3048 CVR Monitoring.

[buscap]

Educate yourselves my friends.

Write your congressmen and reps, and make your concerns known.

 

[twott driver]

For all you non-alpa boys, courtesy of ALPA....... copy and paste (you may want to edit the ALPA part), and get it in to your reps

As a professional air line pilot, your constituent, and a member of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), I urge you to oppose S. 3048, a bill by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to mandate the use of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) information for discipline, rather than its intended use for safety investigation.

This bill seeks to use CVR and FDR information to punish individual pilots, rather than to promote and support the proactive safety culture that our industry needs to protect passengers, crews, and cargo. This bill will threaten aviation safety, compromise the accident investigation process, and squander financial resources that could make established and proven aviation safety programs even more effective.

Every airline flight is unique due to weather, equipment, distance and other operational factors. Pilots are expected to work as a team, communicate effectively, and supplement one another’s skills and experience to continuously evaluate and adapt to the changing operational environment of each individual flight. The chilling effect of having conversations and flight data monitored and evaluated out of context for possible disciplinary action by corporate managers who may have motivations other than safety would be substantial.

Pilot performance is currently monitored randomly through the Line Oriented Safety Audit (LOSA) program which uses trained observers in the cockpit. As a commercial pilot, I must also pass at least two annual check rides. Existing safety programs such as LOSA, Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) and Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP) are voluntary, nonpunitive initiatives that use data and pilot reports to detect safety issues. These programs are critical to aviation safety and misusing recorder data will jeopardize these proven programs.

I urge you to oppose S. 3048 and any legislative attempts to use CVRs and FDRs for anything other than their intended safety investigative purposes.

Sincerely,

 

[Kaman]

It will take a lot of convincing on my part to tell me that randomly sampled CVR data will not be used against me by either the company or the FAA for disciplinary or certificate action. We have already created programs like FOQA, ASAP, LOSA and SMS to address safety concerns, SOPs, compliance, etc... The Congress is being snowed by the airlines and the FAA that this further step is necessary. It is one thing to sample objectively, but sterile cockpit isn't as objective as it may appear. I would really, really like to see A LOT more on this topic. I hope that during the public comment period that pilots truly unite against this move. Lastly, this measure has to be shown that it will enhance safety and I don't believe that it will.

 

[CX880]

Educate yourselves my friends.

Write your congressmen and reps, and make your concerns known.

There's no way they're going to pass it.

 

[Data]

Next step after the passage of this...after an incident or accident the company denies any responsibility because the pilots didn't follow company procedure. Liability falls at the feet of the pilot. This will do wonders for the industry!

 

[RJLoser]

Hate to say it......This will be another example of the pilot group not standing up for themselves!

 

[Newpilot2b]

Took me all of 5 mins. to send the letter to my 3 guys that represent me in DC. Please everyone take the 5 mins.

 

[ASAFOE120]

Sent mine!

 

[urflyingme?!]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Pilot Professionalism Assurance Act'.
SEC. 2. USE OF FLIGHT INFORMATION.

(a) Authorization- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, or any provision in a private contract, air carriers may use information obtained from a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder--
(1) to discipline or discharge a pilot or flight engineer for actions that endanger the safety or well being of passengers;
(2) to defend itself in any discipline or discharge grievance proceeding;
(3) to evaluate or monitor the judgment or performance of an individual pilot or crew member;
(4) to justify or require a pilot's submission to a proficiency check or line check; or
(5) for any other purpose relating to improving the safety or well being of passengers.
(b) Confidentiality- Each air carrier that has obtained information pursuant to subsection (a) shall keep such information confidential and may only disclose such information to the extent required in an administrative or judicial proceeding.
SEC. 3. TAMPERING WITH COCKPIT VOICE RECORDER OR FLIGHT DATA RECORDER PROHIBITED.

(a) In General- No person may tamper with, disable, or destroy any cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder installed on a commercial aircraft.
(b) Penalties-
(1) IN GENERAL- Any person who violates the prohibition described in subsection (a) may be fined up to $2,000 and imprisoned for not more than 5 years.
(2) COMMERCIAL PILOT- If a commercial pilot violates the prohibition described in subsection (a)--
(A) the air carrier employing such pilot shall immediately terminate such employment; and
(B) the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall immediately revoke the airman certificate issued to the pilot under section 44703 of title 49, United States Code.

 

[WayBack]

ALPA can't stop a fly from landing on a piece of horse dung, what makes you think they will stop this?

 

[buscap]

ALPA can't stop a fly from landing on a piece of horse dung, what makes you think they will stop this?

You, my friend, need to do a little reading. While not a perfect record, the history does not support your statement.

If this is defeated, it will most likely be due to efforts spurred and directed by ALPA. Like them or not, they are the only organization capable of making our case. Once again, leaving me to wonder how many folks at non ALPA carriers are freeloading?

But forget that, and just write your reps and get this defeated.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

This act would be the death of LOSA, ASAP and FOQA and would set back airline safety to about where we were culturally in 1958.

It won't pass. At least I hope not.

 

[dingo222]

take the 3-5 minutes to send the letter to your reps. Its very simple

 

[Metro752]

ALPA can't stop a fly from landing on a piece of horse dung, what makes you think they will stop this?

Hahaha, if it happens I say you all talk about Diarrhea in an RJ.

 

[Flyprdu]

ALPA can't stop a fly from landing on a piece of horse dung, what makes you think they will stop this?

Hey, why don't you go back to your bread line.... no one wants to hear it.

 

[WayBack]

This act would be the death of LOSA, ASAP and FOQA and would set back airline safety to about where we were culturally in 1958.

It won't pass. At least I hope not.

I don't think it will either, it would be the equivalent of phone tapping all politicians.
As far as ASAP, wasn't there a thread on here not to long ago about a crew getting fired for actions in the cockpit, even though they had ASAP on the property?

What I'm getting at here, is that no matter that the "rules" are, there will be special exemptions to the law/rules.

 

[BUDDHA145]

I hope no one here is going to be ofended in I change
ALPA for TEAMSTERS right!!!!

 

[OCP]

I don't think it will either, it would be the equivalent of phone tapping all politicians.
As far as ASAP, wasn't there a thread on here not to long ago about a crew getting fired for actions in the cockpit, even though they had ASAP on the property?

What I'm getting at here, is that no matter that the "rules" are, there will be special exemptions to the law/rules.

ASAP is not a guarantee of not getting fired, it is just a way of reporting a mistake, without having action taken against the crew in the interest of safety. The biggest thing of ASAP is you can't knowingly violate a rule. A really good example is the NW guys who said they were using their computers. That is a purposeful violation of the rules, so not an ASAP thing, they can get fired. However if they had just said they had fallen asleep and didn't know why, then they would have been covered under ASAP. They did not intend to break any rules, but it happened.

 

[Kaman]

This act would be the death of LOSA, ASAP and FOQA and would set back airline safety to about where we were culturally in 1958.

It won't pass. At least I hope not.

I agree wholeheartedly, everything that we and our predecessors will be wiped out by the passage of this bill into law. It will set the stage for an era of dis-trust on the part of pilots of management, FAA and even fellow crewmembers. It may be time to consider looking for another job for me if this goes thru.

 

[Jar Jar]

In other news, high level government employees continue to ride on the safest aircraft in the world.