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Flight-Time/Duty-Time Carve-out for Supplementals Withdrawn, ALPA Priorities Advance

February 16, 2011 - On the heels of ALPA’s news media briefing reiterating the union’s priorities and underscoring the importance of being the voice of airline pilots, ALPA learned that Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) withdrew his amendment to the FAA reauthorization bill that would have exempted some all-cargo and charter air carriers from the pending flight- and duty-time rules.

The amendment withdrawal is a victory for ALPA, which has been opposed to this new language since the amendment’s introduction on February 7.

Immediately after learning about the proposed amendment, the union began a grassroots Call to Action campaign within its membership. Within days of the campaign, more than 3,000 pilots had acted, writing letters to their senators in opposition to the proposed amendment.

“We are encouraged by the rational decision to withdraw the amendment from the FAA bill and commend Sen. Inhofe for doing so,” Capt. Moak said. “This action is one step closer to a solid, clean bill that funds the FAA and provides funding for NextGen and other programs that will help ensure the safety of our industry. And, we thank every pilot who responded to our Call to Action – it proves that ALPA has a powerful voice when we speak as one.”

The topic of FAA reauthorization and flight-time/duty-time rules was discussed at length during Capt. Moak’s news media briefing. He reiterated on several occasions the need for, “one level of safety [and] science-based flight-time/duty-time rules without exception regardless of the type of flying.”

At one point, a reporter asked regarding flight-time/duty-time regulations, “No exceptions?” Moak replied, “Absolutely no exceptions. We believe in one level of safety. It’s hard to argue with that.”

Moak said a key starting point to advancing safety in our already extraordinarily safe air transportation system is passing the FAA reauthorization act, currently in its 17th extension.

“It is the foundation needed to achieve a modern infrastructure that provides safe and efficient air transportation to drive this country’s economy and create jobs for its citizens, he said. “ALPA pilots recognize the FAA’s essential leadership role in setting regulatory standards and conducting oversight over the range of safety issues that affect airline operations. Congress must pass a solid reauthorization bill that well positions the FAA to do its job.”

Other topics discussed during the news media briefing were pilot training, consolidation, the projected pilot shortage, and negotiating pilot contracts.

“On the issues that matter most to our pilots, including flight- and duty-time and minimum rest requirements, bankruptcy reform, airspace modernization, and maintaining good careers for pilots working today and those who will join our ranks tomorrow, I will engage and challenge regulators, legislators on both sides of the aisle, airline management, and everyone whose actions affect our industry to join me in making the U.S. airline industry sustainable, safe, and secure,” Moak said.
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:clap: :clap: :clap:
 
That's excellent news.

Do you mind creating the most ludicrous hypothetical situation you can think of being legal with the current rules? I admittedly don't know them but I know parts of them are not even close to realistic.
 
Nick said:
That's excellent news.

Do you mind creating the most ludicrous hypothetical situation you can think of being legal with the current rules? I admittedly don't know them but I know parts of them are not even close to realistic.
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How about this: being on reserve 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. No rest.

You're sitting in Shannon, Ireland, sleeping at night, awake during the day. You go to bed each night at 9pm after climbing the walls due to boredom. Scheduling calls you at 9:30pm and tells you to head on out to the airport. Despite getting ready to turn in, you're now required to fly an 18+ hour duty day.

Believe it or not, when flying internationally, pilots have NO MAXIMUM DUTY DAY. Flight attendants, however, do (apparently they get fatigued but we don't; go figure). The rules also don't make the max duty day a hard limit, unlike in Domestic scheduled. They allow the D.O. to extend the day indefinitely due to unforeseen circumstances.
 
Oh, and I'd like to join Polar in thanking everyone who wrote to their senators or otherwise made some noise about Inhofe's disgraceful amendment!
 
I wonder if carriers will start transferring their fleets outside the US under less stringent rules (if they exist). Not sure how that works but I have to assume it's kinda like ships, where they have home ports in low tax countries or something to that effect.

Obviously large carriers couldn't like FedEx or UPS but smaller international carriers can I would think
 
wheelsup said:
I wonder if carriers will start transferring their fleets outside the US under less stringent rules (if they exist). Not sure how that works but I have to assume it's kinda like ships, where they have home ports in low tax countries or something to that effect.

Obviously large carriers couldn't like FedEx or UPS but smaller international carriers can I would think
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This would work if foreign rest rules and regulations were worse, or even on par with current 121 rest rules. But if you take into consideration that the U.S. has some of the worst/least restrictive rest rules around, it wouldn't do much good. I've heard that even the new rest rules, compared to Canadian and European ones, are still somewhat of a joke.
 
I really hope it carries over to 135.... I'm tired from being on call 24/7 with min quarterly rest for the last 3 years.
 
dingo222 said:
Back the PAC so they can get these things fixed!
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So very true.

Everyone loves to dog on their Association, up to the point that those dues dollars and PAC funds give that individual tangible evidence of their investment.

This is a huge victory for ACMI carrier pilot group.s
 
Good for you guys, I also have to say congrats Polar, with this out of the way and the new contract you guys are getting things are certainly looking up for your pilot group!
 
Nice win. It's time they realized it doesn't matter who or what's in the back, and treated these guys the same as the rest of us.
 
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