Allied Pilots Association Critical of Linking U.S. Pilot Retirement Age to Nonexistent ICAO Standard; 'Why Would We Cede Authority for Aviation Safety to the United Nations?'.FORT WORTH, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas, 18th-largest city in the United States[1], and voted one of "America’s Most Livable Communities. -- The Allied Pilots Association (APA (All Points Addressable) Refers to an array (bitmapped screen, matrix, etc.) in which all bits or cells can be individually manipulated. APA - Application Portability Architecture ), collective bargaining agent for the 13,000 pilots of American Airlines (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AMR), spoke out against proposed legislation that calls for linking U.S. pilot retirement age to an undetermined International Civil Aviation Organization International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), specialized agency of the United Nations, organized in 1947, with headquarters at Montreal. The objective of the ICAO, which has 187 member nations, is to encourage the orderly growth of international civil aviation, (ICAO ICAO abbr. International Civil Aeronautics Organization Noun 1. ICAO - the United Nations agency concerned with civil aviation International Civil Aviation Organization ) standard. "It makes no sense for the U.S. to cede authority for aviation safety to a third party, whether it's the United Nations or another outside body," said Captain Ralph Hunter, APA president. "What makes this bill even more questionable is that we would be agreeing to an unknown, since there is currently no standard retirement age for airline pilots in ICAO-member countries." Hunter noted that since the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control (FAA) established age 60 retirement age for U.S. pilots back in 1959, not one single accident has been attributed to the effects of aging. "We should not be experimenting with public safety, and that's precisely what we would be doing by changing this time-tested rule," said Hunter. "The risks of sudden or subtle incapacitation in·ca·pac·i·tate tr.v. in·ca·pac·i·tat·ed, in·ca·pac·i·tat·ing, in·ca·pac·i·tates 1. To deprive of strength or ability; disable. 2. To make legally ineligible; disqualify. rise significantly beyond age 60. "There is already a rule in place that has proven highly effective where pilot retirement age is concerned. The U.S. government should continue establishing and enforcing its own safety standards, rather than acquiescing to a multilateral organization that in this instance doesn't even have a current standard." APA made its comments as the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation was preparing to mark up the bill. In its current form, the legislation would require the FAA Administrator to submit a report to that committee 24 months after any change in the FAA regulations governing pilot retirement age "concerning the effect, if any, of the modification on aviation safety." "Conducting an 'after-the-fact' safety study is bad public policy," said Hunter. "In the exacting, unforgiving arena of aviation safety, we need to know as clearly as possible the ramifications ramifications npl → Auswirkungen pl of any change before we make it." Founded in 1963, APA is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. There are currently 2,890 American Airlines pilots on furlough. The furloughs began shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks. Also, several hundred American Airlines pilots are on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union's Web site address is www.alliedpilots.org American Airlines is the nation's largest passenger carrier. |
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