Feeling the Blues 08 Opt-In Divisions INSIDE 06 REPORTING POINT :: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION :: VOLUME 15 + NO. 8 + AUGUST 2015 PAGE 04 :: DID YOU KNOW? MAKING A DIFFERENCE Paul Jackson | President | [email protected]A recent statement made by one of our committee chairs rocked me back on my heels. He said, “Paul, from the outside, it looks like SWAPA is frozen in time until the contract is passed.” He’s right. We’ve been so focused on achieving a contract, we’ve done poorly in communicating the other functions at which the folks at SWAPA work tirelessly. e contract is the most important item to our membership, but there are services and changes SWAPA has undertaken in recent months and I’d like to talk about some of them. First, let’s look at the day-to-day services our Contract Administration department provides. Since I took office we have transitioned to a 24/7 model of customer service with our talented staff. Our pilots are facing a tough environment out on the line and you deserve an answer whenever a question arises. Our capable contract experts are on the line ready to help get you the critical information you need to stay legal and ensure that the Company abides by the contract. If you have a question or don’t think an audited trip paid correctly, give the Contract Admin staff a call. ey are there for you. To step up and increase our level of service SWAPA has just made a critical addition to the staff. Here we are looking to aid in lending a helping hand to our pilots facing addiction and mental health challenges. Our HIMS program is now under the capable leadership of Clark Vinson who brings years of experience in dealing with chemical dependency, mental health, and employee assistance to our pilot group. He replaces retiring former Captain Dan Lipperman in this role. Clark will manage the critical HIMS program and also reach out to our members in their time of need through other programs. He will work with our Aeromedical Committee to help pilots return to the line and maintain their career while coping with addiction or a mental health issue. Many of you believe you will never require help for a chemical addiction or a mental health concern but much like an alternate on your flight plan, it is a service that our membership must have in place. DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP FUND A UNIFIED VISION Photo taken on the jetway while changing crew in PDX on August 4. From left to right, FO “Chip” Nifong (BWI/#61834), CA Luis Felipe Encarnación (BWI/#66202), and FO Jeremy Keck (OAK/#85296) We love the show of unity! Please send any photos of crews sporting dark ties and SWAPA pins to [email protected]. Helping our fellow pilots in their time of need also has a financial component. We are now doing this through our funding of COBRA payments for pilots out on extended medical leave. For those of us lucky enough to never have gone out on extended medical you might not be aware that the high rates of COBRA insurance are the only way to keep medical coverage. ose of us who
Transcript
Feeling the Blues
08Opt-In Divisions
INSIDE
06
REPORTING POINT : : THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION : : VOLUME 15 + NO. 8 + AUGUST 2015
The Reporting Point‘s mission is to unify, educate, and communicate with the pilots of Southwest Airlines.
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE | [email protected] FO Mike Frier, Chair #91075CA Kurt Heidemann, Member #74447FO Michael Weisser, Member #106641FO Kris Takle, Member #90153
STAFF | [email protected] Neal Hanks, Director of CommunicationsBrad Holmes, Graphic DesignerAmy Robinson, Communications EditorRet. Capt. Tom McKnight, Proofreader
The Reporting Point is the official monthly publication of the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association. Editions will be published on the 15th of each month. The Communications Committee will imple-ment the SWAPA Publications Policy. A review of the publications policy will be conducted annually.
POLICIES & STANDARDSAll articles are published for the interest and education of our readers and as such must be consistent with Association policies and standards. The Communications Committee has authority over all content with the exception of domicile columns as noted in the domicile column section of this policy. Personal attacks or the use of profanity are prohibited. Constructive disagreement is allowed but disparaging or insulting remarks, or promoting hostility toward individuals is prohibited. We will not publish articles or letters that advocate the abuse of the sick leave policy or that could be con-strued as a reference to illegal job actions — either for or against.
LETTERS TO THE MEMBERSHIPThe Letters to the Membership section is intended as an open forum where a wide range of opinions can be expressed. Letters must pertain to the issues of the Association and should be guided by respect for one’s fellow pilot and Association and must conform to policies and standards. The final determination to include a letter will be made by the Communications Committee. In the event that an Association member is dissatisfied with decisions of the Communications Committee they may appeal to the SWAPA BOD. Letters are limited to 600 words in length per pilot per publication. Members may not have more than one letter printed in the same edition. Letters will be published in the order they are received. Members may submit a title for the letter and it will be used. If no title is submitted, the Communications Committee will choose one.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS• Email all submissions to: [email protected]. • Submissions must state “For Inclusion in the Reporting Point.”• Include: Author’s name, employee number, base, and highest seat position.• Anonymous letters will not be published.
EDITING All submissions are subject to editing for clarity, content, accuracy, and length. All attempts will be made to contact the author, on revisions (except layout style, typos, or grammar) for approval prior to publication.
