Show Your Resolve at DFW

The APA Strike and Tactical Operations Committee sent the following message to all members today.

With intense Section 6 negotiations set to commence on Tuesday, Jan. 18, we all know that APA and management will eventually reach an agreement. The only questions are how long it will take to reach that agreement and how many of the goals in APA’s targeted approach will be achieved.

To display our unified support of this aggressive bargaining, we have scheduled informational picketing from 9 a.m. until noon Central on Thursday, Jan. 20, at DFW. We must ensure that management understands how committed we are to changing the course of our airline and our careers. Please indicate your plans to join us at DFW by clicking here.

Pilots should wear their full uniform during informational picketing, sans any company ID. Due to the COVID infection rates, we will be socially distanced on the picket line. APA-branded masks will be available for any pilot who needs one.

If you are flying in on Wednesday, Jan. 19, and need a hotel room for that evening, send an email to travel@alliedpilots.org. Please include your full name and employee number in the email.

If you are flying in on the day of the event, proceed to the exit near Gate C17 and go outside security. A pilot will show you where to stow your baggage and where to get signage before you proceed to the picket line.

If you are local to DFW, park your vehicle at APA headquarters. There will be a bus leaving for the picket at 8:20 a.m.

Once again, we want to thank you for taking time to join us in this display of unity. We need to demonstrate our level of frustration to management and our level of resolve to the public.

We’ll see you on the picket line.

Upcoming Negotiating Sessions

The APA Negotiating Committee sent the following message to all members today.

Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 18, the Negotiating Committee (NC) will begin four consecutive weeks of bargaining. Both APA and AA have committed to have their core negotiating teams, as well as relevant subject-matter experts (SME) as needed, available throughout the process. For APA, the core team includes the Negotiating Committee, the Economic & Financial Analysis Committee, and Negotiating Department staff.

As outlined in multiple communications over the past several months, the NC has been pursuing the Board of Directors (BOD)-approved targeted approach in our Section 6 bargaining sessions since June 2021. Those targeted improvements have been highlighted in recent membership updates and are designed to benefit every pilot on the seniority list. To review a list of the key targeted items proposed by APA, click here.

In preparation for these upcoming negotiating sessions, the NC met for three days with the BOD last week to review the status of negotiations (including current proposals), further discuss items, and receive BOD direction. The BOD affirmed its previous guidance to continue with the targeted approach toward an overall tentative agreement.

This week, the Negotiating and Economic & Financial Analysis committees met with the APA Scheduling and Contract Compliance committees to work through various items still needing to be addressed at the bargaining table. Many of these items focus on improvements to scheduling-related contractual provisions, such as sequence protection and recovery obligation, adjustments to the replacement flying window, and assignment of replacement flying.

The NC is keenly aware of the membership’s expectations and that improvements need to be made to our work rules, benefits, and compensation structures. Tangible and meaningful improvements in these areas must be made. Additionally, implementation timelines and accountability measures must be included.

Please watch for upcoming communications as negotiations progress over the next month.

Your APA Negotiating Committee

Targeted Approach to Section 6 – New “Five by Five”

The APA Communications Committee sent the following message to all members on Thursday.

In Episode 23 of our “Five By Five” podcast, APA President CA Eric Ferguson and CA John Owens, Deputy Chair of the APA Communications Committee, discuss the targeted approach to Section 6 bargaining that the APA Board of Directors has stipulated and how it compares with the early openers APA passed across the table in 2019.

“Five By Five” is designed to help ensure that you stay up to date about the issues affecting your career. Each episode features various APA leaders and the subject-matter experts working on the membership’s behalf. It is available for listening via AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts and also through popular streaming services. Because the streaming services review all podcasts before making them available, your first opportunity to listen to each episode of “Five By Five” will be on AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts.

If you have a question or a comment, please send it to Communications Director Gregg Overman via goverman@alliedpilots.org.

Unauthorized Flight Deck Entry in Honduras

This is a new message from the APA Security Committee.

On Tuesday, during the boarding process of Flight 488 from SAP to MIA, a passenger entered the flight deck of the B737. The incident is still under investigation, but here are the initial known facts.

At the time, only the captain was in the flight deck. The agitated passenger, who claimed that gangs wanted to kill him, asked the captain to leave immediately. The captain tried to calm the passenger, who initially attempted to flee through the open FO window. The passenger ultimately grabbed the captain by his epaulets, and tore them off, as he was apprehended by security personnel and a flight attendant. The flight attendant suffered minor injuries, and the aircraft was damaged, but the captain was unharmed.

