Delta flight attendants seek union representation

This week, flight attendants at Delta Air Lines will formally act to seek union representation. On February 14, the flight attendants will file signed cards to this effect. If a sufficient number of signed cards are collected and verified by the U.S. National Mediation Board (NMB), an election will be called to officially determine union representation. The NMB is responsible for overseeing union representation elections in the U.S. airline industry.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, known as "AFA," has been working for some time with Delta flight attendants who favor union representation. A media release issued last week by AFA states that "a solid majority of Delta flight attendants have signed cards and eagerly await an election."

Up to now, Delta flight attendants have not been unionized. Although there has been growing dissatisfaction with pay and work rules among the rank and file, it seems that the tipping point came as Delta began engaging in merger talks with other carriers. Now a growing number of Delta's flight attendants are acknowledging the potential value of representation by a formal collective bargaining unit such as the AFA.

The AFA has opened a website -- Delta AFA -- to support the campaign by Delta flight attendants for unionization. There is a copy of the authorization card for union representation on the website, as well as a wealth of information about AFA, and about the legal rights of flight attendants in regard to collective bargaining and unionization. In addition, the website features a page with comments by individual Delta flight attendants telling why they want AFA -- definitely an interesting read!

According to reports in the news media, Northwest Airlines currently is considered to be the most likely merger partner for Delta, however officials at United Airlines also have discussed a potential merger with Delta. Flight attendants at both Northwest and United already are represented by AFA.

Pilot wins contract lawsuit vs Bombardier Flexjet

The Dallas Morning News reported that a pilot has won a lawsuit against Bombardier Flexjet. The suit involved a contract dispute between the pilot and the fractional jet operator. The court ruled last week that the pilot's contract was "unenforceable," and that Flexjet "used deceptive practices in promising pilots promotions and training."

According to the news article, Flexjet first sued the pilot back in 2005 for failing to repay a portion of his training costs when he left the company. The pilot's contract stipulated that he must repay training costs unless he remained with the company for at least 24 months. He left after 17 months.

The pilot filed a counter-suit, "arguing that Flexjet had falsely promised rapid promotions for new pilots and training that would help them get their official rating quickly on various types of corporate jets."

"These promises turned out to be lies," he said, especially the part about becoming a captain and earning more than $50,000 a year, well above the initial pay of $32,000 a year. "We were cheap labor to them."

In an interview, [the pilot] said he thought it was particularly deceptive that the company emphasized to its customers that for safety reasons both captain and co-pilot would be fully rated on the planes flown. "I flew their planes for 17 months without my type rating," he said.

The pilot was awarded no damages in his counter-suit against Flexjet, and probably will have to bear his own legal costs. According to the Dallas Morning News article, the pilot has since gone to work for NetJets.

Garuda captain arrested, charged with manslaughter

Captain Marwoto Komar, the pilot in command (PIC) of a Garuda Indonesia Boeing 737-400 that crashed at Yogyakarta in March of 2007 has been arrested and charged with manslaughter. The accident occurred as Garuda Flight GA 200, with seven crew members and 133 passengers on board, arrived at Yogyakarta on a scheduled flight from Jakarta. Twenty-one people lost their lives after the aircraft overran the runway at Yogyakarta, broke through a fence, crossed a road, and came to rest in a rice paddy where it caught fire.

In October of 2007, Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) issued a report on the accident, as well as an English-language media release about their findings. The media release stated that the NTSC's main finding was that "...the flight crew’s compliance with procedures was not at a level to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft."

More specifically, the NTSC media release said this of Capt. Marwoto Komar:

The aircraft was flown at an excessive airspeed and steep flight path angle during the approach and landing, resulting in an unstabilized approach. The PIC did not follow company procedures that required him to fly a stabilized approach, and he did not abort the landing and go around when the approach was not stabilized. His attention was fixated or channelized on landing the aircraft on the runway and he either did not hear, or disregarded the [Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS)] alerts and warnings and calls from the copilot to go around.

Many in the international aviation community have expressed concern that the NTSC investigation fell short by not investigating more fully the reasons behind the actions of the captain, as well as his co-pilot, Gagam Jahman Rochman. The latter was accused of not following company procedures to "take control of the aircraft from the PIC when he saw that the pilot in command repeatedly ignored the GPWS alerts and warnings."

Upon hearing of Marwoto Komar's arrest, the Federation of Indonesian Pilots (FPI) staged a protest rally at the House of Representatives in Jakarta. The pilots, led by FPI president Manotar Napitupulu, told members of the House Commission in charge of transportation that this "criminalization of a pilot" could eventually affect flight safety. Their view is shared by many others.