DEADLINE• Monthly issue: 30th at 12 p.m. CT (Feb. 28/29 as applicable)• No exceptions will be made to these deadlines.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION
1450 Empire CentralBrookview Plaza Suite 737Dallas, Texas 75247800.969.7972www.swapa.org
If a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) is not created in a particular Section 9a or Section 10 dispute situation, the parties may exercise Self Help when the 30-day cooling-off period expires.
Parties are released from mediation by the Board and a 30-day cooling-off (status-quo) period begins
NMB determines further mediation will not help the parties reach agreement and proffers voluntary-but-binding arbitration to the parties
If the bargaining conferences are terminated by one of the parties and neither the parties nor the NMB invokes mediation w/i 10 days, the parties may exercise Self Help.
Either or both parties request NMB mediation or NMB invokes Public Interest Mediation
Parties reach Agreement
Parties exchange Section 6 Notices
Parties negotiate w/o NMB participation (known as Direct Negotiations)
Either party or both decline binding Arbitration
Arbitration Board convenes, holds a hearing, and issues a Binding Decision
Parties reach Agreement
Both parties agree to binding arbitration
Parties reach Agreement
Under Section 10 of the RLA, if a dispute substantially threatens essential transportation in any section of the country, the NMB notifies the President who may establish a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB). If so created, the PEB has 30 days in which to investigate the dispute and report to the President during which the status-quo remains in effect. The parties may choose to accept the recommendations of the PEB, negotiate their own agreement, or, after 30 days from the issuance of the PEB report to the President exercise Self Help, unless Congress takes action.
Under Section 9a of the RLA, which applies only to certain publicly funded and operated commuter railroads, if the President does not establish a Section 10 PEB, either party to a dispute, or the Governor of any affected state, may request the President to establish up to two (2) Presidential Emergency Boards (PEBs) including a mandatory NMB hearing. Absent agreement, these procedures would delay Self Help for 240 days from the date of creation of the first PEB, unless Congress takes action.
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS UNDER THE RAILWAY LABOR ACT (RLA)
“The difference in Southwest Airlines’ January 2015 schedule to our Summer 2015 schedule is MORE than the entire Spirit Airlines schedule.” — Mark G. Sutcliffe, Mgr. Flight Ops Crew Planning, Southwest Airlines
11REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015SCHEDULE RESEARCH
last part of November and December).
The April STC article showed that
in 2014 almost 66 percent of the STC
trips that had valid POT bids ended up
being flown by reserves. Using reserves
to cover STC trips during peak flying
months utilizes their time unnecessarily
and exposes our operation to increased
risk should a significant operational
disruption occur. We acknowledge that
the low flight time months have higher
pickup rates and that it is cost efficient
to use reserves on that uncovered
DOT flying instead of letting them sit
unused all month. However, the data
is VERY CLEAR that a measurable
portion of the reserve staffing increases
since 2011 can be attributed to self-
induced demand due to STC.
To be fair, pilot staffing is a very
difficult variable to get right. Some
months it is too high (not enough flying),
some months it is too low (too much
flying). The ideal months that have
around a mid 90s TFP bid line average
have better OT pickup rates, and low
to zero JA. Some food for thought:
did you know that according to the
manager of flight ops crew planning
at Southwest, the difference between
Southwest Airlines’ January 2015 and
Summer 2015 schedules is MORE than
the entire Spirit Airlines schedule?
Additionally, the fact that our pilot group
is able to absorb that much schedule
variation with only a fractional change
in manning is astounding. The chart
to the left shows the spikes of some
previous years of scheduled flying.
We all know that SWA does this to
maximize revenue by offering more
flying when the public wants to travel.
Unfortunately, the large amount of
variation in scheduled flying throughout
the months results in an even greater
variation in the amount of open
time offered via MOT, ELITT, DOT,
etc. If SWA would like to see greater
participation in these OT processes,
awarding more brings out more bidders.
A “free market” always outperforms a
command economy over time. A more
junior or out-of-category pilot who
desires a trip badly enough is free and
maybe even incentivized to bid straight
time — increasing competition in the
marketplace and helping to control
costs. An analysis of the number of
bidders in several categories appears
above. The graph above shows the
number of bidders for the first four
months of the year over the last three
years. There are four results for each
month/year because we wanted you
to see the number and type of bids on
turns, 2-day, 3-day, and 4-day pairings.
Notice there are significantly more
POT bidders this year than last. This
is a good thing for SWA as well as for
SWAPA pilots. Pilots are willing to
fly more than their scheduled lines
and sign up for all types of flying.