While none of us go to work expecting to be involved in a physical altercation, including that possibility in our mindset may be warranted. To that end, the Security Committee strongly recommends that you take advantage of the free Crew Member Self Defense training offered near your domicile.

5G Network Activation Update

APA Safety Committee Chair FO John DeLeeuw and CA John Dudley, Managing Director Flight Operations, issued this CCI message today.

5G C-Band wireless service, provided by AT&T and Verizon, is scheduled for activation in 46 areas containing 117 airports across the United States next Wednesday, Jan. 19. To be clear, we can safely operate in this new environment. Below you’ll read how, as well as what’s next. Your focused attention is requested.

Since the frequency band of these 5G networks is near the frequency band used by aircraft radio altimeters, the FAA has been working with several telecom and aviation industry groups, Boeing, Airbus, and other aircraft and radio altimeter manufacturers, to study the possibility of frequency interference between 5G signals and the signals produced by our radio altimeters, as well as ways to reduce the chances of that interference.

To ensure the safety of all aircraft and the traveling public as 5G rolls out nationwide, the FAA has issued NOTAMs that will become effective next Wednesday, Jan. 19, at many of these airports, and will restrict the use of Autoland, CAT 1(SA), CAT 2, and CAT 3 approaches, and the use of the HUD for landing flare guidance. CAT 1 approaches will remain authorized at these airports, and most of our RNP approaches will remain available. We expect that some of these operational restrictions will be lifted at a few of the airports in our network prior to Jan. 19 through the use of an Alternate Means of Compliance (AMOC) authorization from the FAA. AMOCs have not yet been issued, so additional details are not yet available.

Click here to read the entire message.

Presidential Grievance Filed Over Delayed Withholds

This is a new message from the APA Legal Department.

Last October, the Company posted the Final March 2022 Vacancy Award, which was 30 pages in length and designated several positions as withheld. Additionally, the award indicated the estimated date each pilot would begin training for their new bid status and the effective date of the newly awarded bid status.

Nearly a month later, the Company issued a CCI message that improperly changed the Final March 2022 Vacancy Award for 36 positions by issuing a withhold from the awarded status. The 36 pilots listed in the CCI message were first officers who were either awarded a lateral position or upgraded to a captain position that required a long training course. Issuing these withholds weeks after the Final March 2022 Vacancy Award was published violates our contract, and past practices, by training out of seniority order.

After efforts to informally resolve this dispute were exhausted, APA filed Ferguson Presidential Grievance 21-035 (CCI Message Regarding Withholds) on Dec. 28. During a Jan. 5 appeal hearing, APA Legal and the APA Scheduling Committee presented compelling evidence that CA Chip Long indicated he would review with his team. The Company has 30 days from the hearing to issue a decision.

If you were changed to a withhold after a published final vacancy award of a reinstatement (REN), entitlement (ENT), preference (PRE), or release (REL), please fill out a Grievance Form. If you have question about the vacancy process, contact the Scheduling Committee at CMTE-Scheduling@alliedpilots.org or 817-302-2321.

COVID Vaccination Update

APA President CA Eric Ferguson sent the following message to all members on Thursday.

As you are aware, the Company’s Jan. 4 deadline for complying with its COVID vaccine mandate has now passed. All pilots should have already received a communication from the Company regarding their obligations moving forward depending on their vaccination/accommodation status. It has been reported that approximately 90% of the pilot group has now produced proof of vaccination, with the vast majority of those remaining unvaccinated having been granted exemptions from the vaccination requirement. We understand that there remains a small fraction of the pilot group who have not yet provided proof of vaccination and have not applied for/been granted an accommodation. We remain unaware of any pilot who has had a request for an exemption rejected by the Company.

As was stated in my Jan. 4 communication, APA intends to hold management to its commitment that no pilot will be fired or disciplined based upon their status relating to the Company’s vaccination requirement. To date, we have not received any indication that management intends to alter its position regarding its mandate.

For those who are wondering how today’s Supreme Court decision staying the implementation of the OSHA “vaccination or test” rule impacts the situation at AA, the answer is that it simply has no impact. The Company’s vaccination requirement was not prompted by the OSHA mandate. As of today, the Company’s vaccination requirement remains in place. APA maintains its position that AA's action is a unilaterally implemented policy and, as such, no action may be taken against any pilot who may be deemed non-compliant with its terms.

