from now than it is various union jobs in between line be presented to the MEC, and through a today. As we move through negotiations, flying since 1998, and have worked collaborative process be reduced to the the MEC will certainly be faced with deci- as a team member on four contract opener. sions and inflection points where they will decide which negotiating path produces different large-scale negotiations. The Strategic Planning Committee hosted the optimum deal for the Delta pilots. Brad Caplan, who is currently the a seminar in early January for the admin- Our committee will help them synthesize Delta Pilot Network chairman, istration members to gather information data and narrow options to assist in their will also be joining our committee. from a variety of sources, including a half decision making process. dozen professional negotiators with over We include numerous sources for our 150 years’ combined negotiating experi- A last note: one of the ancillary goals of this analysis and rely heavily on the professional ence. Our professional economist pre- negotiation will be to expand the union economists from ALPA National’s Eco- sented an update on the macroeconomic team and bring new players to the table to nomic and Financial Analysis Department. environment and an industry update. continue our success. If you are interested Our committee meets regularly with We used this seminar to help provide in becoming more involved in the union, counterparts from Delta management the MEC with the information they need this is the time to step up. Any organiza- to discuss current events and finances at to establish their negotiating goals and tion needs to be constantly committed to Delta. priorities. The MEC was also presented change and renewal in order to survive a meeting plan and a structured process and better serve its members, and ALPA Our primary focus now is to get ready for to finalize their comprehensive direction is no different. There will be plenty of op- our upcoming Section 6 contract nego- to the Negotiating Committee. Finally, portunities for volunteer work, and we all tiations. ALPA has a structured process, the MEC was given a detailed briefing on hope you will consider giving your time. developed over many years, to ensure that the Railway Labor Act and the resources the MEC and their administration produce that become available to them under Sec- a contract that will be endorsed by the tion 6 that are not present under other pilots. You have seen the beginnings of this negotiations. process as your Negotiating Committee presented a great deal of information to The Strategic Planning Committee will you so you could make your own decisions continue to assist the MEC and the ad-

WINTER 2015 23 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Delta Pilots Charitable Fund

DPCF Expands, Spreads Your Generosity By First Officer Shannon O’Neal The Delta Pilots change children’s lives, specifically in the com- Each quarter, the DPCF board reviews Charitable Fund munities where Delta pilots live. By staying grant requests and allocates a portion of (DPCF) has been local and “small,” the Delta pilots make kids’ donations to fund those requests while the doing great work since lives better every day through the DPCF. remaining funds are saved and accumulated 1999, but can do much to fund a major grant every few years. more and is ready to step up to the next The first quarter’s grants went to these five Past major grants included a children’s level. On January 21, 2015, the board charities, four purely local and one a local hospital ambulance and playroom, vans for approved $21,000 in grants, and also chapter with a pilot connection: a children’s center, and a YMCA camp’s approved a plan to expand the children’s adventure area and perpetual scholarship The Bell Center in Birmingham, Ala., charity significantly. hh endowment to benefit underprivileged kids. for early intervention for children with “The Delta pilots have led for years by special needs. The DPCF board wants to expand its giv- having their own charity—but we can do ing—and its donor base—to reflect the h AVPRIDE of Fayette County, Ga., better,” said Kingsley Roberts, an Atlanta- h growing size and diversity of the Delta pilot toward after-school educational and based 737 captain and newly elected group. In January, the board took steps to safety programs. chairman of the DPCF board. “This charity begin that process by adding a position for The House of Providence in Detroit, changes children’s lives in our communi- hh each pilot base. DPCF volunteers will speak ties. We’re going to step it up.” Mich., a therapeutic home for minor to Delta new-hire classes, represent DPCF wards of the state of Michigan who at local council meetings, and spend time The DPCF has donated almost $1.4 million have little prospect for adoption. in the lounges to increase pilot knowledge to worthy causes in pilot bases, and other h The Florida Hemophilia Association and donations. cities with concentrations of Delta pilots, h to fund an educational symposium for usually in response to a pilot’s request. All “We know we just need to do a better children to help them understand and DPCF funding comes from Delta pilots’ job of getting the word out,” said Roberts. manage their bleeding disorders. tax-deductible charitable donations. “And we intend to. Delta pilots are a gen- The Connecticut Chapter of the erous bunch.” hh Although the fund occasionally grants Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for More information, contacts, grant applica- money to large national groups, DPCF research into the causes and cure tions, and donation forms are available at focuses on smaller local charities where for the most common fatal genetic www.deltapilotscharitablefund.org. the grants make a significant impact and disease in the United States.

Please consider making a donation today!

Promoting health, education, and welfare of America’s most valuable resource— our children. For more information, visit the Delta Pilots Charitable Fund at deltapilotscharitablefund.org or e-mail us at [email protected].

24 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Delta Pilots Charitable Fund

P TA ILO L T E S D

H D

A N R U I F TA BLE Dear DPCF Board members,

First, I want to thank you for the donation of the playroom at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida (Pediatric Cardiac Unit). My understanding is that you created this room some time ago and I wonder how many times since then the families that have benefitted from your donation have reached out to say thank you.

Secondly, I wanted to tell you a bit of our story: Our youngest daughter, Mae Davey, was diagnosed in utero as having a ventricular septal defect (a hole between the two bottom chambers of her heart). On December 19, 2014, my husband, family, and dear friends faced the hardest day of our lives as Mae went into open heart surgery at 11 mos. of age to have that defect repaired. If you have not been through anything like that, you cannot begin to imagine the fear in our hearts. That surgery (from kiss goodbye to kiss hello) took 7½ hours, but we were surrounded by love, support, and encouragement the whole time. As we spent time in the pediatric cardiac ICU with our daughter over the next 3½ days, I was absolutely thrilled to see the sign posted outside of the playroom that it was sponsored by the Delta Pilots Charitable Fund. My husband is an aircraft mechanic for Delta Air Lines (in Baltimore, though we live in Orlando) and just seeing that sign made me feel like the Delta family was there with us, just another sign that we were in the right place, with the right team for our baby.

Thirdly, I wanted to share a photo of our amazing miracle girl with you all so that you could see just one child who benefitted from your donation and the family warmed by it as well. In the five weeks since her surgery, she has gained nearly three pounds and has grown nearly two inches! She is thriving and we feel as if the weight of the world has been lifted from us.

We learned a number of lessons while we were in the pediatric cardiac ICU, but not the least of which was to say thank you to our Delta family who supported this amazing hospital and program long before we ever knew we would need it someday.

Thank you again,

Scott, Catherine, Emma (11), Olivia (8), and Mae (now 1)

WINTER 2015 25 COMMITTEE REPORTS

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Safety Is and Always Will Be Our Number One Priority Posted on January 27, 2015 Securing the safety of our nation’s aviation system is our industry’s top priority. In order to maintain our standing as the safest air transport system in the world, we rely on a multilayer approach to security, using numerous strategies that all play important roles. One of those critical layers is the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program.

Since 2003, the FFDO program has been tremendously successful as a strong, ongoing deterrent against hijacking threats. FFDOs are cargo and passenger pilots who volunteer their personal time in order to receive the training required to become deputized FFDOs, and these pilot volunteers pay a portion of the expenses associated with the program. In total, thousands of ALPA pilots flying for cargo and passenger airlines have volunteered their time defending our airspace, securing nearly a million flight segments every year without any personal compensation.

The FFDO program is a proven and cost-effective component of transportation security in this country and has often been praised by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the additional layer of protection it brings to air transportation.

2015 Congress Must Ensure Fair Competition for U.S. Airlines Posted on January 14, 2015 It’s a new year and a new Congress. ALPA is making it clear to both new and incumbent lawmakers that we expect—and will accept nothing less than—fair competition in the global marketplace for our airlines.

In the face of business models such as Norwegian Air International (NAI), which seek to gain marketplace advantages by dodging national tax and employment laws and circumventing international air transport agreements, our U.S. government leaders must defend a free marketplace.

NAI has applied to the U.S. DOT for a foreign air carrier permit that would allow it to fly to and from the United States and compete directly with U.S. airlines on long-haul international routes. Its business scheme has the potential to affect each and every ALPA member. Mainline pilots’ jobs would be directly threatened by the out-of-balance competitive advantage that foreign competitors would receive under the business model. Moreover, the jobs of ALPA professionals…

Scan here to follow our Pilot Partisan SubscribeAn ALPA Government Affairsto Blog.Pilot | www.PilotPartisan.comPartisan. blog today.