So how can STC and the various
issues it creates be controlled? The
history of heavy scheduling and
heavy use of reserves during the
summer creates an opportunity to
apply more “free market” approaches
to avoid the JA spikes. Some ideas:
• Award POT before using reserves
in months when scheduled flying
exceeds six block hours per
duty period or in months when
SWA wants an ELITT Duties
to Cover (DTC) restriction
• In every month, hold back
more reserves to cover
emergencies and prevent JA
• Award POT before using reserves
in other specific days or clusters
of days when increased open
duty period demand, low reserve
coverage, reduced pilot availability,
and reduced historical pickup
rates indicate covering those
duty periods will be a challenge
The JA numbers in 2015 are
significantly higher than those of 2014.
We track all JA events but we especially
pay attention to the JA assignments
on a scheduled day off. The number
of JA events on a scheduled day off in
2015 are listed in the chart below.
The numbers are for day off JA trips
only — they do not include add-on
into an unscheduled overnight (aka
reroute JA). The total number of July
reroute JAs are greater than 700 — many
more than appear on the CWA Open
Time Awards report. (This is material
for a future article and an upcoming
SWAPA SRC data product to finally
address this bug of which SRC and
SWA have been aware for years.)
Increasing reserve manning to
reduce JA is not the most efficient use
of our pilots. This is especially true
when many of those reserves are flying
trips that have come from SWA’s STC
process. Trying to minimize reserve
guarantee payout in the months where
flying is heavy creates the conditions
for increased JA. During the months of
maximum flights and dense schedules,
we should be saving reserves for the
late night illegalities, busted FDPs,
and last-minute fatigue calls instead
of having them fly the majority of
the STC trips. There are more cost-
efficient and less disruptive solutions
than adding reserves and increasing
the use of involuntary flying.
Stay engaged.
SEAT JANUARY JAs FEB JAs MARCH JAs APRIL JAs MAY JAs JUNE JAs JULY JAs
FO 5 1 11 104 105 290 180
CA 1 1 9 46 38 98 73
12 REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015
THE HUMAN FACTOR: ACCELERATING THROUGH THE FUNNEL
By now, all of us should have
completed Ops Day. One of the
intentions of Ops Day was to open
a dialog between pilots about risk
management and making quality
choices. Something that I noticed
consistently throughout the scenarios
was plan continuation bias. Plan
continuation bias is the tendency
to continue with a plan even when
conditions warrant a change to a
safer option. I think we all can agree
that we, as a profession, demonstrate
this tendency. I think there are some
interesting features within the concept
of plan continuation bias that warrant
additional thought. Let’s look at a few.
ACCELERATING THROUGH THE FUNNELMost of the events occurred during
JUNE 2015 TOP 10 UNSTABLE APPROACH RATE AT 500 FEET
FDAP
JAN
, 20
13
FE
B, 20
13
MA
R, 20
13
AP
R, 20
13
MA
Y, 20
13
JU
N, 20
13
JU
L, 20
13
AU
G, 20
13
SE
P, 20
13
OC
T, 20
13
NO
V, 20
13
DE
C, 20
13
JAN
, 20
14
FE
B, 20
14
MA
R, 20
14
AP
R, 20
14
MA
Y, 20
14
JU
N, 20
14
JU
L, 20
14
AU
G, 20
14
SE
P, 20
14
OC
T, 20
14
NO
V, 20
14
DE
C, 20
14
JAN
, 20
15
FE
B, 20
15
MA
R, 20
15
AP
R, 20
15
MA
Y, 20
15
JU
N, 20
15
CLASSIC FLAP EXCEEDANCE RATE BY PHASE OF FLIGHT
The following are two synopsis of a recent crew contact involving a flap overspeed:
That was the trip from hell. We had a gate return for bad weather among other things. It happened really fast. Essentially there was a cell between us and the field and we were trying to circumvent it and still get down and maintain our energy. At localizer intercept we realized there was no way we were going to get down to intercept the glideslope so I went around. In the ensuing go-around from landing gear down and flaps 1, we just missed getting the flaps up — all my fault. When we got on the ground, I contacted maintenance to tell them we’d oversped the flaps. He asked me did I think we got past 245 knots, because if we did that airplane was going to be grounded for 10 days minimum. I told him I really wasn’t sure because I just saw it for a second and I thought it was closer to 240 knots. We wrote it up in the logbook as 240 knots.
Very turbulent air. We thought we had oversped by one knot but did not get an ACARS message so we did not write it up. I had no idea we oversped the flaps by that margin.
* Phase 2 Exceedances
Confidentiality: Not for public dissemination. Because of the nature of the information in this publication, please use discretion when handling and discarding it. Misplacing this communication in public places, such as hotels and aircraft seat back pockets, as well as disposing of such communication in a public place, could compromise the confidential nature of the information contained herein. The information in this document may be protected from disclosure under 49 U.S.C., section 40123 and 14 CFR Part 19.
15REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015
FLAP MOVEMENT DURING TAXI :: RATE PER 10,000 FLIGHTS
142% increase since May
JU
N 2
014
JU
L 2
014
AU
G 2
014
SE
P 2
014
OC
T 2
014
NO
V 2
014
DE
C 2
014
JAN
20
15
FE
B 2
015
MA
R 2
015
AP
R 2
015
MA
Y 2
015
JU
NE
20
15
TAKEOFF HAZARDS
2011
J F M A M J J A S O N D
2012 2013 2014 2015
The graphs to the left show that, with our new procedures, June 2015 data shows there was a 142 percent increase in flap movement while taxiing as compared to May 2015 while at the same time there was 88 percent decrease in events where flaps were not set in the takeoff position as compared to June 2014. While this shows that the new procedures look promising in fixing the issue, FDAP will continue to monitor it.The following is a synopsis of a recent crew contact involving an incorrect flap setting during taxi:
We also oversped the flaps on this trip. Have you seen that come through yet? He would call for the flaps above placard all the time. It was really kind of frustrating in that a new guy like me shouldn’t be giving an IOE to somebody you know?CA- It was our first flight together for this sequence and the FO was a new guy to our operation. I made a call something like, “okay, let’s get going” to the FO which put him out of his flow. It was my fault taking him out of his flow, in that he’s really just getting used to the way we do things around here.
FATIGUE
Fatigue rates have skyrocketed recently. June numbers totaled 256 calls.* Hidden behind these numbers are a RECORD number of re-routes, add-ons, and JA events within an extremely demanding SWA flying schedule. Disguised even further is that some of the June fatigue calls represent DECLINED flying that was not originally scheduled. Many of these “calls” are pilots simply refusing to accept the additional flying attempting to be given to them by scheduling — most times with no notice to prepare. The Fatigue Working Group (FWG) realizes these “declinations” are being logged as Fatigue Calls therefore please fill out a Fatigue Worksheet for each event.
It is not easy to decline flying or to walk away from a flight. The pressure to get our customers to their destinations and our mission-oriented mindset often compels pilots to continue when they shouldn’t. The increased numbers illustrate that our pilots are often making the responsible decision. Your decision is jointly supported by both SWA and SWAPA.
While not mandatory, you are strongly encouraged to fill out a Fatigue Worksheet on SWALife when you call in fatigued. The worksheet is de-identified and provides the FWG with a clearer picture of what happened, better enabling them to make data-informed recommendations.
*Because SWA policy requires a pilot to call in fatigued in order to refuse an extension, these numbers include pilots who declined an extension. However, due to limitations in the CWA software, an extension where the pilot was never ultimately assigned the flying (a “CC” code was not needed as the pilot did complete the original pairing) may not show the “fatigue” call. Better coding to ensure more accurate tracking will be available with future CWA updates. A Fatigue Worksheet filled out by the pilot will better enable tracking and auditing of these events.
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 (est.)
TOTAL ANNUAL FATIGUE CALLS 2009-2015
MONTH-TO-MONTH CALL NUMBER COMPARISON 2012–2015
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
2012
2013
2014
2015
16 REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015 SAFETY COMMITTEESWAPA SAFETY SCORECARD
ASAPThe month of June saw a large increase in ATL speed deviation reports. The ERT worked on 17 ATL speed-related pilot deviation events in ASAP. The Company is aware of these issues and made a trip to ATL TRACON in July. We will continue to share de-identified information to help develop strategies to limit these deviations. If you fly through ATL and experience any issues with ATC, please consider filing an ASAP report
ATC
• ATL Approach issued a speed reduction to 250 knots above 10,000 feet and then a descent to 7,000 feet. The crew was handed off to the next controller and they began slowing. Their perception was being high on a profile for a short approach. The controller issued a Brasher warning for slowing without clearance.
• ATL Approach issued an “expedited descent” from 7,000 feet to 4,000 feet. The crew elected to slow to 230 knots and extend flaps 5. The crew thought
RRM PERSPECTIVE ON ATL SPEED DEVIATION REPORTS
ATL airspace is home to the busiest airport in the world, resulting in high task loading for pilots and controllers. It is very common to have a speed assigned early on the STAR and then receive multiple changes on the arrival when handed off to different controllers. ATC may reduce separation to 2.5 miles when crews call the preceding aircraft in sight. This requires strict airspeed adherence by all flights into ATL.
Consider this excerpt from a recent ASAP report where a crew slowed beyond their assigned speed while configuring to accommodate an expedited descent request.
