SWAPA funding ads to change age 60 rule

[Andy]

http://www.ppf.org/newslet.htm

Important text:
November 2006Volume 16, Issue 11
Anxious Times Presidents Message ---
This has been an interesting, if not exciting, month. Senator Inhofe, sponsor of S.65 to change the Age 60 Rule, reportedly groundlooped his light plane. PPF has entered into an agreement with the SouthWest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) to provide one third of the expense in hiring a Public Relations firm for 90 days. A picketing action during the ALPA annual in Las Vegas, is being planned at the last minute. An Aviation Rulemaking Committee was formed by the FAA, on extremely short notice and Senator Inhofe responded with a “we’re keeping an eye on you” letter to the Administrator.
To begin with, Senator Inhofe did not get injured in his mishap. Neither did his passenger. From the press reports, it would appear that he flew from Tulsa to Norman, OK, where he felt something amiss with the rudder. Visual inspection after landing revealed nothing. He took off for the return flight to Tulsa where he again noticed that something didn’t feel right. He informed his passenger that the landing may be more eventful than normal, and briefed him on exit procedures. Approaching the airport, he requested the longest runway rather than the usual shorter runway. Touchdown was normal, however when the
tailwheel was lowered, the aircraft apparently groundlooped, damaging the plane. The FAA said there was not enough damage to be an accident/incident and the NTSB inspector told the Senator to “get it fixed”. End of story.
Toward the end of last week PPF was informed that a PR firm was being hired by SWAPA to participate in the conflict against the Age 60 Rule, for a 90 day period at a fixed sum, plus certain expenses. A meeting was arranged with “Ike” Eichelkraut, President of SWAPA. We offered to enter a partnership where PPF would cover a third of the cost, with SWAPA and APAAD supplying two thirds. We quickly agreed and the PR firm, O'Neill and Associates, started that day.
If ever we needed publicity, the next 90 days surely are the most critical.




I found it interesting that SWAPA chipped in for 1/3 of an ad campaign along with PPF and APAAD.
Somehow, I don't think that SWAPA's MEC informed the membership before committing the funds. I'm not throwing rocks at the entire SWAPA membership, just surprised that their MEC would do this without discussing it with the full membership.

 

[canyonblue]

Somehow, I don't think that Swaps MEC informed the membership before committing the funds.

Of course they didn't. This whole issue is coming to a boil and before it gets put to a vote, possibly early next year, it will probably be over. The dues money for this is handily budgeted to legislative monies, and most don't want it spent on Age 60. Getting rolled over by the scooter crowd again.

 

[Andy]

This whole issue is coming to a boil and before it gets put to a vote, possibly early next year, it will probably be over.

No, I'd say that the odds that the rule changes in the next two years is miniscule. It won't get changed through legislative action; after the Nov 7 election, Congress will be gridlock - even major national issues won't get resolved.
As for the FAA making a change to age 60 through a regulation change, I'd say that is also very unlikely. Here's another snippet from Bert Yetman and that same PPF newsletter:
It is rumored that a week or so before the ARC was announced that Sen. Inhofe’s staff was notified that if the congress changed the Rule, the FAA would only go to age 62 or 63. My source stated that Sen. Inhofe told his aide to get the Administrator on the phone, and he also wanted to talk to the lawyer that informed Ms. Blakey that she would be allowed to break federal law.
Ms. Blakey agreed to abide by what congress decreed.

I don't think that the pro-change crowd is winning any brownie points with Administrator Blakey.

 

[SWA/FO]

I'm not throwing rocks at the entire SWAPA membership, just surprised that their MEC would do this without discussing it with the full membership.

What MEC?

 

[GuppyWN]

No sh!t. We, the vocal how ever many, at SWAPA, are being fleeced of over 400k per year on an issue that hasn't been voted on in almost 4 years - or 2000 pilots. The president of our union has one goal, age 60 reform.

We have a new president elect to take office in January. He says he'll let the membership vote on whether to pump more dues down the crapper in the future.

Silly me thinks we need to spend our dues on our now opened contract and its negotiations.

Gup

 

[jonjuan]

No, I'd say that the odds that the rule changes in the next two years is miniscule.

Then tell us all why you waste your time posting 2-3 times a day about the rule change? Do you also look in the mirror every morning saying, "People like me."

 

[Andy]

We, the vocal how ever many, at SWAPA, are being fleeced of over 400k per year on an issue that hasn't been voted on in almost 4 years - or 2000 pilots.

I think now that this issue is coming front & center, the vote will not be nearly as close.
I would bet that the same would occur at ALPA if Prater decides to have union vote.

 

[canyonblue]

I think now that this issue is coming front & center, the vote will not be nearly as close. I would bet that the same would occur at ALPA if Prater decides to have union vote.

I'm not so sure.......................

Prater also could lead a change in the group's official opposition to raising the retirement age from 60 years old. The rule was imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1959. Legislation to overturn the age limit is pending in Congress.

Prater wants the FAA to follow the lead of the International Civil Aviation Authority and adopt a retirement age of 65.

Copyright c 2006, Chicago Tribune

 

[General Lee]

I'm not so sure.......................

Prater also could lead a change in the group's official opposition to raising the retirement age from 60 years old. The rule was imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1959. Legislation to overturn the age limit is pending in Congress.

Prater wants the FAA to follow the lead of the International Civil Aviation Authority and adopt a retirement age of 65.