26 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Government Affairs

New Congress, Continuing Calls to Action By Captain Dino Atsalis Delta MEC Government Affairs Committee Chairman

On January 6, the 114th Congress began its first session, welcoming 67 newly elected senators 2. Export-Import Bank and members of the House of Representatives. Reauthorization As the new Congress gets to work, so does your The Ex-Im Bank’s two-year reauthorization was set to expire Government Affairs Committee, armed with the at the end of September 2014. strong support of our fellow pilots. The Delta Prior to the mid-term election pilots have led the rest of ALPA with their example, recess last September, Congress participating in Calls to Action, as district advocates, authorized an extension while also agreeing to resolve and as ALPA-PAC contributors. Your vigilance and the Bank’s reauthorization by the end of June 2015. Despite the pundit rhetoric, the Bank still plays a key participation is crucial to our continuing success on role in getting American products (other than wide- Capitol Hill. body aircraft) to market, and simply shutting it down probably won’t happen. Legislation introduced previously in the 113th Congress will be reintroduced, and last year’s issues are still in play. Your advocacy ALPA continues to support the mission of the as a constituent and stakeholder in the airline industry continues to Export-Import Bank, and we will continue to push influence our legislators and government officials. We need you to for reforms to accompany the upcoming reauthori- spread the word on Calls to Action—talk to your fellow pilots and zation with the goal of ensuring that the Bank actually let them know about this critical tool in promoting pilot interests. At is the lender of last resort that it is intended to be. the time of this writing, we have three Call-to-Action items: We will visit the Hill in late February on this issue, and your support from the local districts would serve as a force multiplier. 1. Deny NAI By the time you read this article, the Department of Transpor- tation (DOT) may have already rendered a decision on the #DENYNAI 3. FFDO Funding Norwegian Air International Federal Flight Deck Officer (NAI) application for a foreign air (FFDO) program funding in the carrier permit. ALPA has taken the 2016 budget is another priority, lead on this issue, and taken everyone involved by sur- and the Call to Action for this is prise. Grassroots action and a lot of time on the Hill have actually a message to President shown positive results; many senators and members of Obama. The president’s 2015 Congress have supported us with letters to the DOT, budget blueprint cut the funding for the FFDO pro- which rejected NAI’s application to operate under an gram, and also eliminated staff positions at the Trans- exemption. The recent “cromnibus” spending bill also portation Security Administration that are critical to helped our cause, but NAI’s full application is still pending. maintaining the program. This is simply unsatisfactory, and needs to be addressed in the president’s budget We need your help to put this in a box and bury it. for the 2016 fiscal year. We have been successful in Click the Call to Action; pick up the phone. Believe maintaining funding through previous budget autho- us—it makes a huge difference when all 12,000 of us rizations, but this has always come at the price of our do it! Grassroots action by stakeholders has given policy direct involvement as stakeholders. Make the call, and makers the backstop they need to resist the pressure preserve this cost-effective and successful program that to allow flag-of-convenience schemes. keeps our cockpits secure.

WINTER 2015 27 The above descriptions of the Air Line Pilots Association PAC are not a solicitation to contribute to the PAC. Only ALPA members, ALPA executives, and senior administrative and professional staff personnel, and their immediate 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. COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Government Affairs

New Congress, Continuing Calls to Action Continued from page 27 FAA Reauthorization Delta’s Seattle-Haneda Service: As you may remember, the U.S. airline In mid-December 2014, the DOT issued a “Haneda 2014–Insti- industry experienced sequestration and tuting Order” that provides an outline for the DOT’s reopening operation under 23 short-term exten- of the Haneda route case, where the northwest region could sions over a number of years before lose Delta’s service between Seattle and Haneda if the DOT Congress enacted the current FAA awards the route to either American or Hawaiian. Following the reauthorization in February 2012. That procedural schedule in the order, on behalf of the Delta pilots, reauthorization will expire at the end of this fiscal year, September Delta MEC chairman Captain Mike Donatelli filed documents to 30, 2015. No one in Washington wants to revisit the painful experi- the DOT docket in support of Delta Air Lines retaining the route ence of multiple extensions, so last November the Transportation between Seattle and Haneda. and Infrastructure Committee got the reauthorization process rolling with a hearing involving the full committee. ALPA’s goal is an on-time, long-term FAA bill with sustainable funding levels, and no extraneous or non-germane provisions. ALPA also has a laundry list of items to check off in the next FAA bill:

Continue NextGen development and implementation. hh Prevent weakening of safety standards, especially with hh regard to training and qualification standards for pilots at FAR 121 carriers, and flight-time/duty-time regulations. Ensure safe integration of unmanned aircraft, imposing the hh same standards as commercial aircraft if they occupy the same airspace, especially for collision avoidance. Pilots and controllers must be able to see them on their displays. Delta at Sea-Tac. Eliminate the flight-time/duty-time carve-out for cargo hh carriers. Captain Donatelli and committee representatives also met early in 2014 with DOT representatives to discuss the importance of h Install secondary cockpit barriers on our aircraft. h full access to Haneda, Tokyo’s close-in airport, which is currently Set lithium battery packaging standards and limits on hh restricted to four slot pairs for each country’s air carriers under quantity. the U.S.-Japan open skies agreement. To help Delta keep the h Ensure automatic acceptance of voluntary safety reports. route, the committee coordinated congressional support—letters h addressed to DOT Secretary Foxx—from the full Washington Ensure authorization and funding of Human Intervention hh state delegation as well as from Alaska and other states in the Motivation Study programs. northwest. With Delta resuming operations to Haneda at the end of March, a decision is expected before the end of February.

As you can tell, the work doesn’t ever really stop on our committee, and the game-changer for us has been the growing and steady support of line pilots taking the time and trouble to speak Pilot Partisan http://pilotpartisan.com up on the issues affecting our profession. Support from the districts—especially in the form of ALPA-PAC participation— has made the difference in promoting our policy objectives. I ALPA’s Blogs thank you for your support, and hope that I have shown that what we do is worth much more than the time and trouble. The first lesson of the Hill is patience; the second lesson is that when good people work together they can accomplish anything. These fights are ours to win, all we have to do is keep faith with each other, speak from the heart of our professional authority, Leadership from the Cockpit and back the PAC! http://leadershipfromthecockpit.com

WINTER 2015 29 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Investor Relations

Trainer Refinery, Delta’s Secret Weapon By Captain Douglas Ralph Delta MEC Investor Relations Committee Chairman A recent Forbes article questioned Delta’s decision to purchase the Trainer Refinery based on what can best be described as the author’s own far-reaching assumptions. In this article, I will attempt to highlight some of the benefits of the refinery and its impact on Delta’s bottom line.

After a series of negotiations, Delta pur- Delta purchased chased the Trainer Oil Refinery from Phillips the refinery to ensure 66 for $180M. Delta was also able to secure the continuity of the $30M in grants from jet fuel supply to its the state of Pennsylva- nia to bring a dormant major hubs in the facility online, providing New York area. a much-needed boost to employment in the Philadelphia area. The Forbes author assumes that Delta was entering into the refining business as another source of revenue; however, the reality was that Delta purchased the refinery to ensure the continuity of the jet fuel supply to its major hubs in the New York area. This acquisition also provided some level of control over Delta’s largest single expense—jet fuel—which accounts for over one-third of its operating costs.

The Trainer facility went online in September 2012. Delta, through its subsidiary Monroe Energy, is able to refine 185,000 barrels per day, of which 40,000 barrels are jet fuel. Because it is physically impossible to refine 100 percent jet fuel from a barrel of oil, the Trainer facility also produces 145,000 barrels per day of nonjet products, the majority of which is gasoline and diesel. Because Delta purchased the refinery primarily for jet fuel, Monroe Energy developed a creative solution for the large amount of gasoline that it produced on a daily basis.

Agreements were negotiated with other oil companies—such as Phillips 66 and Trafigura—allowing Monroe to exchange the gasoline produced at Trainer for jet fuel throughout the United States and a limited number of international locations. This, in essence, establishes virtual refineries at Delta’s major hubs. These agreements effectively provide Delta with a cost advantage in its Photo Credit: Monroe Energy Delta’s Trainer Oil Refinery.

30 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Investor Relations

Trainer Refinery, jet fuel price without having to invest in any additional infrastruc- Delta’s Secret Weapon ture. When Trainer’s production rate is paired with Monroe’s exchange agreements, Delta is able to meet approximately 80 By Captain Douglas Ralph percent of its domestic fuel needs. Delta MEC Investor Relations Committee Chairman Delta has taken an additional step to further reduce costs by entering into a five-year contract with a logistics company to bring Bakken crude to the Trainer facility by rail. Under this contract, Trainer currently receives approximately 50,000 barrels per day by rail, which will soon increase to 65,000 barrels. In addition to this long-term contract, Monroe also negotiated limited term deals with other suppliers in the region to receive additional domestic crude. Monroe has also leased a “Jones Act” ship, which makes two trips per month from the Gulf of Mexico to Trainer, carry- ing 300,000 barrels per trip. Before these initiatives, Delta was sourcing West African and North Sea crudes at a delivered cost of approximately $4/bbl higher than the domestic crude coming from the Bakken fields.

