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of majority rule running entirely through ALPA's structure. The 12th Convention of ALPA provided for an Annual Air Safety Forum. This is an annual convention of safety representatives from each air line who devote their meetings entirely to air safety problems. The International Federation of Air Line Pilots Association is a federation of pilots organizations from 20 different countries with international offices in London. The processing of safety problems of an international nature and representation at The International Civil Air Organization (ICAO) is effected for the member organizations through IFALPA. An annual meeting is held of representatives of the 20 member organizations. Special study groups are established to deal with individual problems. Study groups are maintained in each geographical area of the world to monitor facilities and represent pilot viewpoint on problems peculiar to the area and concerning which pilots flying continuously in the area will be best informed. ALPA Accident Investigation... ALPA participates in the investigation of all major air carrier accidents. Standard investigation and reporting procedures have been worked out and are furnished to pilot representatives. Reports of each investigation are made to the President of the Association. Such reports are analyzed by ALPA staff members and pilot representatives for clues that may prevent future accidents. Recently the practice of reporting the probable cause of the accident has been instituted. In this regard, it should be noted that ALPA readily admits that there are "pilot error" accidents. However, it holds that no pilot ever erred deliberately or in the interest of self-destruction. ALPA is interested in the reason behind the error and feels that any accident written off as "pilot error" has not been accurately investigated. For example, did the error originate in design error, fatigue limits, cockpit booby traps, inadequate training programs, etc. ALPA feels that this viewpoint must be strongly represented at all accident investigations, if the operational aspect is to be thoroughly explored and the maximum learned from each accident. Special Safety Projects... Although ALPA conceives the primary responsibility of the pilot to be the discovery and reporting of air safety problems, ALPA also recognizes the necessity for the pilot or operational viewpoint being applied in the solution of problems. Therefore, in addition to the organizational processing of problems at the local, national, and international level, ALPA attacks specific problems on a special project basis. This is accomplished by designating individual pilots with specialized training or experience along a particular line as spokesmen and specialists for the Association on a specific subject. Committees are set up to work with the spokesman. The committee and spokesmen have available to them the channels and facilities of ALPA from which to gather information or determine pilot opinion. By this means, pilot specialists sitting with industry committees trying to find solutions to air safety problems are in a position to determine the "consumer acceptance" of the results. The specialist committees are required to "draft release" their recommendations to all ALPA Councils through the Council Air Safety Chairman in order that each Council will have an opportunity to comment upon them. Again, ALPA has its roots deeply in the membership and all authority stems from the membership. The active member has an opportunity to participate in all ALPA safety work. [[image - filled dining room]] ALPA ANNUAL AIR SAFET APRIL 21 - 23, 1954 CHICAGO, IL The 1954 Annual Air Safety Forum [[image - group of men]] ALPA-CAA Jet Operations Meeting [[image - room filled with people sitting in chairs]] Los Angeles '53 Local Safety Conference -34-