We were on the WARRR 1 Arrival. ATL Center assigned us a speed of 310 knots in the descent, and to cross HONIE at 14,000 feet. Upon reaching 14,000 feet, we were handed off to ATL Approach. Approach slowed us to 210 knots and gave us a descent to 7,000 feet and to expect the visual approach to Runway 28. We were turning downwind and passing through 10,000 feet. When we were handed off to the final controller, we were told to increase our rate of descent. I was already at 210 knots with flaps 5 and had been in that configuration since leaving 14,000 feet. I called for landing gear down and flaps 15 at 190 knots. The final controller gave us further descent to 4,000 feet and turned us on a seven mile base. We were descending at 190 knots trying to expedite the descent and the controller repeated we were assigned 210 knots. He then added, maintain at least 180 to the FAF, which was not a problem since I was doing 190 anyway. We were handed off to Tower.
The pilots suggested communicating their limitations and need to slow with the controller as a way to avoid this deviation in the future. What resources do you have available to improve performance and reduce risk if you find yourself in a similar situation?
Policies, Procedures, and Flows: ATL Safety Alert (Jeppesen 10-7C) provides guidance on flying “180 knots to the marker.”
Automation: Use of the autopilot to decrease task loading may increase the crew’s ability to assess their situation.
Briefings and External Resources: Ask for speed relief or a longer final to ensure stabilized approach criteria. Notify ATC if unable to turn base and maintain assigned speed.
Knowledge, Skills and Techniques: Was slowing below 210 knots required? Crews can use the FMC to increase situational awareness and assist in energy management.
COORD & COMM ERRORS
ALT DEVS & CROSSING
CROSSING RESTRICTIONS ONLY
NAVIGATION DEVIATIONS
RUNWAY INCURSIONS
TAXIWAY INCURSIONS
RAMP INCURSIONS
LANDING W/O CLEARANCE
MAY 2015 ASAP EVENTS
Corporate facilities has now sent the necessary chains and parts to fix the cradles.
PROCEDURES
• At approximately 75 knots, the captain rejected the takeoff for a door light. The crew coordinated with the A flight attendant to push on the door handle to ensure it was closed. The light went out and the crew completed the new departure plan checklist. The crew noted the QRH and departure plan checklists do not have a step to confirm the RTO setting after a rejected takeoff.
• The crew received multiple step-down clearances prior to joining the STAR. Each time the crew recruised the FMC. The crew did not see the STAR note directing a 280-knot descent and they did not verify the FMC descent speed after recruising. At the TOD, the FMC commanded a 340-knot descent placing them high and fast.
NAVIGATION ERROR
• The flight was planned on NON STD ROUTE. The first officer programmed the FMC from the dispatch release. The PDC amended the route with a new SID and transition. The crew programmed the amended route and briefed the SID through the transition point. Once airborne past the transition waypoint, ATC noticed the flight was not on the filed route. The crew then realized they were focused on the PDC change and did not brief the entire route resulting in a programming error.
• After an aircraft swap, the crew felt the pressure to complete preflight procedures and push on time. The flight plan from the dispatch release was loaded into the FMC. Both crew members failed to note the change in the departure procedure on the PDC. After takeoff, the flight turned the wrong direction resulting in a pilot deviation from ATC.
DISPATCH
• The flight was dispatched with a takeoff alternate. The crew noted the alternate chosen by dispatch had an approach lighting NOTAM for the current landing runway. Based on this NOTAM, the approach minimums increased above the required alternate minimums. The crew was not sure it was legal. After research it was determined the opposite direction approach was still legal because the NOTAM did not apply to the corresponding approach. It was legal but maybe not the best plan considering the complicated airspace and feasibility of an opposite direction approach.
• The pilot was concerned about how International NOTAMs are provided to crews as part of the weather packet. Currently all international NOTAMs are printed with no filtering for specific flights, routes, or regions. An example is Canadian NOTAMs being printed for flights to Punta Cana. This requires a large amount of time for crews to read and find the relevant NOTAMs. Dispatch is looking into future technology updates to filter international NOTAMs.
they needed to further increase the rate of descent and slowed to 210 knots with flaps 10. The crew assumed the high rate of descent was the priority. ATC issued a Brasher warning for slowing.
• ATL Approach issued “180 knots to the marker.” The Pilot Flying (PF) was not comfortable and elected to slow down early. The Pilot Monitoring (PM) forgot about the speed assignment and complied when the PF wanted to lower the gear and extend flaps. ATC noted their speed at 140 knots and issued a Brasher warning for slowing without clearance.
• ATL Approach stated “expedite descent” and then
later again stated, “I need you to expedite your descent.” The crew was descending in idle at 250 knots and elected to slow and extend flaps to increase the rate of descent. They perceived the controller’s comments about descent rate to have cleared them to maneuver as necessary. ATC issued a Brasher warning for slowing without clearance.
• On arrival into LAX after midnight, ATC changed the runway from 24R to 6L. The crew was task loaded changing the arrival, approach runway, and getting on the correct descent path. When the crew listened to the Morse code for ILS 6L, it was still set for Runway 24R. ATC also stated aircraft were departing Runway 25R. Opposite direction parallel runways for noise abatement in the early morning and late night operations is approved at LAX.
