Allied Pilots Association

Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the Allied Pilots Association (APA) serves as the certified collective bargaining agent for the 16,000 professional pilots who fly for American Airlines. APA was founded in 1963 and is the largest independent pilots’ union in the world. APA provides a broad range of representation services for its members and devotes more than 20 percent of its dues income to support aviation safety.

SERVING OUR PILOTS

APA Leadership

Click an Image Below for Bios

First Officer Nick Silva
APA President

First Officer Nick Silva has flown for American Airlines since 2014 and is currently based at DFW. Before being elected APA President in 2024, he chaired the union’s Economic & Financial Analysis Committee and served as a member of the Negotiating Committee.

He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, earning his Master of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Sacramento.

First Officer Silva lives in Dallas with his wife and two children.

Captain Chris Torres
APA Vice President

Captain Chris Torres was hired by American Airlines in 2016. Before being elected Vice President in 2022, he represented the pilots of DFW as their Domicile Vice Chair (2020-2022).

As a member of the APA Contract Compliance Committee, Captain Torres designed a series of courses to educate his union brothers and sisters on the finer points of their contract. He also volunteered as a mentor with the APA Compass Project, sponsoring newly hired pilots and helping them navigate life at American.

As a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he flew the Northrop T-38 and the McDonnell Douglas F-15E before retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Captain Torres has piloted the Boeing 737 since joining American.

A native of Santa Cruz, California, Captain Torres graduated from Santa Clara University in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He also earned a master’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He and his family reside in Trophy Club, Texas.

First Officer Patrick Clark
APA Secretary-Treasurer

First Officer Patrick Clark was hired by American Airlines in 1991. He has piloted the Boeing 787 on international routes, and he has logged domestic time on the Boeing 727, the Boeing 737, and the McDonnell Douglas DC-9. Prior to joining American, he was a helicopter pilot for the U.S. Marine Corps.

First Officer Clark's years of APA experience include terms as deputy chair of the Operational Analysis Committee and former Technical Analysis and Scheduling Committee. Much of the analysis performed by these committees is made possible by technology that First Officer Clark created. He was elected Secretary-Treasurer in 2019 and re-elected in 2022.

First Officer Clark is a graduate of the University of San Francisco. He is based at DFW and resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with his wife.

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