RonSwanson
Well-Known Member
The RAA and other airlines have been lobbying congress to water down or "amend" the ATP rule for a decent amount of time now. This is a problem that is sneaking up on us and should be taken seriously. I fear ALPA and the majority of us will be taken off guard when this horse rears its ugly head.
The Airline Safety Act of 2010, or HR 5900, is law and will not be changed. The requirement of an ATP or R-ATP will not ever go away. However this law provides for the FAA to "give credit toward flight hours" required for an R-ATP certificate. This is what the RAA and airlines want and can be done in many ways; more sims, more ground school, specific training/121 observation, etc. All the lobbyists need to do is get creative and present data as to how safety is not being appreciably increased, how many jobs will be lost when airlines reduce or cut service, how reduced service will economically hurt these small towns when America is in its fastest economic rebound since 1999, etc. (right Obama?). Even by showing something like how there is no appreciable difference between checkride failures/washouts of students with the reduced ATP mins vs. those 1500 is the basis of a sound argument for expanding upon this new strategy of training, and giving hour credit for more "focused" training. The RAA is teaming up with lobbyists and gathering as much of this type of data as they can. Rest assured they will organize and present it intelligently and I submit you will see a change or proposed change in the requirements for an R-ATP within the next 5 years, once the squeeze is really being put on the regionals.
ALPA and the PAC needs to nip this in the bud and stay one step ahead of the RAA. This is our NAI. If you want to see regional airlines thrive, disregard everything above. If you want to see them fail or shrink dramatically, this is something that needs to be dealt with.
http://actnow.takeflighttomorrow.org
The Airline Safety Act of 2010, or HR 5900, is law and will not be changed. The requirement of an ATP or R-ATP will not ever go away. However this law provides for the FAA to "give credit toward flight hours" required for an R-ATP certificate. This is what the RAA and airlines want and can be done in many ways; more sims, more ground school, specific training/121 observation, etc. All the lobbyists need to do is get creative and present data as to how safety is not being appreciably increased, how many jobs will be lost when airlines reduce or cut service, how reduced service will economically hurt these small towns when America is in its fastest economic rebound since 1999, etc. (right Obama?). Even by showing something like how there is no appreciable difference between checkride failures/washouts of students with the reduced ATP mins vs. those 1500 is the basis of a sound argument for expanding upon this new strategy of training, and giving hour credit for more "focused" training. The RAA is teaming up with lobbyists and gathering as much of this type of data as they can. Rest assured they will organize and present it intelligently and I submit you will see a change or proposed change in the requirements for an R-ATP within the next 5 years, once the squeeze is really being put on the regionals.
ALPA and the PAC needs to nip this in the bud and stay one step ahead of the RAA. This is our NAI. If you want to see regional airlines thrive, disregard everything above. If you want to see them fail or shrink dramatically, this is something that needs to be dealt with.
http://actnow.takeflighttomorrow.org
yes voter
