ALPA Pilot Bulletin Vol. 31 No. 1, January 1972, including 'Cooper Is No Robin Hood'

COOPER IS NO 'ROBIN HOOD'

Despite some attempts to prove otherwise through opportunism and commercialism, the person who labels himself as "D. B. Cooper" is--if he is still alive--no modern-day Robin Hood. He is a thief and a criminal of the highest order. He demonstrated more than passing knowledge of the air environment, especially parachuting. It is possible that "D. B. Cooper's" path may have crossed that of airline personnel--and airline pilots--at some time under another name. He is reported to have a bitter hatred against the airlines--he may have worked for one.

For these reasons PILOT BULLETIN is printing the specifications of the criminal that extorted $200,000 from Northwest Airlines on Nov. 24, 1971. Two artist drawings of "Cooper" are included in the hopes they may prod the memories of ALPA members who may have seen or known him in the past.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation describes the man as follows: Race: White Age: Mid-40s

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Artists sketch of Cooper with and without glasses

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Height: 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet Weight: 170 to 180 pounds Build: Average to well built Complexion: Olive, Latin appearance, medium smooth Hair: Dark brown or black, normal style, parted on left, combed back, sideburns, low ear level Eyes: Possibly brown; during latter part of flight put on dark wrap-around sunglasses with dark rims Voice: Low, spoke intelligently, no particular accent

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Characteristic: Heavy smoker of Raleigh filter-tip cigarettes Wearing apparel: Black suit, white shirt, narrow black tie, black dress suit, black rain-type overcoat or dark topcoat, brown shoes; carried paper bag 4 inches by 12 inches by 14 inches and dark briefcase or attache case

If you have any information which might lead to the identity of this individual, please contact the nearest FBI office.

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ALPA PRESSES FOR ACTION ON MID-AIR COLLISIONS

Pointing to a "needless slaughter" resulting from 70 mid-air collisions of U. S. airliners in the past 25 years, ALPA urged congressional action to make collision-avoidance equipment a mandatory requirement for all aircraft operating in government-controlled airspace.

In testimony before the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation on Dec. 1, the Association emphasized the increasing hazards of mid-air accidents. A study made by the Department of Transportation, ALPA said, projected that by 1980 there would be approximately 10 mid-air collisions occurring each year. In 1971, there were four such tragedies.

ALPA recommended two government actions that should be taken immediately to reduce or eliminate the mid-air collision hazard:

"The first of these requires an immediate decision on the part of the U. S. government that the use of an adequate collision avoidance system or proximity warning indicator should be made mandatory for every aircraft operated within controlled airspace. "The other action requires that the Federal Aviation Administration take a more realistic and sophisticated approach to inflight segregation of military and general aviation aircraft from airline and other high performance civil aircraft."

In addition to these recommendations, ALPA asked for a live evaluation of the several collision avoidance systems now available. Recognizing that installation of these systems would entail particular burdens for light plane owner, ALPA called for development of a plan to help them finance this hardware.

Although ALPA does not endorse any particular equipment now being offered as solutions to the collision problem, it supported the Senate bill under consideration (S. 2264), which would facilitate the installation of collision avoidance devices. "The establishment of definite compliance dates," ALPA said, "will also emphasize the urgency of the problem and take it out of the 'study' category."

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FAA Continuing Taxiway - Exit Identification Lighting Test At JFK And Newark

The September 1971 PILOT BULLETIN announced the beginning of testing of taxiway exit lighting on Newark runway 4L-22R. Now the test is ready to be implemented at JFK runway 31R-13L. The runway ends show red threshold lights at the far ends. Green flush centerline lights at runway and taxiway intersections are the main features of the test, along with green curved lead-out lights at the center taxiway exit.

The airlines have probably already issued information and procedures to pilots operating into these airports. FAA will provide additional information. ALPA requests that pilots cooperate in this evaluation. Please send a copy of your conclusions to the ALPA Engineering and Air Safety Department for information purposes.