As COVID-19 continues to surge throughout the country and the world, we urge everyone to remain safe and take all necessary steps to minimize your risk of infection and illness. If you are experiencing symptoms or have had a known exposure to COVID-19, you should refer to the flowchart published by APA Aeromedical and/or contact the Aeromedical Department with any questions you may have.

Pilot COVID Data

This is a new message from the APA Aeromedical Committee.

In the seven-day period ending Jan. 10, 520 pilots reported positivity to AA, a 53-percent increase from the 339 reports in the week prior. Since Dec. 20, 992 pilots have reported positive COVID tests.

Based on the call volume to APA’s Medical Advisors, in alignment with certain states that are in positivity decline, we are hopeful that we are nearing a peak in pilot positivity as well.

For more COVID data, as well as information about testing and therapeutics, visit AlliedPilots.org/News/Coronavirus.

It’s a New Year: Have You Checked in With Your Wingman?

This is a new message from FO Chelsea Page, a DFW-based volunteer with Project Wingman.

Project Wingman is a network of volunteers ready to help our pilots with stress from any source. Last year brought a great many challenges, and it’s in our nature to try and fix those issues on our own. It’s OK to ask for help; you should ask for help. Your fellow pilots are waiting for your phone call and ready to help you navigate to the resource you are looking for. Whether you’re facing financial troubles, family or relationship issues, or any other problems at work or in your personal life, there’s a volunteer waiting for your call. It’s a new year, so check in with your wingman at 848-APA-CREW!

Consider Becoming a Compass Project Sponsor

The APA Compass Project Subcommittee sent the following message to all members on Tuesday. More than 100 potential sponsors have expressed interest since then, but additional volunteers are always welcome.

American has hired more than 630 pilots since last fall, and the airline plans to hire at least 45 more each week for the rest of 2022. Nearly half of our pilot group will reach age 65 in the next five years, requiring American to hire at this rate or higher for the foreseeable future.

Due to this increase in hiring, the APA Compass Project is in dire need of sponsors. We have about 100 sponsors mentoring our new-hires, but we need to double that number soon to adequately maintain our efforts. Pilots interested in becoming sponsors can click here to sign up.

Compass sponsors help our new-hires “navigate” life at American by providing one-on-one support and guidance through their first year. Moreover, APA sponsors have an opportunity to instill the values our career demands in our new-hire pilots.

Sponsors normally mentor three to five new-hires at a time by answering questions via phone calls, text messages, and emails. Many of the answers to those questions can be found in the Compass Project Document Library, so the workload for sponsors is relatively light. Most new-hires require little support; they just need a friendly mentor who wants them to succeed.

Please consider mentoring our new-hires as an opportunity to help out those who will carry on our legacy at American Airlines. You can make a difference!

Contaminated Runway Landings

The APA Safety Committee sent the following message to all members on Thursday. The “Brief Your Braking Technique” section has since been amended.

As a follow up to the last APA Safety message about Braking Effectiveness During Adverse Conditions, CA Jim Dubela, BOS Domicile Safety Chair, has the “rest of the story.” We appreciate your time to read this important safety message, written by Jim.

Without a doubt, landing on a contaminated runway is one of the more challenging threats we face. And it is not limited to winter operations; the heavy rain we encounter in summer also qualifies. Here are a few best practices for contaminated runways. As always, your aircraft’s AOM is the final word on all flight operations.

Attention to Detail: The best way to manage this threat is to thoroughly analyze the expected landing conditions prior to descent and include pertinent threat information in your arrival briefing. A call to Dispatch may be beneficial, too. While crews do an excellent job calculating an expected landing distance on a contaminated runway, do we ever brief how it will be flown to stay within that distance? The iPad Landing App calculated landing distance is based on seven seconds airtime from the threshold to touchdown at Vapp (Vref+5), normal reverse thrust, maximum manual braking or selected Autobrakes, a 0.5% downslope, plus a 15% safety margin.

Click here to read the entire message.

Jumpseat Agreement with Breeze Airways

The APA Jumpseat/Non-Rev Committee sent the following message to all members on Monday.

American Airlines has signed a jumpseat agreement with Breeze Airways, effective today.

Breeze flies ERJ-190s out of the following airports:

Keep Breeze in mind when planning your commute, and please welcome Breeze pilots aboard your flights.

November and December Retirees

We would like to recognize and congratulate these pilots who retired in November and December.