One claim used in the Forbes article questioning Delta’s purchase of Trainer states that Delta already had a $0.09 advantage prior to the refinery acquisition. This was (presumably) based on a single data point, possibly taken from a fuel hedge position, and was not a consistent cost advantage throughout the year. The article claims that Delta continues to lose money on the refinery Photo Credit: Monroe Energy while ignoring the fact that the refinery has been profitable Aerial view of Delta’s Oil Refinery, Trainer, Pennsylvania. for the last three quarters, making it profitable for 2014. The author also states that Delta inherited “invariable environmental improved by a sustained 2 to 3 cents per gallon on average. It liabilities hidden in the dirt under the plant, a figure the airline should be noted that Delta consumes approximately 4 billion refuses to share.” Anyone familiar with the purchase of such a gallons of jet fuel per year, which means that for every penny of facility would know that a benchmark of soil conditions was reduced cost, Delta nets $40M. Therefore, a 3 cent decline in taken at the time of acquisition and remains the responsibility the cost of jet fuel will save Delta $120M. While it is true that all of the previous owners. airlines have benefited from the spread’s downward movement, Delta benefits from this decline to a greater degree because it is one of the largest consumers of jet fuel in the Northeast. In ad- This acquisition also provided dition to the price decline, the refinery is now profitable, which is a benefit for Delta that is not shared with our competitors. some level of control over Delta’s When all of the previously mentioned factors are added together, largest single expense—jet fuel— it is easy to see how the Trainer acquisition greatly contributes which accounts for over one-third of to Delta’s bottom line. its operating costs.

Delta measures the relative expense of jet fuel by comparing it to the low sulfur diesel price. As the supply of jet fuel coming into New York Harbor declined due to refinery closures, this price spread increased, meaning that jet fuel was becoming more expensive. The most obvious benefit, totally ignored in the article, was that following the Trainer restart, this diesel-jet spread

WINTER 2015 31 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Retirement & Insurance

Tools for Managing Your 401(k) By Captain Mark Shanahan Delta MEC Retirement and Insurance Committee

Before rushing off to your local bookstore or Stockbrokers “R” Us, take a look at what is available through your 401(k) account and via your union membership. Most of this is offered at that very attractive price point—free!

he change from the world of defined benefit retire- a managed investment program. Lifecycle funds operate with ment plans to one of defined contribution plans has several premises: brought some level of security, but it also comes with The fund will provide an appropriate level of diversification. a heavy level of responsibility. As employees, we now hh carryT the burden of ensuring that our retirement funds are The risk level will be appropriate for the planned hh properly invested and adequate for our future in retirement. That retirement date. can be a daunting task, especially as our 401(k) accounts grow. Lifecycle funds are designed so that you can place your entire In the Spring 2014 issue of the Widget, the R&I Committee DPSP account into the fund that corresponds to your planned discussed the need to make a plan. You can create that plan on retirement date, and not incur undue risk. These aren’t a flashy your own, or you can engage a third party to craft and possibly investment. You won’t enjoy Warren Buffet–style returns, but implement a plan. The bookstore shelves are chock full of “how-to that isn’t the goal. The goal is to get you safely to retirement. guides” and there are more than a few financial advisors willing to help you invest your money. Financial Engines Outside of the Lifecycle Funds, Fidelity relies on a company called Before rushing off to your local bookstore or Stockbrokers “R” Financial Engines to provide independent investment advice. Fi- Us, take a look at what is available through your 401(k) account nancial Engines (FE) is one of the larger independent investment and via your union membership. Most of this is offered at that advisors. While completely separate from Fidelity, your access very attractive price point—free! to FE’s guidance is through Fidelity’s NetBenefits website; look for the link toward the bottom of the NetBenefits home page. Fidelity Fidelity provides three levels of help. Let’s start with the most For do-it-yourselfers, the Financial Engines online advice option basic. provides a recommended investment mix using the core funds in the DPSP. The mix of funds is based on parameters that you Lifecycle Funds provide (income goals, level of risk tolerance, planned retirement The Delta Pilot Savings Plan (DPSP) provides 27 core funds (plus age, etc.). The recommended investments will (and should) BrokerageLink). These funds are categorized into four “tiers”— change as you approach retirement. You will need to periodi- lifecycle, money market, index/sector funds, and a brokerage cally monitor the recommendations and make changes when account. While perhaps not obvious, the lifecycle funds are really necessary. You will have two chores to ensure you are tracking

32 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Retirement & Insurance

the online advice recommendations. First, set your contributions consultation regardless of whether you have funds at to match the recommendations. Second, periodically rebalance Schwab. the DPSP account so total investments match the online advice The Executive Services financial consultant can help hh recommendations. Financial Engines assists by providing you an you develop a plan. If implemented outside of a Schwab e-mail message option to advise you when rebalancing in needed. account, the plan may be more broadly based. That is, If you aren’t inclined to actively manage your account, you can it may recommend x% in a category of funds versus enroll in Financial Engines Professional Management service, and recommending a specific fund. it will actively manage your account. This includes distributing While Schwab does not represent this service as meeting hh your contributions to the proper investment, and rebalancing the “fiduciary” standard, you can ask for an individual those investments to maintain the planned mix. There are several advisor that is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). A CFP important caveats to this service. must meet the fiduciary level of care when providing advice. It is “all or nothing.” All of your DPSP funds (except those hh in BrokerageLink) will be actively managed by FE; you can’t Note: While this article focuses on advice available for managing place part of your DPSP funds into a lifecycle fund and your DPSP account, Schwab provides a range of services and have FE manage the rest. You won’t be able to change fund discounts to ALPA pilots with a Schwab account. The February investments on your own unless you cancel the service. 2013 issue of Air Line Pilot highlighted these benefits. (See the ALPAToolBox column on page 30. The archived issue is acces- If you hold Delta stock within the Delta Stock Fund in hh sible through www.alpa.org/epubs.) If you are a Schwab account the DPSP account, that stock will be sold as part of the holder and wish to utilize Schwab’s services for managing those rebalancing. Delta stock held in BrokerageLink will not be accounts, a range of services are available. sold. FE’s Professional Management is the one service that is This program has a dedicated website (schwab.com/alpa) and hh not free. A fee is charged based on the total value of your a dedicated phone number (877-648-4719), which you can use DPSP account (BrokerageLink assets are not included in to schedule your no-fee consultation. this fee). The fee structure is: Disclosure: The Charles Schwab Corporation and its affiliates are unaffiliated with ALPA. DPSP Account Balance Annual Program Fee Up to $100,000 0.45% Third-Party Firms The Fidelity options look good. The Schwab advisor was nice and $100,000-$250,000 0.35% knowledgeable. But, Warren Buffet is your next-door neighbor $250,000-$350,000 0.20% and has convinced you to let him manage your money. Can he Above $350,000 0.15% access your DPSP account or BrokerageLink account as a third- party advisor? It is important to note that FE operates as a fiduciary (that means their decisions must be in your best interest). They don’t offer The answer depends on the account: investments for sale, and their fee is based on a percentage of h DPSP and the core funds? NO. He cannot account value. h BrokerageLink? YES. He can hh Charles Schwab Note: A Charles Schwab consultant may not act as a third-party Your ALPA membership offers another source of investment- advisor in your Fidelity account. planning advice. Through ALPA National we have a preferred provider relationship with Charles Schwab’s Executive Services To authorize an advisor to trade in your account, contact Fidelity team. Here are some key benefits about Schwab’s service: and request a Limited Third-Party Trading Authorization and Indemnification Form. This service is provided by a small group of advisors hh dedicated to ALPA pilots. They are educated on the The tools and resources at Fidelity and Charles Schwab are designed specifics of the DPSP and understand the nuances of to do one thing—help you move forward with an investment plan. retirement planning in the pilot career. This has been just a broad overview of those tools. If you need more You don’t have to have an account with Schwab. The “how-to” guidance, contact Fidelity, Financial Engines, or Schwab. hh Executive Services team will provide an analysis and Your R&I Committee is here to assist as well.

WINTER 2015 33 FEATURE ARTICLE

At 48 years old, I thought I was ing around the kitchen. She loaded me in Living in Florida, the heat part was not the picture of health. I had a the car and we started toward the hospital alarming. I had turned off the car and was physical and EKG completed just emergency room. (I have little recollection waiting for my son to arrive from school of these events!) on a very warm day. I had been working at over a month ago and my primary the house, doing manual labor, and could care physician said my numbers We had barely made it to the end of the easily have been experiencing a mild heat looked the best they have street when I went into full cardiac ar- exhaustion, possibly my body just needed rest! I’m painting this picture so you can to cool down. I had any number of excuses. looked in four years! My blood be aware of how quickly heart issues can sugar was under the 100 mg/dL But I remained in constant contact with limit, my cholesterol was below my wife, and her immediate recognition the 200mg/dL limit, and every Heart attack of my symptoms was the first step toward parameter on my complete blood symptoms vary widely. saving my life. count was in line! You may have only By the end of our street, as I was in full cardiac arrest, she started immediate CPR, January 5, 2015, started like any other minor chest discomfort assisted by a Good Samaritan (who also day—running errands, working in the happens to be an ExpressJet captain and house, and picking up the kids. While while someone else has fellow ALPA member) and kept up the waiting at the bus stop for my middle excruciating pain. CPR until paramedics could arrive. You school–age child to come home, I felt a see, a lot of things had to fall into place warm sensation similar to someone placing for me to be here writing this down: a ThermaCare heat pack on the left side escalate. You must be aware of the signs recognition, knowledge, action, timing, co- of my chest. It was nothing alarming, but I and symptoms of cardiac problems, and incidence (right guy, right time, right place). called my wife anyway and explained my remember that this can happen to an otherwise apparently healthy individual! concern. I have no history of heart disease in my family. I eat a healthy diet (the flight attendants To her credit, she told me to me leave From the time I felt the warmth on my on international flights help with that as we the bus stop, go home, chew two aspirin, chest to full cardiac arrest was a total of 30 usually get chicken as our default choice), and wait for her to arrive. By the time she minutes. Think about that for a minute— and I exercise regularly with intensity. This made it to the house 10 minutes later, she within the space of an Andy Griffith Show whole thing happened very quickly, but did said that I was complaining of a sharp pain rerun, I had gone from healthy, happy not manifest itself in what I have been taught in my chest similar to a fire poker being 48-year-old to full cardiac arrest. are the classic signs and symptoms. pushed in one spot. I was agitated and pac- Continued on page 36