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DB Cooper-29789

ALLE[GHENY] - MOHAWK LABOR [PR]OTECTIVE PROVISIONS RECOMMENDED

For the second time in less than a week a CAB hearing examiner supported a position long urged by ALPA and recommended sweeping changes in the labor protective conditions traditionally imposed in merger cases. (PILOT BULLETIN, November, page 1). In his recommended decision approving the Allegheny-Mohawk merger, Examiner Merritt Ruhlen rejected the position of the carriers that the so-called "standard" provisions first imposed in the United-Capital merger case over a decade ago should be imposed again without change. Addressing himself directly to the changes in the provisions recommended by ALPA, Ruhlen wrote: "It is necessary to consider the suggested changes on their merits rather than to rely on a decision of 10 years ago made in a different economic climate upon a different factual basis."

Ruhlen's recommended decision endorsed the following changes in the standard provisions urged by ALPA:

(1) A shifting of the burden of proof under the United-Capital formula so that a claiming employe would be required to do nothing more than show that a merger occurred and that his condition of employment changed adversely. Should the employer contend that the change was the result of some factor other than the merger, the burden would be on the employer to establish that contention through the production of evidence. (Under the United-Capital formula, an employe must carry the virtually impossible burden of showing that his change in employment was caused "solely" by the merger and no other cause.)

(2) A change in the compensation for a displaced employe to include average compensation during the base period plus "subsequent wage increases" for the duration of the protection period. (United-Capital excluded all such increases.)

(3) A change in the base period used for determining average compensation to the one-year period "immediately prior to (the employe's) displacement" rather than one year prior to the merger as under the United-Capital provisions.

(4) An extension of the protective provisions' coverage to all employes whose job status may be changed by a carrier's rearranging of its work force in anticipation of a merger regardless of the date on which such a rearrangement actually takes place.

Examiner Ruhlen's decision is now subject to review and amendment by the full CAB as well as final approval by President Nixon before it may take effect. ALPA attorneys have filed briefs in both the Delta-Northeast and Allegheny-Mohawk merger cases urging that the specific differences of the alteration in labor protective provisions recommended by the two hearing examiners be rationalized in such a manner as to preserve the most substantial changes in the old and inadequate United-Capital formula.

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BOSTON PILOTS BRIEFED ON BENEFITS

Pilot retirement and insurance benefits was the subject of a presentation by ALPA's Retirement and Insurance Department in early December. The purpose of the experimental program was to present directly to pilots an analysis of their benefits and options in both the retirement and insurance areas.

Eastern pilots' benefits were chosen for the analysis and the presentation was made at Boston's Logan Airport on Dec. 2-3 by ALPA Field Representative Rhoads Donovan and Insurance Analyst Stuart Hall.

The program was a formal presentation by both representatives with the help of visual aids that outlined the Eastern Pilots' Fixed (A) and Variable (B) Retirement Benefit Plans and the Group Insurance Program. Pilots were encouraged to ask questions and forms were provided for more detailed problems that could be answered through the Retirement and Insurance Department at ALPA's Home Office in Washington.

The experimental presentation was basically successful. One problem area, however, was the lack of sufficient advance notice, which resulted in a small attendance. Both representatives felt that although attendance was minimal, the information program proved worthwhile and was well received by the pilots who were able to attend.

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PILOTS SHOULD SPECIFY PAYMENTS

Inasmuch as the new dues and insurance system has billed both 1972 dues and insurance, when remitting your payment please allocate your remittance to dues and/or insurance in the space provided on the remittance stub. Should such an allocation be omitted, your remittance will be allocated by the computer.

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RUNWAY AT GREATER WILMINGTON AIRPORT REOPENED

ALPA has been notified as of Nov. 15, the East West (9-27) Runway at the Greater Wilmington (Del.) Airport was reopened after complete strengthening over its 7,000-foot length to 250,000 pounds maximum gross weight tandem wheel loading.

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PILOT BULLETIN

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION 1329 E STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON, D. C. 20004

Second Class Postage Paid at Washington, D.C.

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DB Cooper-29790

PHIL SALK NATIONAL NEWS EDITOR

ALPA [logo]

PILOT BULLETIN INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS ONLY PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION, 1329 E STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004, EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS

VOL. 31, NO. 1 JANUARY 1972

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ALPA EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETS

[photograph of group meeting]

The Executive Board of the Association resolved at its 14th meeting (Dec. 7-10) in Washington to register "total opposition" to FAA's proposal to impose responsibility for medical certification and surveillance of flight crew members upon the individual air carriers. The Board directed the Aeromedical-Flight Time/Duty Time Committee "to take any and all steps it feels are necessary to prevent the adoption" of the proposal and instructed the Association's President to "provide the necessary support and resources," and including "if necessary" reconvening the Executive Board for consideration "of other appropriate courses of action."

