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Four THE AIR LINE PILOT May, 1947 Scope of ALPA Activities Diversified and All Encompassing [[image]] STATISTICAL & RESEARCH DEPT. 1 [[image]] VISUAL REPORT OF ALPA'S COUNCIL CO-ORDINATION AND ADMINISTRATION DEPT. ACTIVE COUNCILS 69 COUNCILS PENDING 12 Business Map UNITED STATES CANADA AND MEXICO Rand McNally & Company 2 [[image]] CURRENT CONGRESSIONAL AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATION 3 (1) Statistical & Research Department ALPA's Statistical and Research Department, which carries on its work with a minimum of fanfare because the bulk of its job is to feed facts and figures to ALPA's other departments and act as a reservoir of information, is one of the most vital cogs in the air line pilots' representing and collective bargaining machinery. It is in this department that statistics, which are rapidly becoming one of the most vital weapons in collective bargaining, are in a constant state of compilation so that they are available whenever and wherever they are needed. As it becomes increasingly evident that future advancement for the air line pilots is going to have to be won around conference tables and through arbitration board and similar proceedings, the value of the Statistical and Research Department to ALPA becomes proportionately greater. Recognizing this trend, ALPA President David L. Behncke stated at the Ninth Convention: "Your wage increases are going to have to won by scientific methods. You are going to have to make your presentation so good that you convince the people that you go before by scientific proof and analysis and data and statistics that you should have the rates of compensation that you certainly deserve. Our Statistical and Research Department should not be neglected. Instead, it should be extended three and four fold." The importance of statistics was vividly reflected in both the TWA Emergency Board hearings in TWA Case A-2219 and the TWA arbitration following the strike in which approximately 50 per cent of the exhibits introduced in evidence by both sides was of a statistical nature. Briefly, it is the function and responsibility of the Statistical Research Department to keep ALPA at all times in a position to hold their own statistically with their opponents whenever it is necessary. In conjunction with this, it analyzes statistical data presented by the carriers before the CAB; maintains files on both ALPA and carrier exhibits in various arbitrations and negotiations as ammunition for future similar occasions; keeps abreast of dollar value trends; conducts research on the history and development of pilots' pay; develops pilot pay formulas consistent with and in conformance with existing laws; prepares questionnaires for circulation among pilots and graphically analyzes the results; and in general serves as a clearing house for any data useful to the air line pilots in their collective bargaining activities. All of ALPA's departments are necessary to the smooth functioning of the Association, but it can also truly be said that the Statistical and Research Department is vital to the smooth functioning of the other departments, for it is actually an auxiliary information source for them all. ------------------ (2) Council Coordination Department The Council's Coordination and Administration Department is the Association's main artery of liaison between Headquarters and the field, maintaining constant and close contact between ALPA's world-wide network of local councils which are growing in number almost daily. From a comparative handful of councils not so many years ago, ALPA's local councils today number 69, reaching every corner of the United States, as well as main sectors of South America and Europe where American air line pilots are based, and additional applications for 12 more councils are pending and being processed, necessitating the maintenance of a fully-staffed department devoted exclusively to the handling of council problems and activities. As the membership and number of ALPA councils increase, the activities of the Council Coordination and Administration Department will show a proportionate growth in the future as it has in the past. The duties of the council coordinator, which fall to the head of the Council Coordination and Administration Department, fall broadly into two categories: (1) fostering of a united organization in the filed; and (2) seeing that council work falling to Headquarters is routed to the proper Headquarters department for the most expeditious handling and prompt attention. The bulk of activities fall into the first category and consist of keeping all councils active; promote harmonious inter-council relationship; assist in the organizational details of new councils' see that elections are held properly; and maintain a constant vigilance to see that all Local Executive Councils and Master Executive Councils, as well as the new Convention-created Executive Board, is kept at full strength. All council minutes and council correspondence is carefully scrutinized by the department and items of interest excerpted for necessary action. ------------------------------- (3) ALPA Legislative Activities When the Air Line Pilots Association was born, its founding fathers were trodding on virgin ground as far as federal protection of air line pilots was concerned. Since that time, however, ALPA has never ceased being active on Capitol Hill in the sponsorship and promotion of federal legislation in the interests of the air line pilots, with the result that today many of the Association's most valuable assets are in the form of ALPA-sponsored federal regulation and law. From this facet of ALPA activity, some of it embodying months and even years of work, has come the very backbone of ALPA through Title II of the Railway Labor Act, Decision 83, pilots' flight time limitations, and the independent Air Safety Board which