34 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Hotel

New Year’s Resolutions for 2015 By Captain Tom Tinsley Delta MEC Hotel Committee Chairman RESOLUTION 1 Address our most challenging hotels LAX-S Four Points Sheraton This hotel has received a consistent flow of negative FCRs. Many of those concern the transportation situation, although a significant portion also address the property’s poor quality. We desire a better location, including reliable transportation, and our top the solution for this issue and will continue to pursue a software goal is to move to a property that better addresses our crews’ upgrade that enables CTS to more accurately set the pick-up layover needs. times. When this happens to you, please file an FCR and let your The best way to help us (and your fellow pilots) is to continue LEC reps know about the problems as well. to submit an FCR every time you have issues at the Four Points Update from DAL 44 SAN Wyndham Bayside Finally, I’d like to switch gears and print a portion of an article This hotel continues to be the only disapproved hotel where Flight written for an upcoming Delta Council 44 Roar newsletter by Ops has elected to place pilots. We continue to get a steady that council’s Hotel chairman, Captain Joe Standridge. I feel it is stream of negative FCRs addressing this property. This hotel ranks timely and deserves the wider distribution the Widget offers: #2 in complaints behind the LAX Sheraton Four Points. We will continue to seek a better property for our layover in SAN. Consensus Building RESOLUTION 2 Improve pick-up and travel times It’s New Year’s Day, and tonight I’ll fly the redeye from We want to eliminate the confusion generated by “sign-in” sheets McCarran International back to Hartsfield Jackson Inter- at our hotels; the sheet says one thing, but the reality is often national. Happy New Year! If you haven’t had a layover different. Times are often changed so that vans can “double up” in LAS, the hotel is decent. It’s in a location that, while with additional crews, and courtesy vans are notorious for run- not on the strip, is very close. It features a nice workout ning on a schedule that is incompatible with the times shown on facility, the rooms are quiet and sizeable, the beds are the sheet. We want to see the time listed match the time you comfortable, and there are numerous dining options. It’s actually go to work. not the Bellagio by a long stretch, but it’s clean, quiet, and comfortable. All in all, most Delta pilots would agree that The other issue is the travel time itself. In New York City, we the hotel is fine. continue to see pilots arriving at the airports 1+15 to 1+40 prior to pushback. Delta uses the “worst-case” times to ensure op- So what makes a property acceptable to the Delta pilot? erational reliability. That’s all well and good, but nobody likes the When we conduct a site visit to a new or existing market, situation when they have a pickup at 0620 for a 0845 pushback this is the most commonly asked question by the staff at and then they find themselves arriving at EWR or JFK at 0645. the hotel we’re inspecting. My response is pretty straight- The root cause of both these problems is an issue with Delta forward—we want to be promptly picked up and checked technology. Corporate Travel Services (CTS) has the ability to in. We want the hotel to be clean, quiet, and secure. We adjust the pick-up times by the time of day (so midday should be want the room we’re occupying to be at a comfortable shorter than rush hour), but they cannot adjust for day of the temperature regardless of the temperature outside. We week (so it is not uncommon that on weekends and holidays want free WiFi, a wide array of food choices, and a fully you will almost always be early). We have been able to identify equipped exercise facility.

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WINTER 2015 35 FEATURE ARTICLE

What Do You Mean, I Had a Heart Attack? Continued from page 34 A quick Google search for heart attack signs and symptoms Don’t “tough out” heart attack symptoms for more than five resulted in a Mayo Clinic list including: minutes. Call 911 or other emergency medical services for help.

Chest discomfort or pain If you don’t have access to emergency medical services, have hh Upper body pain someone drive you to the nearest hospital. Drive yourself only hh Stomach pain as a last resort, if there are absolutely no other options. hh Shortness of breath hh Heart attack symptoms vary widely. For instance, you may have Anxiety only minor chest discomfort while someone else has excruciating hh h Lightheadedness pain. One thing applies to everyone, though: If you suspect you’re h having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately. Sweating hh Nausea and vomiting hh Among all of these symptoms, I felt only warmth, not a classic indicator by the medical definition and only 30 minutes from first The Mayo site continues: Most heart attacks begin with subtle indication to full cardiac arrest. I say this to underscore the last symptoms—with only discomfort that often is not described as statement from the Mayo Clinic: call for emergency medical help pain. The chest discomfort may come and go. Don’t be tempted immediately! Never ever assume “this cannot happen to me.” to downplay your symptoms or brush them off as indigestion or anxiety. There are plenty of medical cases of heart attacks happening to youthful individuals. Cases in point, two people with whom I New Year’s Resolutions for 2015 Continued from page 35 have crossed paths were less than 40 years old when they had their cardiac event. Danny Wilson is a firefighter and absolute fitness nut. He had the same thing happen at the age of 39. Sarah The Hotel Committee is given access to all FCRs relating Klena, who was a schoolteacher to my children, active individual, to lodging. It is common for an FCR to start with, “This and marathon runner, had a heart attack at the age of 31. She is the first time I have complained,” and the company is was turned away from clinics and hospitals multiple times until fortunate that so many of us just want to fly their trips and finally her troponin levels (which detect heart disorders) began go home. Consequently, when you see a large number to elevate. You can read her story at http://heartattackat31. a complaints about one particular property, you can be blogspot.com. She has been featured on the Doctor Oz show as confident there is a problem. well as Good Housekeeping magazine.

Your Hotel Committee is composed of about 20 vol- I was eager to get this information out and published in the Widget, unteers representing every base and almost every seat as February is American heart month. What better time to begin position, from the top of the seniority list to the bottom. an awareness campaign among my fellow Delta pilots that what We have spent a great deal of time considering what happened to me can certainly happen to any one of us? makes for a proper layover, and in our reports to the MEC we have shared our ideas for changing the pilot working Remember, heart issues can escalate very quickly so seek help im- agreement to improve our layovers. mediately; know the classic signs, but be aware that each individual manifests differently (particularly in women)—you may have no The hotel industry has quietly gained traction in pricing signs at all. Even if you have no history, think about early heart power as the economy has improved. As hotel contracts screening and preventive measures you can take on behalf of your renew, the old price points don’t buy as much as they used heart. Do all the other standard stuff—get your blood checked, to. The Hotel Committee’s concern is the PWA, which take your statins if that is what you and your doctor have agreed serves as the framework for everything we do. When upon, keep yourself in shape, watch your diet. And even after you notice that a hotel isn’t suitable, please do your part having done all that, never, ever, ever think this could not happen by submitting an FCR and e-mailing your LEC reps; this to you! I did and I almost paid the ultimate price! Glad to be here, closes the loop on the problem and focuses the attention and you can look for me back on the line, because life is good! of our union.

Thank you for your support, and sweet dreams!

36 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Training

FAQs on STaC By Captain Ed Mueller, First Officer Eric Schafhauser, First Officer Andy Luce, and Captain Steve Barnes Delta MEC Training Committee

As growth has accelerated at Delta Air Lines, more pilots are entering training, and, on occasion, a pilot Expect to have a Systems Validation makes a misstep. When this happens, the pilot (either operational or electronic) and, at enters a program at Delta calls Special Training and Checking (STaC). a minimum, at least one day of simulator What is STaC? training. If checking is required, you’ll STaC is Delta’s method for complying with the FAA re- have one day of training followed by a quirement (Public Law 111-216: Colgan Air) to maintain second day of checking. a program for monitoring pilots who demonstrate deficiencies or failures under Delta’s Advanced Qualification Program (AQP). Failure to obtain a grade of “S” on the first hh attempt of the MV Where is the STaC program Failure of the LOE on the first attempt documented? hh It’s documented in the FOM, Part 2 (online version), Chap- Line Flying: ter 15. It is also available in the content locker. Additional Failure of an on-line evaluation background on this program is available at: www.faa.gov/ hh regulations_policies/rulemaking/recently_published/ “Situation B,” the line check pilot judges the first leg hh media/RIN-2120-AJ00.pdf, beginning on page 55. of a line check to be “competent” but requires an additional leg(s) to reconcile any pilot performance How does a pilot enter STaC? concerns FOM Part 2 states the following: “Delta affords certain crewmembers the opportunity for additional training based Management Discretion: on their performance.” Delta accomplishes this through Basically, any time a pilot’s “overall performance hh STaC, which is a way to provide an additional training op- and/or judgment merits additional management portunity to the pilot that focuses on any area in which he attention” or she needs additional training. The deficiencies that may place a pilot in STaC are curriculum-based and listed below. How do I know if I am in STaC? More detailed information can be found in FOM Part 2. The instructor should clearly state that the pilot will be entered into STaC. In addition, the FOM states that any Initial Qualification: time STaC has been initiated, the chief pilot will issue a letter Failure to complete the maneuvers validation (34x) informing the pilot that he or she has been placed in STaC. hh on the first attempt The letter will explain why the pilot is being placed in STaC and describe the requirements necessary to complete any h Failure of the LOE (44x) on the first attempt h training or checking (in “Situation B,” a letter will not be Continuing Qual (CQ), Special Requal (SRQ), or issued, the pilot needs to ask if he or she will be placed in STaC). The type of training and/or checking a pilot receives Normal Requal (NRQ): is tailored to the area of deficiency identified by the instruc- Failure to obtain a satisfactory (S) grade on the first hh tor. The STaC events will be accomplished within three to attempt of the Operational Systems Validation (SV) five months after successfully completing the event that Failure to be recommended for the MV or LOE caused the STaC. hh

