Release #: Vol. 84, No. 10
December 01, 2015

Weighing In: ASO Fuels ALPA’s Success

By Capt. Joe DePete, ALPA First Vice President

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; the Air Safety Organization (ASO) is one of the cornerstones of our Association. Powered by talented and knowledgeable pilots and supported by ALPA’s staff, the outstanding work of the ASO not only adds to ALPA’s integrity and credibility, but also serves as the very foundation of what our organization represents.

Our predecessors established this union to combat the widespread prevalence of safety concerns in the airline industry at the time. And thanks to the diligence and hard work of generations of ALPA pilots, flying has become the safest mode of transportation in the world.

Despite this phenomenal achievement, much of the work we continue to do is motivated by the need to advance safety, security, and pilot assistance. A quick glance at ALPA’s white paper, Keep America Flying: A Flight Plan for Safe and Fair Skies, outlines specific measures that ASO pilot reps are currently spearheading.

For example, the bulk shipment of lithium batteries by air is an issue of particular concern to me as a cargo pilot. We know lithium batteries are highly combustible, extinguishing fires fueled by these cells is highly problematic, and crews frequently don’t know that they’re transporting them. For these reasons, ALPA reps continue to push the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the U.S. and Canadian governments for stricter regulations.

ALPA is a key player on the FAA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Registration Task Force Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), which was established to make recommendations to implement a UAS registration requirement and process. In addition, Capt. Tim Canoll, ALPA’s president, testified before Congress twice in October on the need to address all aspects of UAS operations to protect the safety of the U.S. national airspace system.

ALPA pilots are also engaged in NextGen planning and execution. The Association has reps on the NextGen Advisory Committee, its subcommittees, and several RTCA groups. In Canada, we continue to urge our colleagues at NAV CANADA and Transport Canada to promote the use of precision approach and departure capabilities to our northernmost airports.

Our union has a presence on the Pilot Fitness Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), tasked with examining matters related to the awareness and reporting of pilot emotional and mental health issues. You may recall that this ARC was launched in the wake of the Germanwings Flight 9525 tragedy. Our union is also involved in the Air Carrier Training ARC and its Air Transport Pilot Working Group, where we continue to advocate for quality education and training standards.

On the security front, the Association continues to collaborate with Airlines for America (A4A) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to expand and improve Known Crewmember (KCM^®). We are engaging with the TSA, A4A, and Transport Canada on a test program to include Jazz Aviation pilots as the first non-U.S. pilots to have access to KCM.

Other ASO-related priorities include the mandatory installation of secondary cockpit barriers, the continued promotion of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, science-based duty and fatigue rules for all-cargo pilots, and ALPA’s commitment to reduce aviation’s effect on the environment.

In pursuit of these and many other issues important to ALPA members, the ASO interacts with stakeholders from industry and government to determine how we can improve the safety and security of the airline industry. ALPA hosts several one-day symposiums each year, like the recent Air Cargo Symposium, to underscore targeted areas of concern, highlight best practices, and foster discussion.

ALPA would not be able to pursue these interests without the hundreds of pilot volunteers who perform the work of the ASO, but more help is needed. In my years as an airline pilot, I have had the privilege to fly with many intelligent and talented professionals, and many of these individuals represent untapped resources for our Association. We need what these pilots can contribute. We need to grow and renew the human capital that is the ASO.

If you’re not already a pilot safety, security, or pilot assistance volunteer, please consider what you can offer and join us in this noble effort. We all have something to give, and the work you do will be something all pilots benefit from. Join me and the other members of ALPA’s ASO and help us leave our profession in better condition than we found it.

This article is from the December issue of Air Line Pilot magazine, the Official Journal of the Air Line Pilots Association, International—a monthly publication for all ALPA members.

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