COMMUNICATION
• At FL 360 the cabin altitude warning horn sounded. The crew initiated the memory items and began an emergency descent. The first officer experienced communication problems with the microphone in his oxygen mask cutting out. The crew used hand signals and the first officer yelled through his mask. He later discovered pushing the microphone wire stopped the short and they could communicate.
• Crew conducted a flaps 5 reduced-thrust takeoff in an -800 aircraft. At cruise the crew was notified by a jumpseater in the aft cabin he felt a bump on takeoff. The crew discussed the takeoff but did not believe a tailstrike occurred. After landing, maintenance confirmed a tailstrike, complied with the inspections, and returned the aircraft to service. Further analysis showed the pitch rate exceeded three degrees per second and the rotation began approximately 15 knots prior to VR.
FAR 117
• The pilot was unsure of the warnings on his CWA board for exceeding duty day limits. The pilot had a 13+00 FDP (extendable to 15+00 FDP). His FDP ended when he blocked in on his last flight. This resulted in FDP of 14+31, which made his duty day 15+01. Duty day includes 30 minutes after block in and is a contractual exceedance, not FAR 117.
• The crew experienced numerous delays due to weather which included three hours of flight time on the ground waiting for a gate. The crew then sat in the airport for nearly three hours before being sent to a hotel. The crew believed they exceeded a FDP because of the delay getting to the hotel. Time after the last flight segment is not included in FDP. The captain called scheduling to adjust their report time for the next day to ensure a 10 hour rest period.
GROUND OPERATIONS
• At an international airport the operations agent was unable to complete the weight and balance calculations on the computer. The agent completed a manual loading schedule and the crew noted several addition errors. Once corrected the flight departed and the crew realized the center and main tank fuel values were transposed, another error that was not caught prior to flight.
• As the aircraft reached the stop mark, the captain noticed the PC air hose cradle was not secured. The ramp supervisor informed the captain all of the gates had broken chains. The captain made some phone calls and submitted an ASAP report.
17REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015
Rockwell Collins is beginning to
consider the strategies, partners and
acquisitions required to make the
avionics and information services
provider a dominant player in the
coming “era of applications and
services” for airliners. Enabled by
connected cockpits and broadband
links, the era will feature efficiency
and safety applications for the
cockpit as well as cabin services
that will give advertisers a direct
link to connected passengers.
Kent Statler, chief operating
officer for the Rockwell Collins’
Commercial Services division, says
the end state is at least five years
out, as two earlier eras of necessary
infrastructure—enabled flight
decks and cabins and broadband
data pipes—are put in place first.
“We’re going through an era
of enablement now, and you’re
seeing many next-gen aircraft being
equipped with routers, aggregation
tools and software architectures
that allow the information to be
both aggregated and dispersed
within the aircraft,” says Statler.
The data pipe era, also underway,
involves the maturation of broadband
connectivity to and from the aircraft.
Key to the evolution, says Statler,
is the transition from Ku-band
services to the faster Ku-band links,
including Inmarsat’s Global Xpress and
OneWeb, for which Rockwell Collins
will be a reseller of services and the
exclusive provider of airborne terminals.
Global Xpress, for which Honeywell
builds the airborne terminals and
is a reseller of services, is expected
to be available next year. OneWeb is
farther out, in the 2020 timeframe.
“First you build the enablement,
then you focus on the speed and how big
the pipe is,” says Statler. “Once you get
that in place, it’s all about the value-
added services that you can put across
the pipe.” Rockwell Collins signaled its
serious intentions in the information
management of those services with
its $1.4 billion acquisition of Arinc in
late 2013, providing the company with
a means to feed data to and from its
connected flight decks and cabins.
“We’re positioning ourselves for that
connectivity piece, and we’re beginning
to look at the strategies related to
what you do internally, who to partner
with and what to acquire for this age
of applications services,” he says.
OneWeb will initially feed the cabin,
where inflight entertainment (IFE)
systems will become “the razor” and
applications and services “the blade,”
says Statler. “In the early days, airlines
really didn’t want IFE on widebody
aircraft—they hated it,” he says. “It was
unreliable, it cost them money to have
it on their aircraft, and they didn’t see
the value. Today we’re seeing different
business models where they will make
money not off of the passenger paying for
a movie, but from an advertiser’s being
able to have a ‘touch’ on the passenger.”
That touch could mean direct concierge
and advertising services that steer the
passenger to goods and services at a
destination. The move could transform
IFE from a cost to a potential revenue
source for airlines, says Statler.
Once the industry gains 5-7 years
of experience with the next-generation
data pipes, Statler says ultra-secure
broadband-enabled evolutions to the
cockpit could come to fruition, allowing
for economy-of-scale multipliers such
as ground-based flight management
systems (in which computations are
made on the ground and uplinked to
the aircraft control system). Cockpit
connections that could support
such high-bandwidth applications
will come about more slowly due to
cybersecurity concerns, however.