The Board, after lengthy discussion concerning the impact of the Aloha arbitration award on ALPA's crew complement policy, reaffirmed its "full and vigorous support of the crew complement policy and of all existing agreements and awards establishing the same." The Board said that consistent with the Nov. 23 arbitration award (which it noted "applied and interpreted the Association's policy as being founded on safety as related to the operating conditions and enviroment of the carrier involved") and consistent with past practice, the Boeing 737 crew complement policy is interpreted to require "with the concurrence of the Executive Committee and the President" that the MEC on each airline involved assess that airline's conditions and enviromental factors "and reach a determination as to the basis of implementation" of the crew complement policy. The Board ordered the President to "cause the Association to provide full support to such determinations" and to conclude agreements that give full effect to such determinations.

Finally, the Board said the President and the Executive Committee should study and evaluate "crew coordination and operating techniques on all airline jet aircraft."

Other actions taken by the Executive Board include the following: ▶ Supported the Airworthiness and Performance Committee in its concern over the use of reduced-thrust takeoff procedures. ▶ Referred a proposal that ALPA initiate an aggressive policy with FAA to establish positive control, climb and descent corridors, "a high-

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WARNING - NO IMMUNITY!

Pilots are warned that, effective Dec. 31, 1971, they are no longer provided with immunity when Near Mid-air Collision Reports (FAA Form 8020-I) are filed.

President John J. O'Donnell attempted to persuade FAA to retain the immunity provision, but so far, without success. The ATC Committee will again seek to convince FAA that the near mid-air reporting program is useless without some protection being given to the pilot and controller, alike. As additional information becomes available, it will be reported in ALPA publications.

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ly complicated subject," to the National ATC Committee, the national committee involved with this problem. ▶ Noted that "it is in the best interest of" ALPA "to present a unified position to the government and industry on those subject areas which affect the entire membership" and resolved "that before any pilot group or representing body of the Association takes action on subjects under the perview of an ALPA national committee and not covered by ALPA policy, the proposed action be brought to the attention of the responsible national committees for their review and analysis to ensure a coordinated position." ▶ Directed the President "to actively pursue" ALPA policy, adopted in 1962, "to work to bring international flight duty time limits into line with domestic FAR limits." ▶ Directed the Association to institute a procedure of withholding dues from flight pay loss checks. ▶ Noted that the use of "Air Line Pilots" in the name of any organization, other than ALPA "is confusing and misleading to the membership, the public, the government and the industry and might be harmful to the public image of the Association," and resolved "that all members so involved refrain from any activities which generate the impression that they or their organization, association or firm acts in behalf of or under the jurisdiction

(Continued on page 2)

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LATE NEWS ROUND-UP

● Revised ALPA merger policy has been adopted by the Executive Board (see page 2).

● The Department of Transportation is investigating the manner in which a Delta 880 was contaminated by radioactive leakage. DOT is attempting to determine whether the cause was from faulty packaging or from handling damage.

● CAB examiner is against AAL-WAL merger plan (see page 4).

● PATCO says FAA has fired four more controllers for their actions during a "sickout" in March 1970, bringing the number of dismissed controllers to 80. Thirty-eight of the 80 have won their jobs back through appeals procedures and the courts.

● ALPA opposes DOT action in AAL-WAL merger case (see page 5).

● "Cooper" is no Robin Hood (see page 7).

● NTSB and FAA officials say that a National Airlines 747, which ran afoul of turbulence, did so as the crew picked its way through thunderstorm cells using airborne radar.

● Pilots should specify payments (see page 8).

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ALPA EXECUTIVE BOARD IN ACTION

(from page 1)

of the Board of Directors, Executive Board, Executive Committee or under the authority of any committee of the Association," and requested the President "to inform all persons, members or otherwise, that such action is not in the best interests of the Association and to take appropriate steps to prevent such use."

► Directed the Association's national officers to invite key members of Congress to address regular meetings of the Association's Executive Board and Board of Directors.

