APA News Digest

Oct. 18, 2024

Editor’s note: Some links in this message will work best if you log in to AlliedPilots.org before clicking them.

In This Edition ...

APA President to Host Town Hall on Oct. 23

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

APA President FO Nick Silva will host a national town hall meeting via Zoom beginning at 1800 Central on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Vice President CA Chris Torres and representatives of the Joint Implementation Action, Negotiating, and Scheduling committees will also be on hand to brief the membership and answer questions. Click here to register for the meeting. Registering in advance will enable email reminders.

To ensure maximum participation, all members in good standing will receive a call from Telephone Town Hall Meeting, the vendor that assists APA with its town halls, at 1800 Central on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Pilots who are not in a position to watch the town hall meeting via Zoom will be able to listen via their phones.

The number that will appear in your caller ID is 817-302-2171. We encourage you to add this number to your contacts. Members who are unable to answer the outbound call may connect by dialing 855-269-4484.

To submit questions in advance, please send an email to TownHall@alliedpilots.org.

We look forward to meeting with you on Oct. 23.

Annual Enrollment Opens on Oct. 28

American Airlines has established a My Enrollment website where you and your family can review your benefits options. That website also features an Events tab that lists dozens of in-person roadshows plus several virtual sessions. The in-person events have already begun, and the virtual sessions will start on Oct. 23.

American Airlines’ Annual Enrollment runs from Oct. 28 through Nov. 11. Don’t miss your deadline, and be sure to double check your elections, your beneficiary information, and your mailing address.

You can also call the Benefits Service Center at 888-860-6178 for enrollment information.

  • Benefits Service Center regular hours: 0800 to 1700 Central, Monday through Friday
  • Benefits Service Center extended hours: 0800 to 2000 Central, Nov. 8–10

Look for the Imputed Income Option when enrolling, and be sure to click the option that is best for you.

AA Flight 1590: In Their Own Words

This new video features CA Scott Russell and FO William “Chance” Perkins recounting Flight 1590, which was scheduled from MFE to DFW on April 23, 2023. CA Russell and FO Perkins received the Michael Michaelis Safety Award for Excellence during last week’s APA Board of Directors meeting for their handling of the flight. They also received the Lieutenant General Harold L. George Civilian Airmanship Award from the Order of Daedalians.

Family Navigation Team Answers FAQs

This is a new message from the APA Compass Project Committee.

The Compass Project’s Family Navigation Team provides support and resources for new and expecting parents and their families. These parents are matched with a Family Navigation sponsor who will guide them through the intricacies of family leave, the complexities of maternity and paternity benefits that vary by state, pay, and many other topics.

To help provide answers to some of the most common questions, the Family Navigation Team has created a Frequently Asked Questions document. Among the topics covered are how to apply for FMLA leave, pay, and travel benefits. To access this new document, visit the Compass Project webpage, scroll down to “Family Navigation,” and click “Frequently Asked Questions.”

If you have any questions or need assistance, a Parental Leave Coordinator will gladly provide guidance and support. Email the Family Navigation Team at FamilyNav@alliedpilots.org with your inquiries, and someone will be in touch.

If you would like to be part of this rewarding and fulfilling program, please visit the Compass Project webpage or email FamilyNav@alliedpilots.org to become a sponsor. We are always looking for volunteers to be part of this special team.

The APA Compass Project is an industry-leading pilot mentoring and support program. Compass offers one-on-one support from experienced line-pilot sponsors, as well as tutorial videos and an extensive database of stage-based documents covering a number of helpful topics that are beneficial to all pilots. Click here for more information.

Join Us for YOUnion 301 on Nov. 13

This is an updated message from the APA Compass Project Committee.

The Compass Project and APA Vice President CA Chris Torres will host a “YOUnion 301” meeting via Zoom at 1100 Central on Nov. 13. This “Captains’ Development Seminar” is intended to help new captains and soon-to-be captains understand their authorities, APA support, and safety trends within our airline.

