May 2015 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: » Virgin America » Heart Health: » Jazz Pilot Helps Pilots Seek ALPA Arrhythmias Kids in Need Air Representation page 8 page 54 page 56 Line The PILOT-PARTISAN PilOt AGENDA Official Journal of the Air Line Pilots Association, International 4th Edition Page 17 Helping You Land Your Dream Job, Part III Page 46 ALPA-PAC Roll of Distinction Page 30 Follow us on Twitter PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. @wearealpa ADP81726-00_I21413_1a.ai ADP81726-00-x1a-OP.pdf 09.08.14 I21413x01A_3u.tif Epson Bleed: 8.5 x 11.125 HP Trim: 8.25 x 10.875 ISO 12647-7 Digital Control Strip 2009 3% A 100 60 100 70 30 100 60 100 70 30 100 60 100 70 30 100 40 40 100 40 100 40 70 40 70 40 40 40 70 40 40 70 40 70 40 40 3 10 25 50 75 90 100 B 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 100 60 100 100 70 70 30 30 100 40 100 40 40 100 10 40 40 20 70 70 70 70 40 70 40 40 0 0 0 0 3.1 2.2 2.2 10.2 7.4 7.4 25 19 19 50 40 40 75 66 66 100 100 100 80 70 70 100 MAY2015CONTENTS VOLUME 84, NUMBER 4 24 May 2015 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: » Virgin America » Heart Health: » Jazz Pilot Helps Pilots Seek ALPA Arrhythmias Kids in Need COMMENTARY page 8 page 54 page 56 Air Representation Line The 4 TAKING OFF PilOt PILOT-PARTISAN ALPA’s Pilot-Partisan Staff Official Journal of the Air Line Pilots AGENDA Association, International 4th Edition Page 17 5 OUR UNION Pilots in Command 6 GUEST COMMENTARY A Bipartisan Approach to Helping You Aviation Land Your Dream Job, Part III Page 46 ALPA-PAC Roll of Distinction Page 30 Follow us on Twitter PILOT-PARTISAN PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. @wearealpa AGENDA 17 BE A PILOT PARTISAN FEATURES 52 GLOBAL VIEW ON THE COVER Sounding an International Call 18 FAA REAUTHOR- 46 CRM FOR YOUR to Action ALPA pilot volunteers visit IZATION AND ALPA’S FUTURE Capitol Hill to lobby on behalf of SAFETY AND POLICY 54 HEALTH WATCH ALPA’s pilot-partisan 48 Q&A WITH CHARLES Arrhythmias: Causes, AGENDA agenda. Articles begin SCHWAB’S WALT Treatment, and FAA Policy on page 17. Photo by 21 LEGISLATIVE & BETTINGER 56 OUR STORIES Bill Burke. Download REGULATORY HOT Jazz Pilot Crosses the Atlantic a QR reader to your TOPICS FOR 2015 DEPARTMENTS to Help Boys in Need smartphone, scan the code, and read the magazine. 24 FROM ATOP 7 PREFLIGHT 57 THE LANDING PARLIAMENT HILL Air Line Pilot (ISSN 0002-242X) is pub lished @ Double Take monthly except for combined January/Feb- 50 ALPA WORK ruary and June/July issues by the Air Line 26 DISTRICT ADVOCACY: Making a Difference—Behind Pilots Association, Inter national, affiliated the Scenes; ALPA’s Security & 58 WE ARE ALPA with AFL-CIO, CLC. Editorial Offices: 535 EARNING RESULTS ALPA Resources and Herndon Parkway, PO Box 1169, Herndon, Jumpseat Councils Meet VA 20172-1169. Telephone: 703-481-4460. NATIONWIDE Contact Numbers Fax: 703-464-2114. Copyright © 2015—Air Line Pilots Association, Inter national, all 28 ALPA-PAC: rights reserved. Publica tion in any form without permission is prohibited. Air Line Pi- GROWING INTO lot and the ALPA logo Reg. U.S. Pat. and T.M. Office. Federal I.D. 36-0710830. Periodicals THE FUTURE postage paid at Herndon, VA 20172, and additional offices. 30 ALPA-PAC 2,226 active ALPA Postmaster: Send address changes to ROLL OF members Air Line Pilot, PO Box 1169, Herndon, VA 20172-1169. 494 178 DISTINCTION active ALPA Canadian Publications Mail Agreement active ALPA members members #40620579 Canada Post: Return undeliverables to P.O. Box 2601, 6915 Dixie Rd, Mississauga, ON L4T 0A9. 126 active ALPA members 26 7 May 2015 Air Line Pilot » 3 Beyond the Page Look for these icons throughout the magazine to get access to even more information, including additional content, videos, and audio clips—or to get feedback on a question. Web Address Video Link Audio Link E-mail Address TakingOff ALPA’s Pilot-Partisan Staff Lori Garver, General Manager And although they’re on the front lines, they [email protected] certainly don’t go at it alone. They’re masterfully backed up by ALPA’s subject-matter experts in LPA pilots around the globe come forward the Legal, Representation, Economics & Financial on a daily basis to volunteer for our union Analysis, and Engineering & Air Safety Depart- A and advance the airline piloting profession. ments, working together to develop the most You take your responsibilities seriously, and you relevant and reasonable policy positions—with aren’t alone. ALPA’s professional staff members also support from professionals in the Communica- take our responsibilities seriously, and we go