BOS: CA George Bennett and CA Joseph Martin

CLT: CA Kevin Ayala, FO Douglas Bankston, CA Dan Curran, FO Kenneth Donaldson, CA John DuBarry, CA Artis Galbreath, FO Arnold Green, FO Vicki Haren, CA John Kotecki, CA Michael Law, CA James McDermott, CA Robert Osmon, CA Kevin Prufer, CA Mark Sleeper, CA Gregory Stanley, and CA William Yakubinis

DCA: CA Thomas Goode, CA John Meisenheimer, FO David Reese, CA Bradley Rohrs, and CA Thomas Smalkowski

DFW: CA Steven Brewster, CA John Brolick, CA Edwin Childers, FO Michael Davis, CA Fred Dudney, CA Gary Erdmier, CA Jesse Evans, CA Brian Gray, CA Leonard Gulig, CA Gregory Heckler, CA Joseph Heil, FO Robert Herris, CA James Hilton, CA Andrew Holbert, CA David Jacobson, FO Blair Johnson, CA David Johnson, FO Walfred Johnson, FO Gary Lovett, FO Curtis Lowery, CA Kenneth McKenzie, CA James McMurry, FO Ivan Mieth, CA Philip Mitchell, FO David Patterson, FO Robert Peters, CA John Richards, CA Michael Riley, CA Marshall Sauls, CA Steve Schemmel, FO Tracy Secord, FO Norris Shane, CA John Thornton, FO Vincent Uchal, CA Robert Wheelock, and CA William Zimmerman

LAX: FO James Allen, CA Michael Autrey, CA Tim Baker, CA Jeffrey Baum, CA Andrew Borel, FO Andrea Eldridge, CA Robert Eldridge, CA Simon Fraser, CA Mitchell Fryt, CA Barry Gill, CA Denham Kelsey, CA Rodney McAlear, CA Don Moore, CA John Price, CA James Richards, CA Steven Saxon, CA William Seidel, FO George Sparks, and FO Martin Stowe

LGA: CA Eldon Ahlman, CA Brent Bielenberg, FO Dave Carpenter, CA Thomas Child, CA David Connery, CA David Desmarais, FO Stephen Mayberry, CA William Suhling, CA Daryl Walizer, CA John Widtfeldt, and CA Kevin Zeltmann

MIA: CA John Blackwell, CA Ralph Bledsoe, FO Jeffrey Burrows, CA David D'Amico, FO Michael Desousa, FO Michael Harrison, CA James Howard, CA Harry King, CA John Moseley, CA Philip Payne, CA Paul Pohlmeyer, and CA Richard Pond

ORD: FO Charles Englert, CA Louis Marino, CA Robert McNabb, CA Randall Price, CA David Rod, CA David Shober, CA Michael Tetrick, CA Christopher Trone, FO Jeffrey Valle, and CA David Watts

PHL: CA Daniel Chiofalo, CA Gerald Crossland, FO Paul Detwiler, CA Christopher Forte, CA Thomas Googe, FO Ken Keene, CA Joe Kresch, CA John Langdon, CA Sherwood Sublett, FO Michael Sullivan, CA Bruce Thompson, CA Paul Varney, CA Garth Wilkinson, and CA Joseph Zetkulic

PHX: CA Eric Larsen, CA John Mercer, and CA Steven Wieneke

APA commends American Airlines’ hardworking aircraft maintenance technicians for their outstanding work. We believe they are the best in the business. When repetitive problems do arise, they’re often due to managerial decisions that fail to properly prioritize tasks and to management’s decision to outsource a significant portion of the airline’s maintenance to offshore, third-party repair stations.

Since Jan. 6, B737 aircraft 3DG’s auto speed brakes have been written up four times and been on MEL twice.
Since Jan. 5, A321 aircraft 552’s upper ECAM display has been written up four times. This was last signed off on Jan. 12.
Since Dec. 22, B737 aircraft 3HE’s PSEU has been written up five times and been out of service three times. This was last signed off on Jan. 9.
Update: Since last week, A319 aircraft 716 has failed two Functional Check Flights for failing to fly level. It was estimated to return to service at 2300 on Jan. 18.

Are You Willing to Serve?

Each of these national committees or subcommittees has the indicated number of vacancies:

Aeromedical Committee (0)

Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (3)
Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
Project Wingman Subcommittee (4)

Captain’s Authority Committee (8)
Committee for the Armed Defense of the Cockpit (2)
Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (1)
IT Steering Committee (1)
Professional Standards Committee (1)
Retirement and Benefits Committee (8)
Safety Committee (6)
Scheduling Committee (9)
Training Committee (2)
TUL/Tech Liaison Committee (1)

If you would like to serve on one or more of these committees, visit the National Committee Volunteer Portal.