If you register now, you will receive reminder emails in advance of the meeting.

Click here to register for the Nov. 13 meeting.

Fini Flight Honors Retiring Pilots

This is an updated message from the APA Family Awareness Committee.

Fini Flight is an APA program designed to honor our retiring members. If a pilot chooses to participate, we meet them at the gate after (or sometimes before) their final flight as an American Airlines pilot. We include friends and family, play some music, bring a cake, and make their last flight memorable! You can see more photos from September celebrations on APA’s Facebook page.

For more information on how to get involved, as an honoree or as a volunteer, email finiflight@alliedpilots.org.

APA Represented at Global Congress

This is a new message from the APA International Alliance Committee.

APA International Alliance Committee Chair CA Shawn Gray and APA Vice President CA Chris Torres were in Morocco this week for the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s Global Congress. They were among more than 960 delegates representing approximately 20 million transportation workers, including roughly 800,000 in the civil aviation sector. The federation has a significant role in shaping global aviation labor policy through engagement with the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization and International Labour Organization.

SWAPA Provides Opportunity for Collaboration

This is a new message from the APA Professional Standards Committee.

This week, your national Professional Standards Committee participated in a conference hosted by our counterparts at the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association. SWAPA Professional Standards Committee Chair CA Jon Ross (pictured), who has attended three of our training sessions, ran the conference that included representatives of all unionized work groups at Southwest Airlines.

SWAPA’s Professional Standards team fields inquiries on many of the same topics we deal with at APA, including misuse of personal electronic devices, social media complaints, jumpseat issues, and conflicts with colleagues from other work groups.

“We might wear different uniforms,” CA Ross said, “but we are all the same type of people dealing with the same types of issues.”

Pigs of the Week

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 Oct. 1, A319 aircraft 806 has been written up for a yaw damper fault seven times, been on MEL once for 10 days, and been out of service five times. It was most recently signed off on Oct. 16.
  • A319 aircraft 746 was at a foreign contract MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) station for 84 days. After two functional check flights were accomplished by NRFO2 management crews, it returned to revenue service on Sept. 26. Since then, the flight deck door has been written up 11 times, been on MEL once, and been out of service four times. It was most recently signed off on Oct. 15.

APA Welcomes Leadership Class

This is a new message from the APA Membership Committee.

a group of pilots in a lobby

Click the image for a closer look.

On Oct. 15, the APA Membership Committee hosted a casual dinner for the following pilots who were in Fort Worth for American Airlines’ Professionalism, Leadership, and Mentoring class: Stephen Abrams, Felix Adjorlolo, Michael Allred, Michael Balling, Yonas Bekit, John Blanc, Jason Burkett, Russell Campbell, Matthew Couch, Stephen Crews, Dominic Delrosso, Luc Derenne, Tal Frumerman, Kevin Hazuka, David Hong, Brent Kistner, Dalton Klugh, Evan Maxwell, Jeremiah McBride, Gregory Michne, George Moore III, Vihas Nair, John Owens, Alexandru Raileanu, Paul Saracen, Disapong Silberman, Roque Soto, Ryan Strayve, Andrew Stutzman, Ashenafi Tadese, Doyle Tonneson, Thomas Tryon, Brent Wenz, Michael Whiting, and Mark Wingert.

APA Medical Minute – Atrial Fibrillation

In the latest edition of the APA Medical Minute, APA Medical Advisors Manager Marsha Reekie discusses atrial fibrillation and flutter, including signs and symptoms, medical risks, treatment, and related FAA requirements.

You can watch previous Medical Minute videos on APA’s YouTube channel.

Domicile Elections

Runoff Round voting opened on Oct. 8, with the following candidates listed on the ballots:

CLT Chair
CA Heather Ducimo Boulanger
CA Erik DeWinne

LGA Vice Chair
CA David Hines
CA James Scanlan

MIA Chair
CA Thomas Copeland
CA Jay Wilhelm

You can learn about the candidates on the Elections page on AlliedPilots.org. Pilots based at CLT, LGA, and MIA have until 0001 Central on Oct. 30 to cast a ballot.