established a world's air safety record of over 17 months without a fatal air line crash during its existence from 1938 to 1940 and a number of other federal laws and amendments. In securing enactment of the many federal regulations so vital to all the interests of all air line pilots, the majority of ALPA's legislation promotion has been personally carried on by President Behncke whose close personal contacts in Washington have been invaluable in his 15 years of fighting for the air line pilots and their interests, his contacts and fast friendships extending into some of the highest offices in the land. Current legislative efforts of ALPA center around revival of the independent Air Safety Board and groundwork is being laid to secure enactment of a federally-supervised pension plan for air line pilots similar to the Railroad Retirement Act. Considerable progress has already been made toward re- ------------------------------------------------------ (Continued on Page 7, Columns 1 and 2) May, 1947 THE AIR LINE PILOT Five ALPA Engineer a 'Caterpillar' ----- Theodore G. Linnert, who directs the activities of the Engineering and Air Safety Department to which approximately 50 per cent of ALPA activity is devoted, was employed by the Association in September, 1944, to set up and put into operation a full-time engineering department. Mr. Linnert states that he was astounded when he first saw the many phases of aviation in which ALPA is active. Since that time, Mr. Linnert has worked with pilot committees in all phases of aeronautical engineering and air line safety. One of the principal duties of ALPA's engineer is to review all Civil Air Regulations and after consultation with the pilots submit recommendations to the agency with suggestions for improvement and elimination of faulty points. An analysis of each air line accident is made and, with the cooperation of the crash representatives, reports are formulated and sent to the CAB reflecting the pilots' opinion and offering recommendations. 18 Years of Practical Experience Mr. Linnert's responsibilities are varied and detailed. Aside from his regular activities which include conducting polls among the pilots for their opinion on current problems, processing all safety recommendations, and attending demonstrations of new equipment and safety devices, he has often been called upon to serve in an advisory and guidance capacity to manufacturers who are introducing new products into the air line industry. Mr. Linnert, who was born in Chicago 34 years ago, is an all-around aviation enthusiast. His natural talent and adeptness to aviation and engineering is backgrounded by 18 years of practical experience. In 1928 he embarked on his aviation career when he started to work for E. M. Laird Airplane Company that build racing and sport planes. Later he joined Howard Aircraft Company where he spend six years under the guidance of the prominent designer and pilot-Benny Howard. In 1941 Linnert served as a member of the Flight Engineering Division of the Civil Aeronautics Administration. Previous to coming to ALPA, he worked as a design and flight engineer for an East Coast aircraft company. Our strictly air-minded Mr. Linnert can be added to ALPA's list of non-professional flyers. He was granted his pilot license in 1932 and has been flying ever since. In 1936 he became a member of the Caterpillar Club. He holds a number of design patents [[image]] THEODORE G. LINNERT and also has CAA licenses for Aircraft and Engine mechanic ratings. Other high lights include a B.S. degree in aeronautical engineering, is a member of the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences, and is certified as a professional engineer in the State of Illinois. Mr. Linnert is married and lives near ALPA headquarters. ------------------------------------ AA GRIEVANCES (Continued from Page 3, Col. 5) ------------------------------------ leaving the door open to discrimination and harassing regulation. May was largely a continuation of the activities begun in April by the Grievance and Conciliation Department which handled a total of nine cases during the month, six of them on American Airlines growing out of the company's Ardmore screening program. R.R. Klinge, Robert Parrish, and H.M. Morgan were represented by J.F. Rice in their appeal hearings arising out of the AA Ardmore screening program on May 1 at LaGuardia Field, N.Y., before W.H. Miller, AA assistant vice-president of operations. John M. Dickerman, ALPA's Washington representative, represented R.W. Van Etten, of [[next column]] For Some--A Cue Local Council No. 24, TWA-International, at an appeal hearing held in New York on May 6 and 7 before Richard Coughlin and Chief Pilot C.R. Springer. On May 13, J.F. Rice represented C.S. Fulford, of Local Council No. 26, PAA-Western, at a hearing in Brownsville, Texas, before H.B. Fleming, sector chief pilot of Pan American Airways Latin-American division. More AA Grievances The latter part of May saw Mr. Rice in the East again with three more hearings on American Airlines on May 20 and another in Washington, D. C., on May 22 before W. G. Golien, operations manager of TWA's International Division, in which he represented John L. Dobberteen in an initial grievance hearing. Now that ALPA's Bookkeeping Department has taken up new and more spacious quarters, it has been catching up rapidly with its backlog of work and other financial activities. Miss Kay Moller, the head bookkeeper, promises that they heavy hand will soon fall on all ALPA members who are delinquent in their Association obligations. ALPA Treasurer Warren Malvick, of TWA, recently said: "The By-Laws will be enforced right across the board and those who owe and do not pay their Association obligations in accordance with the laws of the Association will have their membership terminated forth-with. There will be nothing halfway and no dilly-dallying about this. The