above tions Department, who help craft and refine our and beyond to ensure that our union continues strategic messages under the framework adopted “With an army of to make gains for our members. I was recently re- by ALPA’s Board of Directors. minded of this during the International Federation It takes an entire team to build a foundation for passionate pilot of Air Line Pilots’ Associations conference in Madrid. success, and it’s notable to mention that ALPA’s volunteers and staff Pilot groups and individual pilots from around the staff team members go above and beyond their globe respect ALPA’s leadership and professionalism everyday jobs on behalf of pilot-partisan advocacy. members who truly across the spectrum of our work, from representa- You’ll see in this year’s Roll of Distinction (see page believe in our cause, tion and bargaining expertise to advocating for the 30) that in addition to the thousands of pilot mem- safest and most secure future for our members. bers who contributed to ALPA-PAC in 2014, ALPA’s we are unrivaled.” Throughout this issue of Air Line Pilot, you’ll management team also contributed, setting a new read about many of our legislative priorities and record for staff contributions with more than what we’re doing to advance them. As you know, $12,000 in receipts to the PAC. ALPA staff members presidential campaigns for the 2016 U.S. federal are active ambassadors for the cause, participat- elections have begun, and likewise in Canada elec- ing in our pilot Calls to Action, amplifying ALPA’s tions are scheduled to take place later this year. So messages by posting and sharing messages on their it’s more important than ever to elevate our mes- own Facebook or Twitter accounts, signing peti- sage above the residual noise. ALPA’s expert staff tions, and encouraging others to take action. members in the Government Affairs Department With an army of passionate pilot volunteers are extremely valuable, as they’re on the front lines and staff members who truly believe in our cause, of advancing our strategy to create positive change. we are unrivaled. It’s no wonder why the Air Line Our team of professionals works with decision- Pilots Association, International is the leading makers in Canada and the United States every day advocate for airline pilot issues in North American to advance our pilot-partisan agenda. and abroad. We are ALPA. 4 » Air Line Pilot May 2015 OurUnion Pilots in Command n paper, it seems like the system works. we remain nimble to adapt to the political environ- Once every four years, Congress takes ment as we continue our efforts on labour reporting O a hard look at our aviation system and standards, flight- and duty-time regulations, and alters course as necessary. Stakeholders are polled keeping a watchful eye on the budget process. to find consensus. Programs that are working Our pilot-partisan agenda continues to be are reinforced, and initiatives that are out of date robust, as every aspect of our profession in North are revised or discontinued. On paper, it’s a great America is regulated by our governments, and it’s system. However, the reality is that the process of imperative that we remain fully engaged. We can’t reauthorizing the FAA is complicated, contentious, allow ourselves to be distracted; we must push our and unnecessarily messy. priorities that are pending before Congress through Within Congress alone, 535 representatives to completion. and senators have their own opinions on the best As I mentioned earlier, we aren’t the only voice in course for the FAA’s future. Layered within and the room. And the only way we’ll be successful is by on top of those opinions are the positions of the engaging every member of our union. Our collective dozens of interest groups lobbying to protect and voice of 51,000 members gives us an edge that will advance their individual issues. And while this is- help turn the paper solutions on Capitol Hill and sue of Air Line Pilot extensively covers ALPA’s con- Parliament Hill into a safe and secure reality. cerns with the FAA reauthorization bill (see page ALPA members make all of our successes pos- 18) regarding unmanned aircraft systems, main- sible. Your engagement is certainly commendable. taining the minimum first officer requirements ALPA-PAC now boasts more than 8,000 members and fatigue rules, and secondary cockpit barriers, and continues to set new records. In June of this it’s equally important for everyone to understand year, 200 dedicated pilot advocates will volunteer the volume of voices in the room, the percentage of their time to travel to Washington, D.C., to advance friends vs.