Recently, ALPA asked members to submit memories of the first flying experience as part of an ongoing series to help inspire the next generation of airline pilots.  Among the many responses we received from pilots across the world, Capt. Thomas Bishop and Capt. Gene McClure shared the moments that helped lead them to becoming an airline pilots.

By Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA president

It’s no surprise that, as many of us check the calendar this week for last-minute holiday shipping deadlines, the pilots who fly cargo in the United States and Canada are experiencing their busiest time of the year. With many more of us buying gifts for family and friends online, pilots who fly cargo will transport hundreds of millions of packages across our two countries and around the globe in the coming days.

With forecasts predicting the heaviest U.S. Thanksgiving travel in almost a decade, the members of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l stand ready. We are the committed men and women—the professionals in your cockpit—who will be by your side, safely delivering you (and tons of your food, too) to your dinner table destination. While we know there may be delays and the typical holiday rush, we are thankful to help families and friends make those connections year after year.

By Capt. Chuck Hogeman, ALPA’s Air Safety Organization Safety Chair

Providing airline pilots with the highest standards of training has played no small role in making North American airline transportation the safest mode of mass transit in history. Part of that training should ensure that pilots demonstrate their ability to serve as pilot-in-command at multiple stages of their career. Passengers and the shipping public expect nothing less—in fact, they count on U.S. and Canadian airline pilots’ receiving the training and experience they need to perform their jobs.

I recently represented ALPA at the Gulf Aviation Training Event (GATE) in Dubai, and participated on a panel about pilot training. GATE is held annually to discuss the challenges of meeting the demand for pilots and maintenance personnel in the Middle East.

Participating in this event is just the latest example of how ALPA works not only across the continent, but also around the globe, to shape and secure the training standards and philosophies that we believe are necessary for airline pilots to meet safety challenges in today’s complex environment. Our union also constantly engages with regulators and industry to seek out opportunities to predict future challenges and identify ways to advance safety through enhancements to existing training programs.