The International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA), an advocacy group representing more than 100,000 pilots in more than 95 countries worldwide, issued a statement expressing concern over the arrest of Marwoto Komar, citing concerns that echo those of the FPI. Here is an excerpt from the IFALPA statement:

IFALPA believes that the circumstances of the accident as set forth in the final report of the Indonesian investigation authority leaves many serious questions concerning the crew actions prior to the accident. Central to these concerns are the underlying reasons for the reported behavior of Captain Marwoto Komar. Experienced pilots have considerable difficulty in attempting to explain what is reported in the context of normal airline operations.

The Federation believes that the explanations proffered by the report do not square with the collective experience of our members. The Federation has continually maintained that the report, while final, is in fact incomplete and that additional investigation into the underlying pathology of the crew actions is required to make certain that the factors contributing to the observed actions are fully identified. Unless this is done, there is little possibility that aviation safety in the area of
crew performance can be improved by the lessons of this accident. Clearly, a criminal prosecution at this time may well foreclose further investigation for safety purposes.

IFALPA is firmly of the belief that the criminalisation of individuals involved in accidents and incidents does little to improve air safety. Furthermore, IFALPA strongly insists that the principles recommended in Attachment E of ICAO Annex 13, which hold that there should be no criminal liability without intent to do harm, be the standard to which the crew is held. The Federation demands that any Indonesian criminal proceeding respect both these principles and the concept of due process.

The Federation expects that Captain Marwoto Komar will be released without the need to post a monetary bond as he has agreed to fully cooperate with the police investigation and clearly poses no danger to society. He remains a professional
who was involved in an unfortunate tragedy.

IFALPA will continue to closely monitor the criminal proceedings with the aim of ensuring that the judicial process in Indonesia is fundamentally fair and impartial for all crewmembers.

An article on the Australian news website News.co.au reports that Marwoto Komar's attorneys had requested that he be released from detention on bail, but that the request had been denied. The article quoted the Yogyakarta Police Chief, who said, "The letter from the suspect's lawyers has been accepted, but bail is not granted yet because we still need him for the investigation."

Aircrew Buzz will continue to follow this story, and details of new developments will be posted here as they become available.

Related: Click here to view all posts on Aircrew Buzz about Garuda Flt 200.

No NMB intervention in American Airlines pilot contract talks for now

Last month, the Allied Pilots Association (APA), the union representing the pilots at American Airlines, requested National Mediation Board (NMB) involvement in the ongoing negotiations for a new pilots' contract. The airline had opposed Federal intervention at this point. Last week the NMB denied the pilots' request, at least for now.

APA announced in a press release that "The NMB informed APA that it has not yet docketed the case or assigned a mediator." APA President, Captain Lloyd Hill expressed disappointment with this decision.

Hill noted that APA presented management with a comprehensive set of contractual proposals late last year. Management then requested a recess in the negotiations of several weeks to study APA’s proposals. Since the parties’ return to the bargaining table weeks ago, Hill described management as being more interested in delaying the bargaining process than in moving forward.

“APA plans to continue negotiating with management in an effort to move beyond the current stalemate,” Hill said. “If that proves unsuccessful during the next few bargaining sessions, we hope that the NMB will immediately docket our case and proffer mediation services.

“We respect the NMB’s view, as stated in its response to APA, that ‘mediation is most productive when the parties have narrowed the issues in direct negotiations.’ However, it appears our negotiations are not following a typical pattern, considering the fact that management has been unresponsive throughout 18 months of bargaining — a process that they chose to initiate,” he said.

Management at American Airlines initiated negotiations with the pilots' union more than 18 months ago by triggering the “early-opener” provision in the pilots’ contract. APA claims the airline's management has not provided any comprehensive proposals to the union throughout the talks.

Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano Boeing 727 crash lands in Bolivia

A Boeing 727-200 aircraft (registration number CP-2429) operated by Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano crash landed in a swamp in eastern Bolivia after experiencing engine failure. The crash site is located several miles from the airport at which the aircraft was about to land. The aircraft was severely damaged, but all of the more than 150 people on board survived the crash. There were some reports of injuries to a number of passengers and crew members.

The accident occurred on February 1, 2008. According to press reports, the chartered flight had departed from La Paz, Bolivia and was en route to Cobija, in northern Bolivia, when it encountered severe weather. The flight diverted to the town of Trinidad. While the aircraft was on approach to Trinidad, its engines reportedly shut down, and it crash landed several miles short of the airfield.

News photos taken at the crash scene show the aircraft's fuselage essentially intact, however at least one wing had separated. There were no reports of fire.