Copyright c 2006, Chicago Tribune

That quote was taken out of context. HE has stated many times that he will follow whatever the board states, and the board and it's members are favoring not changing the rule by atleast a 60/40 margin, maybe even higher. At the last MEC pow wow with Woerth still incharge, he(Woerth) initially stated possible favor of an age extention, until he and the VP were almost charged and hung. He later changed his view at the end of the meeting. No joke.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Andy]

I'm not so sure.......................

Prater also could lead a change in the group's official opposition to raising the retirement age from 60 years old. The rule was imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1959. Legislation to overturn the age limit is pending in Congress.

Prater wants the FAA to follow the lead of the International Civil Aviation Authority and adopt a retirement age of 65.

Copyright c 2006, Chicago Tribune

Ah yes, the Schmeltzer article (see below). As General Lee stated, that’s a distortion of what Prater said – he stated that would personally like to see a change to the age 60 rule, but would follow the guidance of the membership. And the current guidance is that we are opposed to a change to age 60. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another ALPA poll after Prater takes office; however, I expect the result to be greater than 60% opposed to any change.
Now, let’s talk about John Schmeltzer. Mr Schmeltzer gets a lot of his information from Undaunted Flyer. As everyone who follows this issue closely knows, Undaunted Flyer turns 60 in January and is pushing HARD to get this changed. So, allegedly, Undaunted Flyer twisted the facts a bit and fed them to Schmeltzer. In turn, Schmeltzer being a typical reporter (skip that whole fact checking thing; why let facts mess up a perfectly good article), allegedly took Undaunted Flyer’s word as gospel. I have chosen to use the word ‘allegedly’ in this post, as I do not have any smoking gun to prove this. However, I wrote to Mr Hilkevitch and Mr Schmeltzer to rebut an article in which they named Undaunted Flyer by name in the article (Undaunted Flyer stated that he was 37 yr United 777 Captain who would be retiring in Jan 07 and would be unable to pay for his son’s college tuition). Within a couple of weeks, Undaunted Flyer wrote to me personally at the same e-mail address that I sent my e-mail to Mr Schmeltzer. Coincidence? Doubtful.



By John Schmeltzer
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 19, 2006

..."The airline industry survived because of the concessions pilots and other workers made," said Prater, who lives in southern Illinois and flies out of Newark Liberty International Airport. "Now it is time for us to see a tangible return on these bitter investments."

He also could lead a change in the group's official opposition to raising the retirement age from 60 years old. The rule was imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1959. Legislation to overturn the age limit is pending in Congress.

Prater wants the FAA to follow the lead of the International Civil Aviation Authority and adopt a retirement age of 65.

Copyright c 2006, Chicago Tribune

 

[AAflyer]

Ah yes, the Schmeltzer article (see below). As General Lee stated, that’s a distortion of what Prater said – he stated that would personally like to see a change to the age 60 rule, but would follow the guidance of the membership. And the current guidance is that we are opposed to a change to age 60. I wouldn’t be surprised to see another ALPA poll after Prater takes office; however, I expect the result to be greater than 60% opposed to any change.
Now, let’s talk about John Schmeltzer. Mr Schmeltzer gets a lot of his information from Undaunted Flyer. As everyone who follows this issue closely knows, Undaunted Flyer turns 60 in January and is pushing HARD to get this changed. So, allegedly, Undaunted Flyer twisted the facts a bit and fed them to Schmeltzer. In turn, Schmeltzer being a typical reporter (skip that whole fact checking thing; why let facts mess up a perfectly good article), allegedly took Undaunted Flyer’s word as gospel. I have chosen to use the word ‘allegedly’ in this post, as I do not have any smoking gun to prove this. However, I wrote to Mr Hilkevitch and Mr Schmeltzer to rebut an article in which they named Undaunted Flyer by name in the article (Undaunted Flyer stated that he was 37 yr United 777 Captain who would be retiring in Jan 07 and would be unable to pay for his son’s college tuition). Within a couple of weeks, Undaunted Flyer wrote to me personally at the same e-mail address that I sent my e-mail to Mr Schmeltzer. Coincidence? Doubtful.



By John Schmeltzer
Tribune staff reporter
Published October 19, 2006

..."The airline industry survived because of the concessions pilots and other workers made," said Prater, who lives in southern Illinois and flies out of Newark Liberty International Airport. "Now it is time for us to see a tangible return on these bitter investments."

He also could lead a change in the group's official opposition to raising the retirement age from 60 years old. The rule was imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration in 1959. Legislation to overturn the age limit is pending in Congress.

Prater wants the FAA to follow the lead of the International Civil Aviation Authority and adopt a retirement age of 65.

Copyright c 2006, Chicago Tribune

Undaunted sounds like a real sleeze!

AA

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Somehow, I don't think that SWAPA's MEC informed the membership before committing the funds. I'm not throwing rocks at the entire SWAPA membership, just surprised that their MEC would do this without discussing it with the full membership.

Uhhh...did you actually mean to say the "SWAPA BOD"? No MEC here...we'd like to keep it that way.

Tejas

 

[Andy]

Undaunted sounds like a real sleeze!

AA

I'd say that Schmeltzer was the sleaze; Undaunted received confidential information which he used to his advantage. He had no idea that I had written to Schmeltzer before the e-mail was forwarded to him.

 

[Andy]

Uhhh...did you actually mean to say the "SWAPA BOD"? No MEC here...we'd like to keep it that way.

Tejas

I stand (well, sit) corrected. I assume that you understood what I meant.

This is a case of you spell it potato (hard a), I spell it potato (soft a), and Dan Quayle spells it potatoe. :laugh:
For those that don't understand the joke, here's a link: http://www.capitalcentury.com/1992.html