Continued on page 40

WINTER 2015 37 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Membership

Stats on Our New Hires By Captain Bill Sawtelle Delta MEC Membership Committee Chairman 2014 was a huge year for the Membership Committee. We welcomed 964 new pilots to Delta and our union in 29 classes, with the largest class being 76 strong. 2015 will start out with much larger classes than the beginning of 2014, and we expect 400 additional pilots on property by the end of April. There is no official number beyond that, but it very TOTAL NEW HIRES likely that this robust hiring schedule will continue. As of this writing we have 12,431 pilots on the seniority list. 964 On a different topic, you may have noticed year until you retire. Also, while you are on we have occasionally posted Vectors the page, there are buttons on the right to articles in reference to ALPA anniversary update your address and web preferences. Men pins. National will complete a total audit of all ALPA carriers by this fall, and thereafter The following is a year-end summary of 93% the process will be automated. Until then, 2014 new-hire demographic data: if you have reached a five-year anniversary Women starting at 10 years and every five years 29 classes in 2014, after that, you can request new pins in a including 964 new hires. 7% variety of ways. The easiest way is to go to dal.alpa.org, sign in, hover over “quick There are two pilots who links,” select “MY ALPA,” then “ALPA actually arrive on-property Pin, Card & Ballot Request.” You can also in January 2015, but have Military: 455 e-mail [email protected] with your 2014 seniority numbers. (47%) request, call ALPA Membership Admin- istration at 800-FLY-ALPA, or you can e-mail me at [email protected] and Civilian: 509 I will forward the info to National for you. FLIGHT TIME Remember that any previous ALPA car- (53%) rier at which you were employed counts 3,837,488 (TOTAL HOURS) as total years of ALPA membership. Average 8,585 As retirements start to ramp up, many MILITARY BACKGROUND of you will be interested in knowing your Least 2,300 projected seniority number each year 454 (TOTAL) until you retire. There is a graphic on the Most 25,000 USAF: 347 ALPA website that will show you just that. The numbers are approximate, and worst (76%) case as they assume everybody goes until USN: 67 normal retirement. Again, go to dal.alpa. (15%) org, and sign in. Below the large MEC banner, click on “My Page,” and there you Total Hours 1,581,517 will find two tabs. The default will be “Pilot USMC: 39 Info,” and the next tab is labeled “Senior- Average 2,300 (8.7%) ity.” Click on “Seniority” to see what your projected seniority number will be each Least 1,500 USCG: 1 Most 8,500 (.3%)

38 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Membership

Some new hires have come from some interesting backgrounds: 4 2 4 BACKGROUND Endeavor 188 (37%)* DCI ALPA North American 2 ALPA Compass 137 (27%)* DCI ALPA Northrop Grumman 1 ExpressJet 67 (13%) DCI ALPA PSA 1 ALPA SkyWest 37 (7%) DCI Shuttle America 4 DCI Air Wisconsin 13 (2.5%) ALPA Spirit 1 ALPA Republic 10 (2%) ALPA Southwest 1 Envoy 9 (1.5%) United 1 ALPA JetBlue 6 (1%) ALPA US Airways 1 MAG 5 (1%) ALPA Virgin America 2 Aarons Inc. 1 XOJet 1 AirTran 3 ALPA ASTAR 1 OTHER CARRIERS AND COMPANIES Atlas 1 OUR PILOTS HAVE WORKED FOR: Cathay 1 AeroSim Technologies Flight Safety Air Mekong (2) Pakistani Air Force (Mirage drivers) CommutAir 1 ALPA Aloha German Air Force (2) Delta Private Jets 2 Air Cargo Express Hawker Beechcraft/Raytheon Boeing Independence Air Emirates 2 NetJets Midway Executive Air Share 1 Riverside Research Island Air Cubic Technologies Kalitta Air Foresight Energy 1 Avantair Kitty Hawk Frontier 2 Avenge Inc. L-3 Communications Bemidji LeTourneau University GoJet 1 DCI Big Sky Miami Air Horizon Air 1 Champion Silver CitationAir Omni Air Linear Air 1 Chicago Express PenAir Malone Air Charter 1 Commuter Air Technology Purdue University Dynamic Aviation Sanford Air Medical NetJets 2 Eagle Aviation Resources Group Scenic Airlines *Includes flows, SSP, and OTS (off the street) Empire Airways Segrave Aviation FAA Skyway Airlines Eaton Corporation Youngest Oldest Average U.S. Customs Walt Disney Company AGE 27 61 39 Honeywell (August 26, 1987) (October 19, 1953) (September 29, 1975) Wipaire

WINTER 2015 39 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Training

FAQs on STaC Continued from page 37

What can I expect in STaC? The best way to avoid STaC is to do what you should already be doing. Be prepared when you show up for training. Keep up In general, expect to have a Systems Validation (either with the latest procedural changes for line operation. Maintain operational or electronic) and, at a minimum, at least one proficiency in both automated and hand-flown flight. And finally, day of simulator training. If checking is required, you’ll have don’t let your life outside Delta keep you from maintaining the one day of training followed by a second day of checking. proficiency you need to do your job! STaC as a result of on-line evaluation failures, “Situation B,” or management discretion will generate training and/ We would like Delta pilots to be aware that Delta, to the best or checking as directed by the company. of the Training Committee’s knowledge, is the only major airline If you find yourself in STaC, be prepared for your training when it that has a management-discretion STaC program. In the Training occurs. You can find the specifics of what to expect in the FOM, Committee’s opinion, management-discretion STaC must only Part 2, Chapter 15. The student copy of the Delta Instructor be assigned for deficiencies in performance, and should not be Guide (located on your fleet’s page on DeltaNet) contains cur- assigned because of background differences, a personality conflict riculum information for each simulator session. You can also call with the student, and definitely never punitively. the fleet managers for your aircraft, and they can verify what you’ll If you find yourself in management-discretion STaC and you truly be doing in your training. As always, you can call one of the MEC believe it was not because of overall performance, please contact Training Committee members or your LEC Training volunteers, a Training Committee representative. and we can answer any questions. Make sure you are ready for your Systems Validation—either operational or electronic, as you’ll definitely be doing one or the other.

40 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Code Share

International Scope—

Watching It All Come Together “The January 2015 AE/ By First Officer Tom Dilbeck Surplus is one of the Delta MEC Code Share Committee larger bids we have posted . . . we are experienc- cope essentially defines who is a “Delta pilot” and who performs ing increasing demand Delta flying. The cornerstone of for all mainline flying, our career progression and pro- Delta confirms including the 744.” tectionS is Section 1.C.1. of the pilot working $14 billion order —Andy Hummel agreement, which states inclusively, “All fly- for 50 widebody GM–Flight Operations ing performed by or for the Company or Crew Resources, any Company affiliate will be performed Airbus, November jets 20, 2014 January 2, 2015 by pilots in accordance with the terms and —Reuters conditions of this PWA.” Traditional scope language has served well in a basic form at airlines like Southwest, where Company flying is easily defined. Delta Air Lines is Delta strikes pilot deal to keep a fundamentally different international business that engages in basic code-share jobs from, December outsourcing 31, 2014 to Virgin relationships, joint venture agreements, —Bloomberg started Jetstar Asia, based in Singapore. and now equity (ownership) positions In 2008, the entity expanded by purchas- in international flag carriers. In such a ing a significant part of Vietnam’s Pacific complex business, how do we define our From a historical standpoint, the industry Airlines and rebranding itself as Jetstar flying, thus ensuring career progression has many examples where managements Pacific. Through Jetstar entities, joint ven- and protection? have transferred (or attempted to trans- tures now include Jetstar Japan and Jetstar fer) jobs to foreign countries with lower Airways on Qantas’ own home turf. This labor expenses. In the mid-1990s, FedEx includes Australia and New Zealand, as Your international attempted to establish an off-seniority-list well as Hong Kong and China. In 2014, Qa- pilot base in the Philippines. FedEx’s plan ntas’ plan included a 16 percent reduction scope protection has was to avoid U.S. labor law protection in company employees. While announcing and representation under a collective the news, their chief executive said: “the been carefully crafted bargaining agreement. In 2000, Atlas Air airline continued to see major opportuni- to maximize the flying Cargo sought to create an offshore staffing ties for its Jetstar subsidiary in Asia.” subsidiary, Atlas Air Crew Services, to fly The scope provisions in our Delta pilot performed by Delta pilots international wet-lease operations with contract are unique in their complexity. non-seniority-list pilots. Using bankruptcy The careful crafting of our agreements by allowing the Company set asides, United management briefly are driven by the need to secure gains operated a joint venture with Aer Lingus to pursue profitable in wages, work rules, and benefits, and in 2010, without United’s pilots, airplanes, ensure management does not move our endeavors while at the or crews. ALPA was successful in shutting work to other pilots. Our Master Execu- down each of these operations after ex- same time ensuring Delta tive Council and committee structure have tensive negotiation and lawsuits, negotiat- done very innovative work in reaching pilots maintain a fair share ing hiring off-the-seniority-list pilots while first-of-its-kind agreements. Our unique limiting the off-list operations until attrition pace is driven by the need to proactively of Delta’s international could wind down the alter ego entities. engage with Delta’s management team, business. The news for Qantas has not been as as the Company reacts quickly to market good. In 2004, Qantas management opportunities. Your pilot working agree-