► Interpreted Article IX, Section 4A (1) of the By-Laws to provide that a 10% dues discount will be applicable only to prepaid annual dues amount if the prepayment is less than the total dues owed for the year.

► Conferred a Commendation Award of appreciation for exceptional performance as a pilot member of the Association upon Captain E. M. Long, Flying Tiger Council 98, who on Dec. 3, 1971, completed a solo 28-day around-the-world flight covering 36,000 miles in 215 flying hours in his twin-engine Piper Navajo, setting eight world records including first flight around the world landing on all seven continents, first solo flight around the world at the poles, and first flight crossing the Equator at both the prime and 180th meridians.

► Noted that the finance charge on loss of license semiannual premium payments has caused concern and misunderstanding and instructed the Retirement & Insurance Committee to explain to ALPA membership, through the PILOT BULLETIN, the necessity for the finance charge.

► Adopted the 1972 budget, with conditions, including Executive Committee review and restrictions on re-

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ducing individual MEC budgets. ► Deferred action until the next regular Executive Board meeting on proposed guidelines for printing and mailing charges for council minutes, bulletins and news publications, pending a review of costs. ► Resolved that the Association "strongly opposes" the American Airlines-Western Air Lines merger and ordered action "to make known its position on this pending merger before the appropriate government bodies." ► Directed the National Air Safety Coordinating Committee and the Airworthiness and Performance Committee in coordination with the Engineering and Air Safety Department to conduct a comprehensive study of the most effective means for pilot monitoring of potential hazards to aircraft in service to be presented for consideration of the 15th Executive Board meeting, and delayed implementation of a resolution of the 13th Executive Board regarding monitoring of airworthiness directives, service bulletins, etc. ► Changed administrative procedures to extend the grace period for payment of Association obligations to 60 days for purposes of determining bad-standing status, and noted that this change does not amend current practices covering finance charges for delayed payments.

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Revised Merger Policy Adopted By Executive Board

One of the more important actions at the Executive Board at its December 1971 meeting was the adoption of the new Merger Policy.

The major change in the new policy is the elimination of the "Method 1/Method 2" membership balloting - processing and insertion of a step procedure for utilization of merger representatives as a guide to the solution of their seniority list integration problems.

The new merger policy is not applicable to any merger already pend-2

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ing or announced unless the respective pilot groups mutually agree to use it.

The new policy also provides safeguards to delay action on merger of seniority lists until there is "reasonable assurance" that the merger will be approved and the government award is acceptable to the involved companies.

Nominees Sought For Air Safety Award

The ALPA Engineering and Air Safety Department is calling for nominations for the 1972 Annual Air Safety Award, which will be presented at the ALPA Air Safety Forum, May 22-25, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington.

Procedures established for the selection of the recipient of the Award state that each local council may submit to the MEC chairman a candidate or candidates for the award and each MEC chairman may submit to the Association the name of its candidate or candidates. Final selection is then made

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by the Executive Committee.

Each council should submit its nominations to the MEC chairman as early as possible because MEC chairmen are requested to forward the nominations to ALPA Secretary John Giberson no later than March 10.

New Loss Of License Classification Established

The Executive Board, at its December meeting, established a Group Member Class under the Loss of License contract issued by Equitable Life Assurance Society. It is specifically designed to accommodate any pilot groups on whose behalf ALPA has negotiated Loss of License contracts. This classification allows the Group Member to have an additional amount of Loss of License benefit separate and apart from his coverage under the ALPA program, if any, to a combined maximum benefit of $2,000 regardless of income and up to $2,500 overall maximum if justified by income.

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ALPA Blasts Administration Proposals To Increase Government Intervention In Labor Disputes

Nixon administration proposals to limit the right of airline employes to take walkout actions in deadlocked labor disputes "would constitute nothing less than a revolution in American labor relations," ALPA charged at a hearing before the Senate Subcommittee on Labor.

Under proposed revisions to the Railway Labor Act, the President would have authority to broaden the scope of government intervention in labor negotiations, thus averting possible walkouts that could tie up air service.

In a statement by the Association, it was pointed out that since 1933 there have been over 500 collective bargaining agreements reached with airline pilot groups represented by ALPA. Throughout this 38-year period, there have been only 14 pilot strikes and only five of these lasted over 30 days.