Domicile Events

On Thursday, the ORD Domicile Officers hosted a teleconference that featured Negotiating Committee member CA Greg Shayman discussing the targeted approach, Scheduling Committee Chair CA Drew Coleman discussing DOTC and TTS, and Senior Director of Legal Affairs Jim Clark discussing the vaccine mandate. Any member can listen to a recording at AlliedPilots.org/Domiciles/ORD.

More details about these upcoming events are available at AlliedPilots.org/Calendar:

BOS: Joint teleconference with LGA on Jan. 19
CLT: Spring Fling on March 27
DCA: Joint teleconference with MIA on Jan. 18
DFW: Hybrid meeting (in-person and virtual) on Jan. 26; Family Awareness event at Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo on Jan. 26
LGA: Joint teleconference with BOS on Jan. 19
MIA: Joint teleconference with DCA on Jan. 18
PHL: Joint teleconference with PHX on Feb. 22
PHX: Joint teleconference with PHL on Feb. 22

DCA and DFW Domicile Elections

DCA and DFW pilots will elect a Chair and Vice Chair for each domicile, and the elected pilots will serve two-year terms on the APA Board of Directors starting on May 1.

The following pilots have been placed into consideration for nomination and have indicated a willingness to serve, if elected:

DCA Chair
CA Joe Collins

DCA Vice Chair
CA Tim Doreen Jr.
FO Ryan Dorris
FO Aaron Webb

DFW Chair
CA Rob Baker
CA Jon Sherrell

DFW Vice Chair
FO Jason Gustin
FO Chris Torres

Because he was unopposed, CA Collins will begin a new two-year term as DCA Chair on May 1.

The other candidates’ resumes will be mailed to DCA and DFW pilots on Feb. 4, when they will also be posted to AlliedPilots.org/Elections.

Election Round ballots will be mailed on March 10, and they will be tallied on March 31.

National Officers Election

APA members will elect a President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer who will serve three-year terms starting on July 1.

As of 3 p.m. Central today, the following pilots had been submitted for nomination:

President
CA Linda Pauwels
CA Dennis Tajer
CA Josey Wales

Vice President
CA John Owens

Secretary-Treasurer
FO Pat Clark

Pilots can be submitted for nomination until 12:01 a.m. Central on Jan. 31. For more information, go to AlliedPilots.org/Elections.

Professional Standards FAQs

Will the other person know it’s me who made the call?
Our cornerstones are: confidentiality, neutrality, and transparency. We make every effort to protect the identity of the reporting party and, in most cases, anonymity is preserved. In a direct conflict between two parties, there is little need for remaining anonymous. In a case involving observed behavior, maintaining anonymity is easier.

To read all of the FAQs, click here.

Professional Standards’ 24/7 hotline: 817-402-2181

APA Holiday Schedule

APA headquarters, including Contract Administration, will be closed on Monday, Jan. 17, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

As always, your APA support team remains available 24/7. When Contract Administration is closed, calls will be forwarded to a phone service operated by Contract Compliance Committee and Flight Time/Duty Time Committee volunteers. Please note that call-back times may be longer than normal due to limited staffing. If your call is not urgent, we encourage you to wait until normal business hours resume.

You may also want to consult the pilot volunteers on your domicile’s Contract Compliance Committee. Almost every domicile has one, and some of them have larger rosters than the national committee. Contact your local committee by visiting your domicile’s page on AlliedPilots.org and clicking the “Domicile Committee List” link.

To reach a contract administrator, call APA HQ at 1-800-323-1470 and press Option 3. If you prefer to e-mail your question to the contract administrators, click here. For specific FAR 117/fatigue issues requiring immediate attention, you can also call the Emergency Help Line at 682-738-6670 manned 24/7 by Flight Time/Duty Time Committee volunteers.

Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Forums

Future & Active Pilot Advisors received this feedback from a recently retired pilot who attended the Pilot Job Fair on Nov. 13 in Fort Lauderdale:

“I had interest from all five of the 65-plus carriers. Wheels Up made me an offer, which I accepted yesterday. Your help was crucial to me condensing my resume. Once again, FAPA has helped me 35 years after my initial hiring at American. I had a chance to talk to some of your people on Saturday. They were all super helpful and very pleasant to meet.”

The next Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Forums are Jan. 22 in Orlando, followed by Feb. 26 in Los Angeles. Click here for more information.

APA News Digest

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