percentage of delinquents is extremely small, but even this number must be eliminated. This can be done in one of two ways: The delinquents can settle their obligations in teh same manner as everyone else, or, they can be removed from membership." Publicity Department Since the Convention, Edward C. Modes, head of ALPA's Publicity and Public Relations Department has concentrated on bringing the AIR LINE PILOT up to date and this issue puts it completely back on schedule and in a current status. As added refinements for the Association's magazine, consideration is also being given to a better grade of printing paper and experimentation of new methods of folding and wrapping in order that it may reach members in perfect (Continued on Page 6, Col. 1) [[image]] ENGINEERING COMMITTEE MEETS Pictured above studying CAB draft releases at a meeting of Engineering and Airworthiness Advisory Committee held at ALPA headquarters on May 9 are members of committee (l. to r.) C. H. Tschirgi, of Local Council 25, TWA-Chicago; K. D. Wright, of Local Council 43, Delta-Chicago; I. E. Sommermeer, and R. M. Van Tuyl, both of Local Council No. 12, UAL-Chicago; and T. G. Linnert, of ALPA's Engineering and Air Safety Department. ----------------- [next coluumn] Five [[image]] FOUR-ENGINE JETS MAKE BOW They're already putting four engines on the jet jobs which have yet to reach the air lines but rate high with the Army Air Forces. Pictured here is the Army's first four-jet bomber which made its initial flight at Muroc, Calif. The heavy bomber, built [[image]]- Press Association Photo by North American Aviation and designated the B-45, is described by the Army as having "exceedingly high" speed, but its speed increase over the conventional two-jet plane is still a military secret. Commercial air lines are accepting jet propulsion slowly and presently experimenting with jet propulsion primarily as assistance in take-off. HIGH ALTITUDE NAVIGATION High altitude navigational experiments utilising high altitude meteorological charts and radio altimeters are being conducted by the operating crews of Pan American Airways schedules be-ween New York-Bermuda and return. These daily schedules utilize Constellation type equipment and an operating crew of six for the 671-mile flight. Pan American crews inaugurated the Bermuda run as early as 1938 with slow, low altitude flying boats. The equipment used on this run until recently has been of the type in which standard navigational procedures easily could be practiced. With the advent of high altitude, high speed aircraft, however, it quickly became apparent that some refinement in navigational procedures would be necessary for the materially shortened flight, the major portion of which is not covered by standard radio aids. Thus, procedures have been developed, whereby a single heading is utilized as a simple and accurate method of navigation for the entire sector. Dispatch data for such a flight is assembled using material taken from the synoptic situation as set forth by the surface meteorological chart; the 700 and 500 millibar upper air charts; upper air zone wind forecasts; and upper air spot soundings for New York and Bermuda. From this information, the average beam wind component for the portion of the track that the aircraft is expected to cruise at altitude is computed. Consideration is given to the distance covered during climb and descent. This wind is the average component which acts at right angles to the New York-Bermuda track, and can be used for the purpose of establishing a heading. Average Track Component Easily Obtained In addition, an average track component can be determined from the above information. The track component is that average component acting parallel to the track and the value arrived at has been corrected for loss of ground speed due to drift correction. The component is used in determining the length of flight with accuracy. The components are accurate only for the chart from which they are determined, i.e., 700mb (9,880' pressure altitude) or 500 mb (18,280' pressure altitude). If the flight is dispatched at an intermediate altitude, interpolation for the components is necessary. From the spot soundings for New York and Bermuda, climb and descent data are compiled to complete the dispatch. The resulting flight time and terminal weather conditions, of course, determine the gas load for the flight. The New York-Bermuda sector was chosen for the experimental high altitude navigational flights for several reasons. Primarily, of course, was the short duration of the flight and the immediate availability of the information derived from the trips. Another consideration was the meteorological coverage of the area and the type of weather experienced. The weather of this sector is considerably influenced by lower pressure area and frontal systems sweeping out from the continental land masses which provide an excellent laboratory for all-weather flying at all altitudes en route. Flight Progres Is Continually Checked Such high altitude navigation flights are made possible by the fact that all the captains of PAA are required to be checked out in over-water long range navigation before assuming command. The progress of the aircraft during such flight is continually checked by the pilots who utilize proven standard navigational procedure and equipment for long distance over-water operations. Informational gathered from such flights over a considerable period of time if expected to be of utmost value is determining the best and most accurate procedures for high altitude long range equipment. With newer, faster aircraft flying at greater altitudes than ever before for commercial schedules, it can be expected that the navigation of such flights will be conducted by utilizing pressure patters and the procedure of the single heading flight described above. - By Donald E. Kinkel, of Local Council No. 36, PAA-T Transatlantic.