The exact cause of the accident is unknown, however a preliminary report on the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network website -- usually a reliable source -- states:

The 727 departed La Paz on a domestic service to Cobija (CIJ). Bad weather at the destination forced the crew to divert to Trinidad (TDD). Reports indicate that the crew carried out a forced landing in an Amazon jungle clearing just short of the airport, possibly as a result of fuel exhaustion.

Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano, formerly Bolivia's state-owned airline, was privatized more than 10 years ago and has been operating most recently as a charter carrier. A number of news reports indicate that the accident flight was operating as a charter for Transporte Aéreo Militar, a Bolivian airline.

[Photo Source]

Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 loses cabin pressure during cruise

A Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-200 aircraft en route to Beijing from Singapore reportedly lost cabin pressure approximately 90 minutes after departure, and had to return to Singapore's Changi Airport. The aircraft, which had 232 passengers and 13 crew on board, landed safely. There were no reports of injuries.

The incident occurred this past Saturday, February 2, 2008, while Singapore Airlines Flight SQ802 was at an altitude of 36,000 ft., say news reports. According to an article about the incident on Channel NewsAsia, the aircraft first made a rapid descent first to 32,000 ft, and then to 10,000 ft, at which point the situation stabilized. Cabin oxygen masks deployed during the descent.

Passengers were accommodated on other aircraft to continue their journey to Beijing.

NTSB investigating American Airlines Boeing 757 safety incident

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating an incident that caused an American Airlines Boeing 757-200 aircraft to make an emergency landing after the cockpit filled with smoke. The incident occurred on January 30, 2008 while the aircraft, operating as American Airlines Flight AA 1738, was en route from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Philadelphia with 139 passengers and seven crew members on board. The crew declared an emergency and diverted to West Palm Beach, FL where the aircraft landed safely.

A preliminary report about the incident posted to the FAA website on February 1, 2008 noted that six individuals who had been on board the flight "were transported to the hospital with unknown injuries." The NTSB subsequently reported that the six who were hospitalized had suffered smoke inhalation. All six have been released from the hospital, and no other injuries were reported.

The NTSB has issued an advisory announcing the commencement of an investigation into the cause of this incident. This brief summary of the event was released:

According to reports from the crew, while at cruise altitude over the Atlantic Ocean, smoke began emanating from the window heating system connected to the first officer's windshield. The crew donned oxygen masks and smoke goggles and diverted to Palm Beach International Airport. During the descent to land, the inner pane of the first officer's windshield shattered. The crew continued the descent and landed without further incident.

The digital flight data recorder (DFDR) was downloaded and sent to the NTSB laboratories in Washington. The affected windshield, which remained in one piece, and the heating unit were removed from the aircraft and will undergo a detailed analysis.

The photo on this page, which shows the shattered windshield, was made available by the NTSB.

While the exact cause of this incident is still under investigation, the NTSB points out that "five events between 2004 and 2006 in which smoke, and in some cases fire, were reported to have originated from window heating systems in B-757 aircraft."

Based on these incidents, in September 2007 the NTSB issued two Safety Recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) asking the agency to require the installation of redesigned window heating systems in all Boeing 747, 757, 767, and 777 series aircraft. These Safety Recommendations have yet to be implemented by the FAA.

To read the full text of those Safety Recommendations, click here: NTSB Safety Recommendations A-07-49 and -50. (3 page 'pdf' file)

[Photo Source]

NOTE: For an interesting personal account (with photos) of a similar incident last year in which a B757 cockpit windshield shattered during cruise, read Pop Goes the Window, by an airline pilot who writes a blog called Captain's Log.

FAA: New Safety Rules for Mitsubishi MU-2B Cargo Aircraft

The U. S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that it had finalized a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) "that creates new pilot training, experience and operating requirements to increase the safety of the widely used Mitsubishi MU-2B airplane."

The FAA undertook a safety evaluation of this aircraft type in late 2005, following an increase in the number of MU-2B accidents and safety incidents in 2004-05. That safety evaluation determined that changes in training and operating requirements were needed, and the FAA subsequently proposed a number of recommendations that were included in the SFAR, which was made final today.

The FAA says:

The final rule mandates a comprehensive standardized pilot training program for the MU-2B.

The regulation requires use of a standardized cockpit checklist and the latest revision of the Airplane Flight Manual.

MU-2B operators also must have a working autopilot onboard except in certain limited circumstances.

Owners and operators must comply with the SFAR within a year.

The FAA notes that the rule "has widespread support from, among others, owners and operators of the MU-2B, the manufacturer, commercial operators and safety groups."

References:

• FAA Finalizes New Safety Rules for Mitsubishi MU-2B Cargo Plane - FAA, January 2008
• MU-2B Series Airplane Safety Evaluation Report - FAA, December 2005 (30 page 'pdf' file)