This is First Officer Bob Ames, APA Vice President,
with the APA Information Hotline for Thursday, October 11.I
would like to update you on developments in Washington, D.C. today.
By a vote of 100 to 0, the Senate approved the Aviation Security Act
this afternoon. Prior to this vote, the Senate amended the Aviation
Security Act to include New Hampshire Senator Bob Smith’s proposal
that commercial pilots be permitted to carry weapons in the cockpit.
Also prior to voting on the Aviation Security Act, the Senate
voted 53 to 47 to table a motion by Alaska Senator Frank Murkowski
to attach an amendment regarding airline pilot retirement age.
Senator Murkowski advocates increasing pilot retirement age to 63.
By voting to table the motion, the Senate ensured that there would
be no language in the Aviation Security Act concerning an increase
in pilot retirement age.
The Senate’s action also had the effect of ensuring that there
would be no other amendments attached to the Aviation Security Act.
This eliminated the possibility that Senate Bill 1479 introduced by
Missouri Senator Kit Bond—the so-called “Airline Workers Fairness
Act” that calls for imposing arbitration of the American
Airlines-TWA LLC seniority list integrations—would be incorporated
into the Aviation Security Act.
We would like to thank all of you for your efforts to defeat
Senator Bond’s bill. Please be aware that, in all likelihood,
Senator Bond will continue his efforts to have the Senate pass his
legislation, either as a stand-alone bill or attached to another
piece of legislation. We therefore encourage you to continue letting
your elected representatives in the Senate and House know where you
stand on this issue.
The AAmericans United Flag Run kicked off today at noon in
Boston, Massachusetts. Employees of American Airlines and United
Airlines—along with members of the armed forces—are carrying a U.S.
flag across the country in a month-long, around-the-clock relay.
“The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” both covered the start
of the relay today, and we expect there will be considerable news
media coverage as the relay makes its way across the country.
Intended as a symbolic effort of support and unity, this event
will also raise funds for selected charities on behalf of the
victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks. The flag that runners
will carry cross-country was flown over Iraq in the cockpit of a
U.S. F-16 in support of Operation Southern Watch on October 2 by
airline pilots flying as part of the 93rd Fighter Squadron, 482
Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Station, Florida.
Volunteers are needed to run in the relay. Also, event organizers
are seeking fundraising assistance, including direct contributions
and help in soliciting corporate contributors. For more information
about how you can participate, please visit the web site
www.flagrun2001.org.
Initial stages of the relay will follow U.S. Route 1. The exact
routing, while still under development, will proceed through New
York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Oklahoma city, Albuquerque,
Phoenix, and Los Angeles. The goal is to arrive in Los Angeles on
November 11, which is Veteran’s Day. I hope each of you will be able
to participate in some way in this worthy endeavor.
That’s it for today. Thank you for calling.
Domicile Meetings
- LAX—Wednesday, October 17
- Southern California Golf Tournament
Talega Golf Club
900
Avenida Talega, San Clemente, CA
registration at 10:30 AM,
shotgun start at 12:30 PM
sign up and pay fees online at
http://www.sangolf.com.
- SFO—Thursday, October 18
- meeting from 10:30 AM to 2 PM
lunch will be served
Old
Spaghetti Factory, 61 Weber Street (just off Jack London Square,
Embarcadero and Alice, Oakland, CA
tel. 510-893-0222.
- DFW Domicile and Family Awareness—Tuesday, October
30
- golf tournament benefiting the Furloughed Pilot Loan Fund
8
AM shotgun start
for more information, contact Captain Eric
Guth at 817-861-1792 or Heidi Steltzer at APA Headquarters,
1-800-323-1470, ext. 2240.
-
-
- RETIREMENT PARTIES
-
- LGA—Saturday, October 20
- cocktails at 5:30 PM, dinner and dancing at 7:15
PM
Westchester Marriott, 670 White Plains Road, NY Route 19,
Tarrytown, NY
for dinner reservations call Jack Uydess at
203-222-7255, Jack Wells at 973-729-3221, or Jack Purcell at
215-968-6331.
- DCA—Saturday, November 10
- cocktails at 6 PM, dinner at 7:30
Sheraton Barcelo Hotel,
Annapolis, MD
for room reservations call 410-266-3131
for
dinner reservations, call the DCA Flight Office at
703-419-7870.
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