The public interest, ALPA added, is more seriously jeopardized by the airlines' Mutual Aid Pact--a "strike insurance" program under which funds from subscribing carriers are given to a struck airline. ALPA charged that a recent trend to strikes of longer duration is the direct result of the availability of Mutual Aid funds. "The carriers have only themselves to blame," ALPA said.

A key provision in the proposal would offer one of three new options to the President as a "final solution" to labor disputes. Each involves increasing levels of government intervention following an 80-day "cooling off"

period now required when parties cannot reach agreement on contracts.

The most severe measure would be mandatory reopening of bargaining on "final offers" submitted by both sides. If agreement still cannot be reached, the President would name a three-man board, called "selectors," who would choose one of the offers, without modification, as the final settlement.

Disputing the proposal, ALPA said: "In a free society, employes and employers retain the power to settle their own economic disputes...rather than transfer this power to third-party 'experts.' Instead, solutions to labor disputes must be discovered by and acceptable to the parties who must live with them. Anything else is too remote and illusory to last."

ALPA stressed that federal labor legislation has "traditionally been aimed at establishing the mechanics and procedures of collective bargaining--not at determining the substance of the bargains themselves. Management's responsibility to bargain should not be assumed by Congress."

The Association said it saw merit in a feature of the administration proposal that would establish a commission to make a two-year study of labor relations in industries "particularly vulnerable to national emergency disputes."

It was suggested that the study include such topics as: The value of permanent "neutrals," causes of delay in grievance handling, the effectiveness of "tripartite" arbitration, statistics on prearbitration settlements and needed reforms in present grievance-arbitration procedures.

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We're Making Progress

The federal sky marshal program was in the news on several fronts this month as it became known that funds for the effort will probably be cut by about one-third in the next federal budget. A United Press International story noted that since the program started in September 1970, the government has trained 1,500 marshals "but they have yet to thwart an inflight hijacking."

CBS News asked the question, "The sky marshal program: has it been successful?" on the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite on Jan. 4. Among

participants in the report, which presented viewpoints of various segments of the airline industry, were ALPA Executive Administrator Jack Bavis and Captain Cliff Wolff (UAL). Highlights of the TV report included the lack of security at airport terminals and the need for international agreements to cover the return and prosecution of hijackers.

In both the UPI story and the TV report, ALPA stressed that the majority of sky marshals could serve more effectively at airport gates rather that aboard aircraft.

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from the PRESIDENT'S OFFICE

Committees

Participated in Executive Committee Meeting. Participated in Executive Board Meeting Dec. 7-10. Met with 1972 Air Safety Forum Policy Guidelines Committee.

Legislative

Appeared before Senator Howard Cannon (D-Nev.) Subcommittee on Aviation concerning Senator Moss's bill on collision avoidance systems. Represented by Legal Department Director Gary Green before Senator Harrison Williams (D-N.J.) concerning the Railway Labor Act where a statement representing ALPA's views was read. Other senators [guess: sitting] of the [guess: time] were: Robert Packwood (R-Ore.), Robert Taft (R-Ohio), Harold Hughes (D-Iowa), and Adlai Stevenson (D-Ill.). The next session of Congress opens Jan. 18 and ALPA is preparing for an active year.

Other

Worked on 1972 budget. Responded to FAA's rejection of ALPA's Proposal for Accelerated Installation of Airport Facilities. Involved with problems associated with Hughes Air-west strike of American Mechanics Fraternal Association members. Attended UAL Council 11 annual retirement party together with First VP Al Bonner and Executive Administrator Jack Bavis. Appeared as featured guest of United Press International's Washington Window, heard on 400 U.S. radio stations, which focused on such topics as the need for improved airport security and ALPA's expedited [guess: port] facilities program. Inspected ALPA's new Home Office building with First VP Bonner. Attended Wright Day Dinner honoring Senator Howard W. Cannon together with First VP Bonner, Executive Administrator Bavis, Region Four VP Marion Wright, UAL Master Chairman William Arsenault and S&S Division Secretary-Treasurer Maggie Jacobsen. Appeared on City Desk on WMAQ-TV Chicago with Captain Dick Schultz (UAL) and discussed airport safety and security. A portion of the show was later used on the NBC-TV network.

