Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
Of all the airlines, I wouldn’t have expected Delta to cut corners when it comes to their pilot training:
February 26, 2020
ALPA pilots,
I'm writing to alert you to an insidious new effort to reduce airline pilot training standards—and ALPA's safety-first collective action that has shut it down, at least for now. While any attempt to reduce pilot training standards prior to the tragic accidents involving the Boeing 737 MAX would have been irresponsible, the idea of cutting the quality of pilot training now is nothing short of aviation safety malpractice.
In January, Delta Air Lines applied to the FAA for an exemption from Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) that would allow the airline to use non-motion flight training devices in continuing qualification or recurrent line operational evaluations. The airline's leaders also asked the FAA to expedite the petition and waive the public comment period––an apparent effort to keep secret this anti-safety bid to reduce the quality of pilot training.
When Delta MEC leaders learned of their company's application, they raised the alarm and reached out to coordinate efforts with ALPA's national officers, Air Safety Organization leaders, and professional staff. The economic basis for Delta's exemption request became immediately apparent—and so did the risk to safety.
As ALPA members know, our union has long supported the use of full-motion flight simulators in training and qualification of pilots because they provide the highest quality training platform available. We support flight training devices for specific purposes in flight crew training and as a tool to bridge the gap between ground training and training in a full flight simulator with the motion operating. Let me be crystal clear, however, that ALPA is adamantly opposed to conducting any end-level evaluations, qualification, checking, or assessments using anything other than a full-motion flight simulator.
Following the proposal by Delta Air Lines, I reached out to the FAA together with first vice president Capt. Bob Fox to make clear that granting such an exemption would erode the safety of the U.S. air transportation system and set a dangerous precedent that other airlines would surely attempt to follow. We urged the FAA to dismiss any proposal that seeks to replace the use of full-motion flight simulators with non-motion flight training devices for qualification, validation, checking, or evaluation required under FAR Part 121 or FAA-approved Advanced Qualification Programs (AQP). At the same time, the Delta MEC Government Affairs Committee worked with key lawmakers on Capitol Hill to not only raise awareness of the serious risk, but also request their assistance in bringing sanity to the decision-making process regarding simulation requirements in pilot training.
Because of our union's commitment to safety and our collective action, Delta Air Lines withdrew its application. But we're not stopping there to ensure airline pilots receive full-motion simulator training when it's necessary. ALPA is working on Capitol Hill to block any similar anti-safety effort in the future. The Restoring Aviation Accountability Act—which was introduced in the Senate just this week by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Tom Udall (D-NM) and is supported by ALPA—seeks to, among other improvements to safety, prohibit the FAA from granting an exemption for the use of a non-motion training device to replace a full-motion simulator for validation, qualification, checking, or evaluation events.
Although we prevailed, and Delta Air Lines withdrew its application this time, those who put profit over safety will surely be back to try again. Then, as now, our unified front and support of the highest standards of pilot training will demonstrate ALPA's power and commitment to the safety of air transportation.
For 89 years, our union has never failed to put safety first. Not once. And with your help, we'll keep this momentum strong and our skies safe.
In unity,
Capt. Joe DePete
ALPA President
February 26, 2020
ALPA pilots,
I'm writing to alert you to an insidious new effort to reduce airline pilot training standards—and ALPA's safety-first collective action that has shut it down, at least for now. While any attempt to reduce pilot training standards prior to the tragic accidents involving the Boeing 737 MAX would have been irresponsible, the idea of cutting the quality of pilot training now is nothing short of aviation safety malpractice.
In January, Delta Air Lines applied to the FAA for an exemption from Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) that would allow the airline to use non-motion flight training devices in continuing qualification or recurrent line operational evaluations. The airline's leaders also asked the FAA to expedite the petition and waive the public comment period––an apparent effort to keep secret this anti-safety bid to reduce the quality of pilot training.
When Delta MEC leaders learned of their company's application, they raised the alarm and reached out to coordinate efforts with ALPA's national officers, Air Safety Organization leaders, and professional staff. The economic basis for Delta's exemption request became immediately apparent—and so did the risk to safety.
As ALPA members know, our union has long supported the use of full-motion flight simulators in training and qualification of pilots because they provide the highest quality training platform available. We support flight training devices for specific purposes in flight crew training and as a tool to bridge the gap between ground training and training in a full flight simulator with the motion operating. Let me be crystal clear, however, that ALPA is adamantly opposed to conducting any end-level evaluations, qualification, checking, or assessments using anything other than a full-motion flight simulator.
Following the proposal by Delta Air Lines, I reached out to the FAA together with first vice president Capt. Bob Fox to make clear that granting such an exemption would erode the safety of the U.S. air transportation system and set a dangerous precedent that other airlines would surely attempt to follow. We urged the FAA to dismiss any proposal that seeks to replace the use of full-motion flight simulators with non-motion flight training devices for qualification, validation, checking, or evaluation required under FAR Part 121 or FAA-approved Advanced Qualification Programs (AQP). At the same time, the Delta MEC Government Affairs Committee worked with key lawmakers on Capitol Hill to not only raise awareness of the serious risk, but also request their assistance in bringing sanity to the decision-making process regarding simulation requirements in pilot training.
Because of our union's commitment to safety and our collective action, Delta Air Lines withdrew its application. But we're not stopping there to ensure airline pilots receive full-motion simulator training when it's necessary. ALPA is working on Capitol Hill to block any similar anti-safety effort in the future. The Restoring Aviation Accountability Act—which was introduced in the Senate just this week by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Tom Udall (D-NM) and is supported by ALPA—seeks to, among other improvements to safety, prohibit the FAA from granting an exemption for the use of a non-motion training device to replace a full-motion simulator for validation, qualification, checking, or evaluation events.
Although we prevailed, and Delta Air Lines withdrew its application this time, those who put profit over safety will surely be back to try again. Then, as now, our unified front and support of the highest standards of pilot training will demonstrate ALPA's power and commitment to the safety of air transportation.
For 89 years, our union has never failed to put safety first. Not once. And with your help, we'll keep this momentum strong and our skies safe.
In unity,
Capt. Joe DePete
ALPA President
(yeah, even with a few beers in me, I realized that first post was a little ... well, a little ...)