Continued on page 42

WINTER 2015 41 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Code Share

International Scope Continued from page 41 ment is strongly complemented by ALPA’s Code-share arrangements pay the oper- a route that can be flown with a Delta jet, advocacy for a sound national aviation ating carrier for the work they do. The the Company not only has an economic policy and ALPA-PAC’s work on specific United States is a profitable market. Each incentive, but also a contractual require- issues affecting Delta pilots. This includes: code-share partner maximizes its earn- ment, to use Delta pilots. Haneda airport access, protecting Delta’s ings by flying passengers on their own slots from American and other carriers equipment whenever feasible. We should Additionally, if the Company wishes to sell who would like to take them away one welcome the WestJet passengers who code-share tickets on overlapping routes at a time, and fighting Norwegian Air board our jet at New York LaGuardia, Delta could have flown utilizing its Fifth International’s flag-of-convenience scheme. as these passengers are likely flying a leg Freedom rights between Japan and Asian on Delta they might not otherwise have cities, we ensure Delta operates at least 85 The untold story is how these protections purchased. This increased demand fills percent of the total aircraft block hours of begin with relationships. Almost imme- our jets, drives prices marginally higher, Pacific flying during the previous 12-month diately after learning of Delta’s intent to and further increases Delta’s profitability. period. While we have observed changes purchase Singapore’s 49 percent stake in in Delta’s code-share offerings, the Com- Virgin Atlantic, our ALPA representatives Delta’s current code-share partners are pany has been well above compliance, met with our counterparts at the Virgin the 19 SkyTeam Alliance members, Alaska typically flying 16 to 17 percent more than Atlantic Company Council of the British Airlines, GOL Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, the minimum required. Air Line Pilots Association. They agreed and Olympic Air. Your MEC Code Share that pilot unity would be maintained so as Committee monitors code-share metrics Joint venture agreements are revenue- not to diminish career expectations by le- monthly per Sections 1 E. “Permitted Ar- and/or profit-sharing arrangements where veraging one pilot group against the other. The product of an entire team’s work is the ratification of the first ever global Section 1 E. 2. e. Pacific Flying Trends production balance, codified in our PWA in the Virgin Atlantic joint venture letter of 250,000 agreement. This agreement expands our 225,000 1 E. 3. and 8. protection tenfold, ensuring Delta pilots maintain our three-to-one 200,000 size advantage over Virgin Atlantic and 175,000 guarantees that, during a downturn, Delta’s 150,000 flying cannot be transferred by dispropor- tionately shrinking its share. 125,000 100,000 This article seeks to provide you with a 4Q14 1Q14 2Q14 3Q14 high level overview of our scope protections as they apply to Delta’s interna- Rolling 12 Mo. Block Hours Required Block Hours tional sales, marketing, and operations. The PWA remains the definitive source rangements with Foreign Air Carriers” and the partners allocate and share revenues of this information, and provisions cited in 1 O. “Permitted Arrangements Pursuant and/or expenses by mutual agreement. this article have been simplified for length to the Alaska Marketing Agreement.” To The U.S. DOT recognizes that joint ven- and readability. drill down into Section 1 E. 2. a.-c., Delta tures (JVs) may include blocked-space is limited to selling, on a monthly average arrangements, long-term wet-leases, Follow the Money city-pair basis, no more than 40 percent of and circumstances where more than 15 One way to better understand Section 1 the passenger seats on any pair of flight seg- percent of an airline’s available seat miles is to follow the revenue flow. Your interna- ments, 175 total seats (excluding Canada, are affected. From a labor perspective, tional scope protection has been carefully Caribbean, Central America, Mexico) per JVs are similar to a cross-border merger crafted to maximize the flying performed flight segment, or 75 total seats (Canada, of carriers—managed as a common net- by Delta pilots by allowing the Company to Caribbean, Central America, Mexico). The work, indifferent to which airline operates pursue profitable endeavors while at the take away from this contract language is their jointly marketed product. This type same time ensuring Delta pilots maintain a that when there is sufficient demand on of arrangement occurs when the legal fair share of Delta’s international business.

42 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Code Share

and regulatory environment, pragmatic to be in compliance at the end of the cure would have to grow to 11 or more, should restraints, and other business consider- period on March 31, 2015, violating our Virgin operate 22. During a downturn, ations prevent or discourage full corporate agreement. While this noncompliance is Delta must fly at least 5 weekly frequen- mergers. In the airline arena, this concept being watched very closely, exact data will cies and Virgin would have to reduce to is often referred to as “metal neutrality.” have to wait for the end of the measure- 14 frequencies or less. The nature of the Absent contractual protection in our ment period. Virgin Australia JV commercial agreement PWA, this type of arrangement presents the potential for the transfer of flying to the PWA Compliance Measurement lowest-cost operator. However, with pro- for Delta’s JV Flying tections in the Scope section of the PWA, 53% Delta JV EASKs as % of Total JV EASKs Delta pilots can leverage international JVs, Rolling 36 Month 52% and JVs often provide opportunities for 51.5% upper band growth, profitability, and career progression. Simply put, size matters. Network 51% 50.0% target for AF-KL-AZ JV diversity and the ability to concentrate 50% traffic flows amongst carriers lends itself to more robust networks and more profit- 49% able international operations. The PWA 48.5% lower band contains general JV protections in Sec- 48% tions 1 E. 3. and 1. E 8.–9.; it also contains 47% specific provisions in Sections 1 N. and P. Measurement date Cure date that establish production balance levels for 46% Mar-13 Jun-13 Sep-13 Dec-13 Mar-14 Jun-14 Sep-14 Dec-14 Mar-15 Jun-15 Sep-15 the Virgin Australia and Air France/KLM/ Source: OAG (December 8, 2014 snapshot) and E&FA analysis Alitalia joint ventures.

The Air France/KLM/Alitalia joint venture Virgin Atlantic Joint Venture, Section 1 R. Global agreement, Section 1 P., was designed to ensure Delta pilots operate half of the ca- Production Balance by Widebody Aircraft pacity in the long-term agreement among 200 Delta’s European partners. Allowing for some flexibility, a 1.5 percent variance 180 was agreed to, placing a bottom limit on DL ASK change of ±12.5% Company flying at 48.5 percent. In June 160 Must maintain at least 68.02% of combined ASKs 2010, the European bundle of flying was ets DL at 141 AC (130B ASKs) made larger by the inclusion of Alitalia, J body 140 reducing Delta’s actual flown percentage - Wide DL at ~124 AC and VS at ~41 AC from 51.7 percent to 47.3 percent. The 120 If DL were to shrink one more ASK then VS would have to shrink from 41 AC to 38 AC Company agreed to grow to 50 percent VS at 38 AC (50B ASKs) Delta Intl. Intl. Delta in the ensuing years. And because we 100 measure compliance in EASKs, and Delta Once DL ASK shrinks more than 12.5%, operates a large fleet of smaller 767-300ER must maintain at least 69.46% of combined ASKs 80 aircraft, Delta’s share of the block hours 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Virgin Atlantic Intl. Wide-body Jets has historically been higher. Typically, we have one-year measurement periods in these agreements to allow for seasonal The Virgin Australia Joint Venture Agree- is that as Delta pilots perform more flying, travel flows, and one-year cure periods, ment, Section 1 N., measures weekly Delta profits should increase. but in this case the window was expanded frequencies to ensure Delta pilots fly at to 36 months to allow Delta time to grow least half the weekly round trips between Equity acquisition is not entirely unlike a and the partners to adjust. The growth the United States, Canada, Mexico, and joint venture, though there are significant never occurred, as Delta chose to increase Australia. We allow the joint venture the differences. The commingling of assets and flying in the Pacific. While the recent trend flexibility to grow with the trigger set at 21 capital investment as well as the degree of is positive, the Company is not expected weekly round trips, at which point Delta the acquirer’s control can potentially be Continued on page 44