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CAB EXAMINER AGAINST AAL-WAL MERGER PLAN

CAB Hearing Examiner William Madden recommended on Dec. 20 that the proposed merger between Western and American be denied. If approved, he said, the merged pattern of service would "seriously disrupt" the nation's air transportation system, particularly on West Coast and Pacific routes. Further, he predicted that the creation of a supercarrier would totally "upset the balance" between larger and smaller trunkline service.

In his 80-page decision, Madden stressed that the merger of a big four airline and another trunk carrier is not in the public interest.

He also noted the availability of improved labor-protective provisions as recommended in the Delta-Northeast and Allegheny-Mohawk cases, should the Board decide to approve the American-Western merger.

Madden's initial decision will be reviewed along with other recommendations before a final decision on the case is reached by CAB. Final approval must be given by President Nixon since the proposed merger involves international routes.

Madden's decision was hailed by ALPA as "a clear recognition of the need to preserve the nation's competitive system of commercial air service."

In a statement Dec. 21, ALPA stressed that the merger, if approved, would lead to the creation of multi-billion-dollar "supercarrier," diverting revenues from other airlines and weakening their market position.

"Inevitably," ALPA said, "this would lead to a series of defensive mergers, thus further deteriorating levels of competition and service."

The Association's Executive Board, recently took action "cohesively opposing" the American-Western merger.

The U. S. Justice Department and CAB's Bureau of Operating Rights have also recommended that the merger be rejected.

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NOMINATIONS OPEN

The following councils are conducting nominations (Election Group One) for the term of office beginning July 1:

ALI 114 EAL 18 PRN 125 ALI 143 EAL 142 SOU 20 ALA 68 MOH 90 TCA 63 ALA 118 MOH 139 TWA 2 AAA 32 NEA 116 TXI 85 AWI 136 NCA 126 UAL 11 BNF 42 ONA 23 UAL 33 CPT 141 OZA 106 UAL 34 CAL 15 PAA 10 UAL 150 CAL 153 PAA 70 UNI 66 CBA 81 PAI 40 UNI 144 DAL 48 PAI 120 WAL 21 DAL 131 WCA 35

Nominating ballots are to be returned to the council chairman no later than the time and date of council meetings advertised for the purpose of nominating local council representatives. Any member of the above councils who does not receive a ballot should contact David E. Halpin, director, Council and Administrative Services, in the Home Office, or his council chairman.

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ELECTION BALLOTS TO BE COUNTED JAN. 21 AT HOME OFFICE

The Election and Ballot Certification Board will meet at the Home Office on Jan. 21 to check, open and tally the following elections. Any active member in good standing is entitled to be present to observe the ballot count. Chairman and vice chairman elections: AWI 111, AAA 32, DAL 131, SEA 132, PAI 121 and PAA 61. Captain representative election: AAA 138. Copilot representative elections: TWA 25, UNI 119 (and flight officer representative). Secretary-treasurer elections: TWA 24 and PAI 122.

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COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO FILL VACANCIES SCHEDULED THIS MONTH

Elections to fill vacancies are being conducted by the following councils. Any active member who did not receive a ballot, has lost his ballot or wishes to change his vote should contact David E. Halpin, director of Council and Administrative Services at the Home Office. Elections and their deadline dates are: Flying Tiger Council 97: chairman and vice chairman, Jan. 27. Piedmont Council 121: chairman and vice chairman, Jan. 28. TWA Council 4: copilot representative, Jan. 31. Capitol International Council 141: captain representative, Jan. 31.

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TENTATIVE AGENDA SET FOR 72 AIR SAFETY FORUM

"What Price Air Safety?" will be the theme of the 1972 ALPA Air Safety Forum to be held May 23-25 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington. Captain Richard Heller, Region Three safety chairman, has been named general chairman of the 19th annual Pilot Division meeting. The 10th S&S Division Forum will convene one day earlier for closed sessions.

Tentative agenda for the Pilot Forum calls for closed sessions on Tuesday afternoon (May 23), with meetings of the five regional safety committees scheduled for that evening.

Open sessions begin on Wednesday morning (May 24) with a welcome by the ALPA President. The Wednesday morning program will discuss today's big safety problem--hijacking. A Wednesday afternoon session will consider disaster planning, and be followed by a discussion of two-segment approaches and noise-abatement procedures.