Statler says at the same time the third
era comes of age, the next-generation
narrowbody aircraft also will likely
be coming into the marketplace,
signaling what could be a major shift
in the design of the flight deck as
well as the passenger experience.
“There might be a confluence
that allows for [advanced cockpit
architectures] at that time, although
both Airbus and Boeing are saying
they will be going for incremental
improvements versus a ‘home run’
on their future designs,” says Statler.
“Time heals all wounds, though.”
ROCKWELL COLLINS PURSUES PIPELINE FOR APPS AND SERVICESJohn Croft
Reprinted with permission from Aviation Week, August 4, 2015
18 REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015
Atlanta continues to produce more pilot deviations (FAR violations) for Southwest pilots than any other airport in our system. SWA aircraft are slowing from their assigned speed without notifying ATC or receiving a clearance to do so. Additionally, Atlanta Approach is still expressing concerns with SWA aircraft not descending rapidly when assigned a lower altitude resulting in slowing the entire ATL operation. Recently, one of our aircraft had to be vectored for a 15 mile final due to a slow
descent while the aircraft behind them was vectored inside them for an eight mile final. Failure to maintain your assigned speed may cause the plane behind you to go-around and/or result in a pilot deviation (FAR violation).
Atlanta has had record daily operations for over 20 years (more than 2,500 a day). They are able to maintain a high arrival/departure rate due to a highly tuned system; this system requires the participation of all users. Here are
some “rules of thumb,” and a graphical presentation of how ATL arrivals typically operate to help us (and them) be more in tune at the world’s busiest airport:
• You will always have to intercept final outside the marker (noise abatement)
• Short Approach means 8-10 mile final (working to eliminate this term) — final is usually 10-15 miles
• Maintain 250 knots until assigned slower by ATC — DO NOT SLOW WITHOUT ATC CLEARANCE
• Expect 210 knots assigned 4-5 miles prior to turning downwind (when flying downwind)/inside the STAR named fix (when not flying downwind)
• Expect to be level at 11,000’ MSL (10,000’ AGL) until turning downwind/Inside the STAR named fix (when not flying downwind)
ATL AT A GLANCE
19REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015
• Expect 7,000’ on downwind to abeam the numbers/5 miles inside the STAR named fix
• Expect 5,000’ (North side) or 4,000’/3,500’ (South side) “abeam the numbers”
• Expect “180 knots to the marker” on or near the base leg (depending on traffic)
• Maintain last assigned speed until one mile from the Outer Marker (OM) before
slowing (all OMs are 5 miles or greater from the runway)
• Be prepared to slow approaching the OM — add drag rapidly (within limitations) to slow and be stabilized by 1,000’
• If unable to fly the assigned speed — NOTIFY ATC IMMEDIATELY
• Always descend as quickly as possible — if you can’t maintain assigned airspeed and 1,500 FPM or greater
add drag (flaps/gear) or notify ATC you are unable — if you don’t descend fast enough they will extend your downwind and put another arrival in front of you
• South side arrivals cannot turn base till reaching 4,000’ (or lower) due to 5,000’ base on the North side
• If you are unable to comply with ANY ATC instruction or speed assignments, tell ATC as soon as practical
• File an ASAP report if you have ANY issues or concerns even if you talk to the controller and are told everything is okay
• Contact your SWAPA Safety Committee if you have any questions regarding ATL.
employees right, guess what? Your customers come back,
and that makes your shareholders happy. Start with
employees and the rest follows from that.
HerbTime
21REPORTING POINT
AUGUST 2015MEMBERSHIP LETTERS
I hope everyone enjoyed last month’s workout recommendation. If you missed it, I highly recommend you go and find an old Reporting Point or find it on the SWAPA website. Last month I gave three types of HIIT workouts that would allow the novice, the intermediate, and the advanced athlete to get a fantastic and fun workout on the road.
I recently had the pleasure of flying with a fellow pilot who had lost a significant amount of weight. His humility was impressive but even more impressive was his ability to keep the weight off years later. I asked him to write a short summary of how he accomplished this feat so that the rest of the pilot body can learn from it. Initially he replied that his story was nothing special and that anyone can do it. Of course this is why I wanted him to submit his story, as most of us can relate to it. Please enjoy fellow pilot Pat Gram’s description of his weight gain and subsequent weight loss.
Hi, everyone!I had the opportunity to sit down with
Ilan on an overnight. I have enjoyed the “FLY Healthy” column in the RP, and I thanked him for volunteering the information that he provides each issue as I always get something out of it. However, with this job and two others on my days off, a wife, and three kids, I explained that I just don’t have the time to be as dedicated to health and fitness as I’d like to be, although I did share a story of personal experience that he asked me to pass along, so here goes.