WINTER 2014 43 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Code Share

International Scope Continued from page 43

perilous for labor. Delta owns 49 percent where the percentages adjust; effectively percent. Most importantly, this production of Virgin Atlantic, at least 15 percent of creating an accelerated downside penalty balance means Delta pilots are guaranteed Aeroméxico, and around 3 percent of should Delta reduce its flying. There is to share a growth ratio of at least 3 to 1 Brazilian carrier GOL. In addition to this slightly greater flexibility to grow Virgin in good times, and have downside protec- equity interest, Delta maintains three seats Atlantic with Delta growth. tions in adverse circumstances. on Virgin Atlantic’s Board of Directors, and one seat on Aeroméxico’s and GOL’s If you allow the mixing of metrics and The Big Picture Board of Directors. If Delta exceeds a 25 convert ASKs into (the more easily un- Delta has used code sharing and joint ven- percent equity interest in a foreign carrier derstood) block hours, we can make some tures to add to its core route network, and protections, PWA Section 1 E. 3. prevents quick comparisons before and after the it has gained additional important access to the Company from reducing block hours Virgin Atlantic JV agreement. Compared to areas like Latin America and to London’s from our country to that of the foreign air- the preexisting contract language, the Vir- (tightly slot-constrained) Heathrow airline, measured monthly, over a 12-month gin Atlantic agreement protects 576,775 port. These agreements are creating more look-back basis. annual international widebody block hours. profitable flying for Delta Air Lines and, in This far exceeds the 347,269 annual block turn, the Delta pilots. We are fortunate The Virgin Atlantic Joint Venture Agree- hours currently protected in transatlantic to now enjoy the tailwind of profitability ment, Section 1 R., takes our widebody joint venture language, and the 56,812 alongside our historically collaborative re- production balance global, and maintains annual block-hour floor between the lationship with the Company. Your Code Delta’s three-to-one widebody fleet size United States and the United Kingdom Share Committee is continuously analyzing relative to Virgin Atlantic on a global wide- (previously protected by Section 1 E. 3.). data and reporting to your MEC. We will body available seat kilometer (ASK) basis. With this new production balance, Delta continue to work toward advancing your Specific Heathrow protection includes is practically limited to a 13 percent ASK career progression while ensuring our 5,860 Delta flights yearly through 2020. reduction. Without this agreement, Delta protections have strength to endure. Graphically represented, we see flat areas could contractually pull down flying by 48

Widebody Scope Protections by Block-Hour Equivalent

 Total Int'l Widebody Flying 662,403 Block Hours

 Virgin Atlantic JV 87% 576,775 Block Hours

 Air France, KLM, Alitalia JV 52% 347,269 Block Hours

 Pacific Flying 27% 181,424 Block Hours

44 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Code Share

The Mainline Trifecta 2014 Was the Year that Mainline Captured a Majority of the Capacity, Aircraft Block Hours, and (Now) Departures By First Officer Sam Mason Delta MEC Code Share Committee

uring the last four years I have had When I volunteered for the Code Share requires the addition of small narrowbody the honor of serving as the Delta Committee at ALPA, and later par- aircraft (such as 717s) at mainline, and then DMEC Code Share Committee ticipated in the Contract 2012 Section 1 permits some additional 76-seat aircraft, chairman. We are the committee primar- working group, I realized we needed to and further mandates a larger and perma- ily responsible for monitoring our PWA find a mechanism to reverse this trend. nent reduction in 50-seat aircraft. It also for Section 1 compliance and reporting We needed to ensure that there was triggers a minimum ratio of flying between relevant data and metrics to the MEC on more mainline in the good times, and that, mainline narrowbody (plus domestic 767) a regular basis. if another downturn occurred, both Delta and Delta Connection aircraft, measured and Delta Connection would share in the annually, and found in PWA Section 1 D. I was hired in 2001, and after five short reductions. We developed the table now 9. This ratio also protects mainline flying months on the property, was furloughed found in PWA Section 1 B. 46 f., Exception should block hours be threatened during for the next five years. During my furlough, 1. This is the contract language that first a future economic downturn. As you can I saw mainline narrowbody pilot positions evaporate as the parent companies of airlines restructured and 50-seat regional Mainline vs. DCI Capacity 2011-2015 jets became the industry darling. Ironically, (Millions ASMs) as oil started its steady climb above $20/ 25,000 bbl, these high-CASM (cost per available seat mile) aircraft simultaneously infected 20,000 the income statements and balance sheets 15,000 of the parent companies and partially contributed to bankruptcy filings at most 10,000 Mainline major carriers. 5,000 DCI During the furloughed chapter of my 0 career, I had an opportunity to work as a senior analyst in Delta’s Network Planning Jul-13 Jan-11 Jun-11 Oct-14 Apr-12 Feb-13 Source: OAG monthly data Sep-12 Dec-13 Aug-15 Nov-11 Mar-15 Department. Once new (post-bankrupt- May-14 cy) leadership emerged amongst Delta’s senior management team, I witnessed a paradigm shift—Delta made the decision Mainline vs. DCI Block Hours 2011-2015 to gradually return to being a mainline-fo- 300,000 cused airline. While the majority of capacity (available seat miles) and aircraft block 250,000 hours have historically been operated by the mainline, the proliferation of regional 200,000 jets caused the majority of departures to Mainline shift to favor Delta Connection. It’s hard to 150,000 DCI fathom, but during the last decade, the majority of Delta’s system-wide departures, 100,000 and associated customer experiences (on a per-event basis), were flown by non- Jul-13 Jan-11 Jun-11 Oct-14 Apr-12 Feb-13 Sep-12 Dec-13 Aug-15 Nov-11 Mar-15 Source: OAG monthly data Delta employees, in an operation known May-14 for service problems. Continued on page 46

WINTER 2015 45 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Code Share

The Mainline Trifecta Continued from page 45

imagine, this was a complicated concept to construct, negotiate, and ultimately explain to line pilots. Mainline vs. DCI Departures 2011-2015 110,000 Following our 2012 PWA tentative agree- May 2014 ment, I spent many weeks in the lounges in Atlanta and New York, going over charts 90,000 and graphs, presenting data, and explain- ing these concepts to pilots. There was Mainline 70,000 one small problem—the glaring pie graph DCI showing the majority of departures (then) still being flown by Delta Connection. I as- 50,000 sured many pilots that our TA’s Section 1 language would remedy this disparity, and Jul-13 Jan-11 Jun-11 Oct-14 Apr-12 Feb-13 Sep-12 Dec-13 Aug-15 Nov-11 provide industry-leading scope protec- Mar-15 May-14 Source: OAG monthly data tions, while returning all three metrics to favor mainline (capacity, block hours, and departures). May 2014, mainline monthly departures This is good news for Delta pilots, and I I am happy to report that mainline now finally exceeded Delta Connection. As would like to thank the hardworking volun- flies the majority of all system-wide a matter of record, June 4, 2014, was teers who participate in Section 1 planning capacity, block hours, and departures. the last single day that Delta Connec- groups and ongoing compliance monitoring. Though the actual pilot hiring occurred tion departures exceeded mainline. First Officer Tom Dilbeck is the committee a year later than forecasted (2014 vs. For your reference, I have provided an vice chairman and has been appointed as 2013), and associated early delivery de- updated view of 2011–2015 for all three the new chairman subject to MEC confir- lays with 717 aircraft, the trend always metrics (capacity, aircraft block hours, mation in March. I was recently elected as remained positive. During many days and departures). Note: 2015 data is OAG the Council 48 chairman, and look forward in 2013, mainline departures exceeded schedule-based data, and there could be to serving our pilots as a member of the those of Delta Connection. However, in some variance to what is actually flown. MEC effective March 1, 2015.

DELTAMEC Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l

For pilots seeking support during difﬁ cult times. Physiological |Psychological |Medical Assistance Peer pilo24/7t will be located. 800-USA-ALPA 800-872-2572 Ask to be transferred to PAN, or select option 7 after hours. All calls are strictly conﬁ dential.