Thursday morning (May 25) sessions will be concerned with airport safety; specifically the status of airport certification program, and a discussion of ALPA's program to accelerate the installation of needed air-carrier airport facilities. The Forum will break up into workshop action groups on Thursday afternoon with the following tentative subjects: (1) air traffic control and collision avoidance systems; (2) airworthiness and performance, and (3) accident prevention.

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HAZARDOUS MATERIAL PROBLEM INFORMATION SOUGHT

Any pilot having experienced hazardous material cargo transportation problems should get in touch with ALPA Executive Administrator Jack Bavis at the Home Office.

ALPA OPPOSES DOT ACTION IN AAL-WAL MERGER CASE

Voicing strong opposition to action taken by the Department of Transportation in the American-Western merger case, ALPA President John J. O'Donnell issued the following statement this month:

"The Air Line Pilots Association is very much alarmed about the interjection of the Department of Transportation into the issue of the American Airlines-Western Air Lines proposed merger. Mr. J. Thomas Tidd, speaking for DOT, has sharply opposed the opinion of CAB Examiner William Madden that the merger should be disapproved. Mr. Madden's opinion that

the merger should not be consummated has been concurred in by the Justice Department.

"This development is an excellent example of blatant interference in a matter in which an appointed official--the secretary of transportation--has no personal expertise and proves, beyond any doubt, that he is biased against air transportation. The proposed merger is not within his domain. CAB was deliberately established by a wise Congress to regulate the industry independently of the Department of Transportation and enable it to remain aloof from political measures.

"As president of the Air Line Pilots Association, I wish to state that the Association is firmly opposed to this merger because it would seriously disrupt the delicate balance in the national air transportation system, have a severe impact on the employes involved and would not be in the best interests of the traveling public.

"The CAB examiner should be upheld in this matter. The secretary of transportation should not throw the weight of his office around and attempt to intimidate the board members who must now rule on the question."

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NATIONAL AIRLINES PILOT GROUP SIGNS NEW CONTRACT

A new National Airlines pilot contract was signed at the company office in Miami. Taking part in the ceremony were (seated from left): Captain R. W. Pech, master chairman; J. M. Donlan, NAL vice president-industrial relations; (standing) Jack Horner, ALPA staff negotiator; John B. Adams, NAL labor relations analyst; S. J. Kolski, NAL labor relations manager; R. G. Houck, assistant to vice president-flight operations; Captain E. B. Shope, chairman, Negotiating Committee; Captain Loyd E. Kalt, member, Negotiating Committee; Captain C. P. Caudle, MEC vice chairman and Captain R. W. Gaines, member, Negotiating Committee.

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NEW AIRLIFT INTERNATIONAL PILOT AGREEMENT REACHED

A new Airlift International pilot agreement was recently reached at the Home Office. Participating in the negotiations (sitting from left) Captain Ralph Chrismon, chairman, Negotiating Committee; President John J. O'Donnell; Warren Lane, National Mediation Board; Charles Hughes, Airlift International vice president-administration; (standing) Flight Engineer Gasper Nisito, member, Negotiating Committee; Captain Harry Davis, member, Negotiating Committee; Captain Tom Jacobs, master chairman; Captain John Shumate, Airlift chief pilot and director of flight operations, and ALPA First Vice President Al Bonner.

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5 DB Cooper-29795

ALPA'S Position On Two-Step Approaches

ALPA national committee members have been studying the ramifications of two-segment approaches for several months. Such approaches, involving steep upper glideslopes, which involve rates of descent of nearly 2,000 feet per minute, have been proposed to provide a certain measure of noise relief to communities near airports. Some ALPA members have flown such approaches during controlled experiments and under flight test, laboratory conditions, but despite a strong effort to develop such techniques on the part of the government, the consensus of ALPA participants is that such procedures will not prove feasible for the day-in, day-out airline operating environment. In a Sept. 13 letter to FAA Administrator John H. Shaffer, ALPA President John J. O'Donnell stated: "It is especially ironic since early in the jet transport history many of these same proposals were rejected by the aviation community on the basis of the very safety reasons which are now being ignored." Captain C. C. Jackson, executive secretary of International Federation of Air Line Pilots Associations, wrote to Shaffer on Oct. 13, in the name of member associations: "We feel bound to declare the strongest opposition to this procedure. In doing so in an unambiguous manner we hope to be able to head off an expensive but almost certainly illusory program."

