Pilots Lead Our Industry
By Capt. Jason Ambrosi, ALPA President
Since our founding in 1931, ALPA has been committed to advancing the causes of safety and security in aviation—causes that are at the forefront of every decision I make as president of our union. Each year, we gather to recommit ourselves to that core mission and explore both new and existing threats that face our system. In the 68 Air Safety Forums that we’ve hosted, the topics have always tracked the current risks facing our industry, as well as the threats we face over the horizon.
Looking back at the subjects discussed at previous forums, we can see a clear line between issues ALPA raised, solutions we proposed, and gaps in aviation safety that we’ve closed.
At our Air Safety Forum 60 years ago, ALPA safety experts advocated for longer runways and runway underrun areas, features we rely on without a second thought today. Forty years ago, we advocated for better wind shear detection, which has made landing safer today. Twenty years ago, we worked with our partners at NASA on human factors research to understand how to design better checklists and training. This year, we continued our nearly century-old tradition of making aviation safer by speaking out against the dangers of reduced-crew and single-pilot operations.
During our 68th Air Safey Forum, we recognized that in several incidents in the last year alone we faced the possibility of a catastrophic tragedy but for the actions of two highly trained, well-rested, and fully qualified pilots saving the day.
I was proud to honor F/O Emily Wiprud (Alaska) and Capt. Hugo Carvajal (FedEx Express) and F/O Robert Bradeen, Jr. (FedEx Express) with the union’s Superior Airmanship Award for their lifesaving actions when a door plug blew out in flight and by averting landing on a passenger-loaded Southwest Airlines B-737 that was still on the runway, respectively.
ALPA’s Superior Airmanship Award recognizes pilots who overcome alarming and unpredictable situations during flight, working to prevent a potential tragedy from occurring. This award, year after year, validates the undeniable fact that having at least two highly skilled and experienced pilots on the flight deck at all times is the deciding factor in a safe outcome when operational anomalies or emergencies arise. In every instance that we’ve bestowed this award, the crewmembers were better equipped to problem solve because there were at least two of them on the flight deck throughout the flight. The safety lesson we see in this year’s award winners is no different—there’s no replacement for having two pilots on the flight deck at all times. Your union will never forget this lesson, just as we will always remember and honor the memory of those lost in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
It’s through our tireless efforts that our industry and our union continue moving forward. Pilots—ALPA pilots—are the force that drives our industry, advocating for the safety standards that make our mode of transportation the safest in the world.
The same week that the Air Safety Forum was taking place, ALPA’s elected leaders came together for the 135th regular meeting of our Executive Board. During this meeting, we cast our sight forward to the future of our organization. We’ve achieved incredible successes in the past two years with agreements that boost wages and quality of life for more than a dozen ALPA pilot groups, safety-first FAA reauthorization legislation, and a national return of dues offer for the first time in our union’s history. However, we still have work to do. That’s why we continue to focus on setting ALPA up for success in the years to come, and we’ll build on that work during our October biennial Board of Directors meeting.
As we have for the past 93 years and 68 Air Safety Forums, ALPA pilots will continue forging the path for safety and security, refusing to backtrack, and ensuring that safety and security are never compromised.