46 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Committee Corner

Committee Corner Late-Breaking News Items from Your Delta MEC Committees

Aviation Security knows what to expect, and occasionally turn the flight directors Threats abound. The Aviation Security Committee is off to improve pitch and automation-mode awareness. Likewise, constantly evaluating the latest threats to our work- make FMA verification a conscious act, whether you are flying ing environment. Lately, these threats have come in the form or monitoring. This sort of exercise will help you if you should of guns on our aircraft and credible threats being made to our unexpectedly encounter an event like the one described above; aircraft while in flight. Security practices have changed, including you will be better prepared to promptly intervene and hand fly an increase in random checking of pilots, cabin crews, ground back to a safe aircraft state. Contact: [email protected]. personnel, and passengers. These checks may occur inside the secure identification area, and can include employee buses, jet Delta Pilots Assistance Committee ways, and crew rooms. If you are selected for screening inside The Delta Pilots Assistance Committee (DPAC) was the checkpoint, please make every effort to be cooperative; established to acknowledge and deal with alcohol- these folks have a tough job keeping us safe. Contact: Wolfgang. ism and drug dependency among pilots. DPAC has been a [email protected]. remarkable achievement, and has become a model for other airlines—returning thousands of pilots from many different Central Air Safety airlines to the cockpit, to the benefit of both the individual and Very recently, an experienced Delta crew did not their airline. DPAC is composed of approximately 80 dedicated meet stable approach criteria during an approach to pilots throughout the Delta system who volunteer their time to ATL in CAT III conditions. At approximately 700' and 180 knots, assist their fellow pilots. These individuals have the knowledge the captain initiated a go-around, but inadvertently disconnected and training to deal with problems in a confidential and caring the autothrottles instead of selecting TO/GA. With the aircraft manner. Contact: [email protected]. still in approach mode and throttles now manual, the aircraft continued to descend on autopilot, resulting in a flap overspeed. Delta Pilot Network This prompted the captain to reduce power, and at around 400', The Delta Pilot Network was active throughout the he disconnected the autopilot, momentarily raised the nose, then fall, setting up Contract 2015 Preflight Road Shows in lowered it again—most likely influenced by the flight director, each base. In addition, Pilot Unity Building events are held ap- which was still in approach mode. Roughly 15 seconds later, while proximately every other week at the Holiday Inn North Atlanta complying with an ATC-directed turn, a GPWS “sink rate pull up” Airport. These events give us an opportunity to meet and talk and “too low, gear” warning sounded, and the aircraft arrested with pilots, listen to pilots’ concerns, and answer questions. its descent at approximately 200' radar altitude. In addition, the Delta Pilot Network has been utilizing the call Our automation guidelines are sound: “All pilot-induced lateral and center at the MEC offices in Atlanta. Calls are made on a monthly vertical mode changes should be verbalized by the PF and verified by basis to new hire pilots upon completion of training and OE. both pilots on the FMA.” Better FMA awareness, by either pilot, Volunteers are able to reach out and address our newest pilots’ would have prevented the initial error and broken the near- issues and answer questions. The Delta Pilot Network also mishap chain of events. worked during our most recent IROP, including DPN 24/7 operations, and working to provide accommodations for any pilots Every Delta pilot needs to occasionally practice hand flying to who may have been stuck during winter storm Juno. Contact: increase automation-mode awareness and sharpen basic cross- [email protected]. check skills. Partly in response to significant automation events like the one above, and involving every fleet at Delta, the Training Government Affairs Department is now incorporating manual flying skill SPOTs dur- In early December, concurrent with congressional ing each CQ cycle. While this is commendable, nine months is orientation, ALPA started working with all 67 new probably too long for most of us to go between manual practice members of the House and Senate. The 114th Congress has an sessions. ALPA suggests that at least once a month, in benign ambitious set of legislative priorities, including pending reautho- flight conditions, crews should practice hand flying the airplane. rizations for the FAA and the Export-Import Bank; ALPA was An excellent environment is above 10,000' in a VMC climb when there at the beginning to educate and build relationships with all workload is low. Prebrief the exercise so the pilot monitoring of these members as we promote pilot-partisanship.

Continued on page 48

WINTER 2015 47 COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Committee Corner

Committee Corner Continued from page 47 During the 2014 cycle, ALPA’s Political Action Committee (ALPA- reached a your 10-year anniversary as an ALPA member or any PAC) spent $2,662,581 supporting 313 federal candidates up for subsequent multiple of five after that, please go to https://dal.alpa. election in 2014. Of those candidates, 285 won—putting ALPA- org, sign in, select “quick links” > “My ALPA” > “ALPA pin.” You PAC’s win percentage at 91 percent. can also call 1-888-FLY-ALPA, and select option 3 to talk with an ALPA Membership specialist, or e-mail [email protected]. ALPA-PAC remains the most bipartisan labor PAC in the country. Of the 313 candidates we supported this election cycle, 128 of Negotiating them are Republicans. Roughly 40 percent of our contributions The Negotiating Committee continues to work with over the past two years have gone to Republican candidates/ the MEC to develop the opener for C2015. We have committees. Our focus on pilot-partisanship has put us in a strong reviewed the results of the survey, including all text boxes and position to continue to find success in the new Congress. Contact: individual pilot input. We are processing input from all of the MEC [email protected]. committees to identify additional areas of the PWA for improve- ment. We are also analyzing the monetary value of each item Hotel that may become part of the opener with the help of the ALPA Quick notes from the 2014 FCR file: About 5,000 Economic and Financial Analysis team. With this information, the FCRs were filed in 2014—it’s difficult to get the MEC will create a contract opener that prioritizes the goals of exact count since some individual inputs are counted under the pilot group and sets the course for a world-class contract. multiple categories. Two cities that stand out are LAX-S Four Points Sheraton, which had 259 (in eight months) and the SAN Retirement and Insurance Wyndham (214 in six months). FCRs are very important; submit With the recent decision to open up a new health-care an FCR every time. These help us remain in certain locations option, the R&I Committee is planning for bulletins and and make changes in others. Contact: [email protected]. webinars to explain the choices available. Work is ramping up on the Contract 2015 opener items. At the same time, we are IT planning for road shows and seminars with the goal of visiting each EFB feedback needed! If your tablet or mount malfunc- base at least once this year. As time permits, we will be working tions or doesn’t perform as expected, please file an on updates to the webinars posted on the R&I page of https:// FCR/ASR. We are essentially the beta testers, so no news means dal.alpa.org. Contact: [email protected]. the product is working perfectly. If you are manually entering the route of flight into Jepp FD Pro, there is a “route extract” Strategic Planning function in iCrew Mobile. To learn more, see https://dal.alpa. The Strategic Planning Committee has been working org/Flight-Bag for a short how-to presentation. Your ALPA IT with the negotiators, MEC officers, and the MEC to Committee is actively engaged in future improvements for the develop our strategic plan for Contract 2015 negotia- EFB; our current product is merely the starting point of this new tions. We recently conducted a planning seminar at the ALPA way of doing business. Comments to the IT Committee can be headquarters in Herndon, Va.; the MEC hosted several guest sent to [email protected]. speakers with extensive negotiating and Railway Labor Act experience to spur discussions about the MEC’s plan. Two additional Jumpseat meetings are planned for February and March to continue refining The Jumpseat Committee’s page on the Delta MEC our plan moving forward. Contact: [email protected]. website has been revamped to include a list of FAQs that you will find helpful for your commute. Captains, please check all documents (license, medical, company identification, 1P or 2P form) for all cockpit jumpseat riders. The verification code for Spirit Airlines is “nklist14.” JetBlue has discontinued the 800 number—all jumpseat listing must now be done online. They will reactivate the number during planned website outages. Questions? Send us an e-mail at [email protected].

Membership ALPA National has temporarily suspended the automatic mailing of anniversary ALPA pins while it performs an internal audit that will be complete by the fall. If you have

48 THE WIDGET| A publication of the Delta MEC COMMITTEE REPORTS DAL MEC | Officers

Delta Master Executive Council Administration Mike Donatelli, Chairman Matt Geddie, Treasurer Jim VanSickle, Executive Administrator [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Ed Havrilla, Vice Chairman Ken Rogers, Pilot Director Kevin Guilfoyle, Executive Administrator [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Greg Rizzuto, Secretary Drew Massey, Executive Vice President [email protected] [email protected]

Delta Committee Chairs

Aeromedical DPAC Int’l Flying Pilot Assistance Network Mark Pinsky Scott Monjeau Ron Flanders Mark Pinsky [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Aviation Security Delta Pilot Investor Relations Professional Standards Wolfgang Koch Network Doug Ralph Tom Thornton [email protected] Brad Caplan [email protected] [email protected] CIRP [email protected] Jumpseat R&I Jack Casey Dispute Resolution Mayur Satodkar Mark Shanahan [email protected] Ed Mueller [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Code Share Membership Scheduling Sam Mason Government Affairs Bill Sawtelle Steve Uvena [email protected] Dino Atsalis [email protected] [email protected] Communications [email protected] Merger Strategic Planning Tim Parker Hotel Rich Harwood Rich Harwood [email protected] Tom Tinsley [email protected] [email protected] Contract Administration [email protected] Negotiating Strike Preparedness [email protected] Hartley Phinney John Morgado Brad Caplan [email protected] IFOT [email protected] [email protected] CROT Ed Thiel P2P System Board [email protected] Matt Coons Steve Rose Monty Montgomery [email protected] Information [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Central Air Safety Technology Training Scott Hammond Silas Hart PBS Ed Mueller [email protected] [email protected] Adam Zaret [email protected] [email protected] DPCF Int’l Affairs and Kingsley Roberts Alliances [email protected] Bren Fries [email protected]

DELTA MASTER EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway Suite 800 Atlanta, GA 30354 Phone: (800) USA-ALPA | Local: (404) 763-4925 | Fax: (404) 763-4975 | E-mail: [email protected]

WINTER 2015 49 New-Hire 2014 Demographic

Most 25,000 Total hours Hours of flight 3,837,488 Average 8,585 Hours Men 892 Least (93%) 2,300 Hours Women 72 (7%) Military: 455 Youngest: Age 27 (47%) Oldest: Age 61 Age Civilian: 509 Average: Age 39 (53%) Military Total: 1,581,517 Military Backgrounds: Most: 8,500 Hours of USAF: 347 (76%) Least: 1,500 Flight USN: 67 (15%) Average: 3,522 USMC: 39 (8.7%) USCG: 1 (0.3%)

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