United Airlines pilots respond to Jan. 9 Safety Bulletin

United Airlines pilots have asked management to overhaul training programs to place a greater emphasis on communication and ensure crews follow standard operating procedures more closely. 
                                                                       
In memos obtained by ATW’s sister publication Aviation Week, Jay Heppner, chairman of United’s master executive council, responded to a Jan. 9 flight bulletin highlighting four recent failures by pilots—two involving close proximity to terrain, one in which an aircraft landed in Los Angeles below minimum fuel standards, and one in which an aircraft was in an “undesired state” at departure.

“The common thread with all of these is that they are preventable,” SVP-flight operations Howard Attarian and, VP-safety Mike Quiello warned pilots on Jan. 9 in the sternly worded bulletin.
 
Heppner and other members of the executive council met with management on Jan. 28 to discuss the bulletin and “reiterate our long-standing safety concerns that we believe are directly attributable to the company’s actions or inactions.”

During that meeting, the union gave United a two-page list of concerns on matters including training, flight planning, the captain’s authority, operating procedures and crew resource management. But Heppner told pilots in a March 12 note that United had not acted on any suggestions. 

In an earlier note, sent on March 3, union leaders told pilots they were concerned that “aggressive cost cutting” in all departments, including training, was being implemented at the same time pilots were dealing with “substantial changes in the way we do our jobs.” Due to the merger, Heppner noted United and Continental pilots were having to learn new “processes, procedures and culture,” making it a poor time to cut budgets. 

“We call on [management] to collaboratively fix our training programs, returning them to their previous high standards,” Heppner said. 

In the March 12 follow-up, Heppner noted the aircraft refusal process remains muddled, with chief pilots, maintenance and zone control all giving opinions. “While we have made progress in this area at many bases, too many chief pilots or their representatives still insist on inserting themselves in the process,” he said. 

Still, Heppner also had stern words for pilots, reminding them on March 3 to be vigilant, particularly when recently upgraded captains fly with new first officers. “Captains must bring their first officers into the flight planning process, and continue to advise and mentor them in the techniques, methods, and day-to-day activities in accordance with company policy and procedures,” Heppner said. He also asked first officers to be “engaged” in the flight planning process and “advocate” their opinions.
 
“We remain committed to collaborative and effective joint efforts with our union leadership as our safety standards and programs evolve,” United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said in an email.

(Brian Sumers - ATWOnline News)