Domicile Events

Visit AlliedPilots.org/Calendar to RSVP for any of these upcoming domicile events:

Week in Review

Here are some recent messages you may have missed.

Life Insurance Annual Dividend to be Distributed

Per R2024-43 and R2024-44, which the APA Board of Directors approved last week, eligible participants in APA’s Group Term Life Insurance Plan will receive a dividend distribution on or about Nov. 6 in the checking or savings account that you have on file with NGS.

Are You Willing to Serve?

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

  • Aeromedical Committee (0)
    • Critical Incident Response Program Subcommittee (1)
    • Disabled Pilot Awareness Subcommittee (3)
    • Human Intervention Motivation Study Subcommittee (1)
    • Pilot Occupational Health Subcommittee (2)
    • Project Wingman Subcommittee (2)
  • Captain’s Authority Committee (2)
  • Communications Committee (0)
    • National Communications Network (2)
  • Economic and Financial Analysis Committee (1)
  • Grey Eagles Liaison Committee (2)
  • Information Technology Steering Committee (1)
  • Professional Standards Committee (1)
  • Training Committee (4)
    • Checkmate (1 on 777)

If you would like to serve on one or more of these committees, visit the Member Engagement Portal.

Professional Standards FAQs

How does management or an employee submit an issue to Professional Standards?
Committee volunteers are identified for each domicile on AlliedPilots.org and on each domicile APA bulletin board. Management is furnished contact information for every domicile and national deputy, and they may approach a committee volunteer with an issue. Emails, texts, and detailed phone messages are to be avoided, as the information is not confidential and may not be protected. Telephone contact and face-to-face meetings are encouraged, as confidentiality is paramount to the success of the program. You can reach your domicile Professional Standards Committee via our phone tree: 817-402-2181.

To read all of the FAQs, click here.

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

Sharing the Holiday Spirit with Christmas Epaulets

This popular, long-running program benefits the families of our nation’s fallen heroes and young people seeking ways to further their education, as detailed in a December 2023 Aero Crew News article by CA Tim Knutson.

CA John Knutson – U.S. Army veteran and a pilot for North Central, Republic, and Northwest Airlines – lost his battle with cancer in 1997 at age 56. To honor his memory, John’s widow, Mary, decided to start making Christmas epaulets. Mary originally directed all proceeds to the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Scholarship Foundation, because John was a 1959 graduate of Chetek High School. In an acknowledgement of John’s love of country, the proceeds have been shared between the Gary Sinise Foundation/Snowball Express and the Chetek-Weyerhaeuser Scholarship Foundation in recent years.

You may buy your epaulets here for $20 plus $5.50 for shipping and handling. They’re also available at Crew Outfitters stores at DFW and IAH. If you have any questions, please contact CA Tim Knutson via info@christmasepaulets.com.

Thank you for supporting this worthy cause.

If You’re 50, Join The Grey Eagles

Are you a pilot for American Airlines, at least age 50, active or retired? Please join The Grey Eagles for food, fun, and fellowship. We offer cruises, conventions, monthly luncheons, retirement dinners, professional mentoring, and assistance to surviving spouses – all for a one-time lifetime fee.

Pilot Job Fairs and Future Pilot Seminars

Future & Active Pilot Advisors’ next Pilot Job Fair and Future Pilot Seminar are scheduled for Oct. 25 at DAL followed by Nov. 22 at PHX. Click here for more information.

Industry News

For more about what’s happening in the industry, be sure to visit the Industry News page on AlliedPilots.org.

Connect with Us: Facebook | Instagram| Twitter| YouTube
Contact Us: Phone - 817.302.2272 | Website - AlliedPilots.org