An ad hoc NASA working panel, charged with recommending opera-

tional flight procedures to achieve noise relief, meeting on Sept. 23, noted on objective of 10 PNdB noise reduction 1.5 miles from the runway threshold, to be achieved by the two-segment approach method (an upper segment of 6 degrees transitioning to a lower, normal segment of 400 feet above the terrain). The near-term strategy mapped out by this group includes a proposed demonstration program to sell small groups of line pilots at each airline on the feasibility of the method, using a current jet transport. The group decided a Boeing 727 would be the "proper" aircraft to be used in the demonstration.

In another action, FAA implemented a two-segment VASI on a trial basis at San Diego. Several ALPA members participated in the initial evaluation of this device. Even though they were flying a DC-6--not a jet transport--one of them commented later, "The FAA's own policy has been opposed to steep approaches, and we have all seen what inadequate runway length can mean to accident statistics, yet suddenly we are faced with a scheme that aggravates both of these conditions."

While such a device may be useful as an aid in terrain avoidance at an airport with particular problems, such as San Diego, responsible groups in ALPA find it disturbing that similar VASIs may be installed elsewhere to put airplanes on steep, high-sink-

rate approach paths, strictly for noise relief. The ALPA position, stated by President O'Donnell in his letter to FAA's Shaffer, is that "the solution to the aircraft noise problem must be attained primarily through engineering and design of the engine-airframe combination and not through marginally safe operating procedures."

More recently, one of the airlines evaluated this two-segment VASI with a large jet transport. As a result, the airline sent the following message to all of its pilots: "A VAMSI (Visual Approach Multi-Slope Indicator) has been installed on runway 27 at San Diego to be operated at pilot request. This system has been evaluated by flight management and pilot representatives in DC-8-62 aircraft. The installation has been deficient and United pilots are cautioned against requesting or using this system. The transition from steep to the normal glideslope occurs too near the ground and the touchdown point is extended well beyond the displaced threshold."

The overall problem of two-segment approaches is being reviewed by four ALPA committees: Airport Evaluation, Airworthiness & Performance, All Weather Flying and ATC. A joint meeting of these committees is planned for early 1972 to consider all aspects of the problem and coordinate ALPA's position as related to the function of each committee.

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AIRPORT MANAGERS RECOGNIZE VALIDITY OF AIR LINE PILOT COMMENTS

The following are exerpts from a recent speech by the President of the American Association of Airport Executives, George Bean, in which he gives some thought-provoking remarks to airport managers:

"Lest I be misunderstood, let me emphasize that if all airport managers had always done a perfect job there would not have been a need for 'outsiders' to 'interfere'.

"If we had exerted more effort and had been adequately forceful and convincing in our communities, there could have been more effective control of land use around airports and noise and air pollution complaints would not be as numerous or troublesome as they are...

"If we had paid more attention to pilot complaints about lighting defi- 6

ciencies, runway surface defects, better drainage, and off-airport obstructions these pilots would not have felt compelled to demand Airport Certification.

"Many of these pilot-reported deficiencies could have been taken care of quickly and inexpensively if we had given them the attention they deserved...

"At this time I would like to propose that each of you return to your airport and find just one hazard - or potential hazard - and get it corrected immediately. The results of such a collective action would automatically mean a significant improvement in airport safety..."

It looks like ALPA is getting its message across!

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OLD UNIFORMS WANTED

The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is looking for old pilot and copilot uniforms and insignia to expand its collection of civil aviation uniforms. Especially needed are uniforms from the '20s and '30s and those of airlines that have gone out of business such as Hanford Airlines, Colonial Airlines, Southwest Airways, Monarch Airlines, American Export Airlines, Mid-Continent Airlines, West Coast Airlines, Penn Central Airlines, Chicago and Southern Airlines. Some current uniforms are also needed.

Donors are asked to send appropriate shirts, ties, belts and footwear, if available, with the uniforms. An early photo of the owner in the uniform would be helpful. Please query before mailing. Address letters to Aeronautics Department, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. 20560.

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DB Cooper-29796