First, a couple things:I am NOT a fitness fanatic. I am NOT a food and diet fanatic.I am simply a former fat guy that decided
to make a meaningful lifestyle change. In the early 2000s, my dad had just survived his second minor heart attack and been diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes due to his poor diet and sedentary lifestyle. Later, I went in for my medical and topped the scales at 6 foot 3 inches and 252 pounds. It hit home: I’m officially fat, I’m following
in his footsteps, and for the sake of my family, my career, and myself, it’s time to make a change. I focused on the two areas that we all learned as kids were responsible for a healthy lifestyle: a balance between food and exercise. Nothing new.
On the food end, I changed a few things. First, I found I was a “preventative” eater, eating a full meal because “I might get hungry before we complete this next leg.” Better food planning and carrying some healthy snacks solved that problem with very little effort, and the weight started coming off.
I was also the guy, who on overnights, would have a few beers and a dozen wings, fries, nachos, etc. when we got in late at night. Not to worry, I didn’t cut out the beer (a guy’s still got to live, right?) I just stopped eating within four hours of going to bed. This took a little willpower, but more weight came off.
As far as diet goes, I primarily ate fast, prepared, or highly processed foods. So, as a family, we joined a CSA (crop share) and got a box of fresh, mostly organic fruits and vegetables every week. It forced us to find different and creative ways to work our way through the box every week with the side benefit of much healthier eating, and more weight came off.
So how about exercise? I was always an active kid, but my activity seemed to drop off somewhere in my 20s, while my internal TV channel flow chart for each day of the week was a highly refined piece of mental magic. I cut out most of the TV (still the best decision so far), got off the couch, and got active.
I played hockey as a kid (as all good Minnesota kids do), and with a little research found a ton of pick-up leagues and games going on year-round in my area. Yup, it was brutal at first, but I enjoyed the game enough that the high intensity interval workout didn’t seem so bad at the time. Plus, the weight kept coming off.
I also took to jogging at the advice of many of my peers at the time. I was coached by those “in the know” on how
to run effectively, increase distance and endurance, and choose the right equipment to do it in a healthy and safe manner. I took to it right away because it was easy to pack for trips, it was (and still is) a great way to explore the city I’m overnighting in. The cardio helped my hockey game, and of course, the weight kept coming off.
Now, I quit baseball when I was a kid because we were required to do weight training. “I have no desire to be Hanz and Franz, so why bother?” I thought. Well in the midst of my life change, I flew with a guy who taught me the benefits of adding weights for what I was doing. Actually, he said, “Come lift with me. I’ll show you what you need to do, then I’ll buy the beer later.” His advice helped my running and the hockey, and yes, the weight continued coming off.
All said and done, I started exercising for three to five days a week. Along with the minor changes in eating habits, I lost 42 pounds in roughly eight months and am now hovering around 210. My blood pressure has dropped to 116/76, and my resting pulse dropped to around 50. My energy level skyrocketed and I’ve never felt better!
The only negative to my experience was the expense of having to buy new clothes. My old 44 inch waist pants fell off my new 38 inch body, my XL and XXL shirts changed to a L.
As I said in the beginning, I’m just a regular guy who took responsibility for my bad behaviors, changed about half of them, and it paid off. I’m always happy to share if it inspires anyone else to do the same!
Lastly, I’m on the Fire Department in my hometown. The gear we wear on a fire scene weighs about 45 pounds, and every time I don it, I am reminded of what I once weighed.
SUMMARYPat’s weight loss gives us a vital
understanding of what it takes to consistently eat healthy and exercise. Pat’s familial health history was his catalyst
to begin exercising and eating healthy. However, had he not found something to motivate him on a daily basis, he would have easily quit soon after he started.
Pat joined a hockey league, something that he enjoyed from his youth. Hockey is a great sport, but he knew that he would enjoy it more and be a better teammate if he increased his cardio by adding running and increased his strength by including weightlifting. These side-motivators, if you will, kept him on a consistent workout schedule and improved his hockey game. Pat also recognized that if he kept junk food out of his home, and instead purchased healthy foods (via a crop-share program), he would limit his cheating. On the road, he knew eliminating beer would be unrealistic, so instead he made a commitment to not eat close to bedtime. These small tweaks are immensely effective, since minor changes are much easier to implement than a drastic lifestyle change.
Pat successfully lost weight not by working out like a madman or trying out the latest fad diet. Instead he made small changes to his life that gave instant feedback: weight loss, more energy, and a better hockey game. He is able to maintain his weight loss because his lifestyle changes were not extreme; they actually add to his life enjoyment and are sustainable for the long term.
I thank Pat for sharing his story and would love to hear from other pilots who would like to share their success stories.
As always, I would love to hear your suggestions or critiques!
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