Monthly Update, April-May, 2004

A few weeks ago, the Washington Times wrote an article about the (then upcoming) Cockpit Security Act and TSA threatening Federal Flight Deck Officer’s (FFDO’s) for talking to Congress about the myriad problems with the FFDO program.  It was a rather small article, but I thought contacting the editor of the Times to thank him for the article, might result in another, more in-depth piece. 

I put out a small alert in only one venue, in the middle of the day, asking pilots to contact the editor if they’d like to see another piece.  Two hours later, the Times reporter actually called to ask me to “shut it down!” The paper had received over 57 on the article emails in only two hours!  The Times did a much more in-depth, follow up article the next day which generated even more publicity when other media picked it up!

One of APSA’s greatest advantages is that we’re not only staggeringly committed – we’re nimble!  We can move on a dime, flip a switch and generate a massive, immediate response!  Like a fast-mover, we can be over a target and gone before anyone sees us coming!  One of the obstacles to overcome is that, once mobilized, our opponents can be steamrollers, using vast resources to try to keep us from succeeding in the most common sense strategy to protect our passengers.

We will need our trademark “Instant Action” responsiveness in the next weeks, as those who would see us fail are even now gathering their bureaucracies and powering up their steamrollers to strongly oppose us passing the new Cockpit Security Act.  Make no mistake…our intel indicates storm clouds are now gathering on our horizon! 

This should not give you pause - it should make you resolute!  We can win this!  We WILL win it - because we’re better than they are, we’re truer than they are and we’re more motivated than they are!  As Herb Brooks, coach of the 1980 Olympic “Miracle” hockey team told his players of their Russian opponents, “Look into their eyes!  It’s just another day at the office for them!  For us…it’s our lives!”

Well, for us, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed our lives.  You have only to look at the Silent Wings Tribute Flight Profile on our site to know it! 

Over the next weeks, you will be getting a series of Action Alerts, targeting specific groups or individuals for their support.  It’s important you check your email and the secure-skies site often, as the Alerts will change.  It’s also important you RESPOND QUICKLY AND POWERFULLY when a new Alert comes out, as it won’t last long!

This shouldn’t prevent you from contacting EVERYBODY to get their support at any time, but a massive, targeted, unified response shows the strength and resolve of our members, and cannot be ignored!  Every time you hand off an airplane; every time you visit in the lounge, tell the crew to visit www.secure-skies.org.  Use every resource you have, every moment you have it, to get the word out!  Don’t relax; don’t let up!  We will not win by believing someone else will do it!

We are in the process of enabling CapWiz automatic Congressional “letter-writing software” on the site, so you can simply enter your zip code and a prewritten letter of support for the Cockpit Technical Corrections Act will be instantly sent to your representatives.  You may also edit the letter any way you like, which always makes it mean more. CapWiz is expensive, but we feel it will make it easier for our members to voice their support multiple times. 

As usual, your donations and memberships to the Captain’s Club are vital to continue to provide new tools like CapWiz to you to win the day.  Please keep them coming and let your entire address books know about www.secure-skies.org.  Membership is free, and each new member is a tremendous multiplier to more!

Okay. Time for me to apologize to you and eat some crow.  We conceived the Silent Wings Tribute Flight Program as a 30-day opportunity to allow APSA Leadership and our premiere Captain’s Club members to dedicate a routine flight as a “Tribute Flight” to fallen crewmembers from September 11, and rededicate themselves to making our skies safe.  Never, in my wildest dreams, did I expect the volume of complaint mail from the rest of our 40,000 members who fervently wanted to participate also!  I was absolutely taken aback and I am, frankly, in awe of you! 

To the many hundreds of you that pleaded, threatened, complained, and, in one case, told me, “how can you not understand that pilots are as much brothers as the cops and firemen in New York?!” I apologize for not opening the Tribute to everyone!  I am truly overwhelmed by your commitment!  Because of your letters, we are working hard now, to implement a whole new direct payment solution (no more Paypal) on secure-skies that can handle the volume of 40,000 members flying for fallen comrades.  We are also now building a national press campaign to demonstrate what the brotherhood of air crew members mean to each other, and taking steps to make the Silent Wings Program available to every single one of you!  This is one of our highest priorities, and we should be ready in two weeks or less!

Thank you again for, once again, humbling us with your spirit!

The Cockpit Technical Corrections Act is being held in the Aviation SubCommittee of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.  It has to come out of the SubCommittee, get to the floor and be voted in.  If that doesn’t happen by the end of the beginning of the holiday season, the bill dies.  The Aviation SubCommittee has had it for almost a month now, so it’s getting close to time to start asking what the hold up is.  We may have opposition on the Sub Committee.

We can dedicate our money, our time, and our energy to winning back the autonomy to protect our careers, our lives and our passengers, or we can take off our shoes for high school aged security screeners for the rest of our careers.  It really is as simple as that.

So kick the tires…here we go!

Dave

PS – We are attaching a highlights paper on the Cockpit Security Act.  Non-ALPA members:  please circulate copies of the letter in your lounges, in your aircraft logbooks (if permitted), and on your computer bulletin boards.  ALPA Members:  We’d prefer you circulate the “Open Letter to Members of the Air Line Pilots Security Alliance” sent a few days ago (and available at www.secure-skies.org), instead for now.  We’ll resend the highlights paper for ALPA members’ use in two weeks.