Friday, June 29, 2012

Please take the time for this survey

Dear Aircraft Maintenance Professional,

The ASAP InfoShare Steering Committee and the FAA is seeking to gather data related to aviation safety surrounding aircraft maintenance activities and the ASAP process. By following the link provided below, you will be taken to a web survey to gather your opinions and perceptions. We are working with Terry Kelly from Saint Louis University who is gathering and analyzing the information. A presentation pursuant to the data will be given at the next ASAP InfoShare meeting this Fall. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will help us better understand our work environment. The survey is de-identified and anonymous. If you have already responded to this survey, please disregard this request.



Following this anonymous link will take you to the survey: https://slu.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_emq9VDC8EL1Vamg

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Mechanic's Dispatch

Contract Proposals Reminder

Locals are currently accepting proposals for the Joint Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please see your Steward or Business Agent to receive a proposal form. The Airline Division has a proposal form available online as a backup which can be accessed at http://surveygoldplus.com/s/2B85473BE6084779/33.htm.

Proposals must be completed by June 15th so that the Steering Committee has time to prepare for their meeting July 9th. The System Steering Committee is scheduled to meet in SFO the week of July 9th, in IAH the week of July 16th and in DEN the week of July 30th. During these sessions, your System Steering Committee will be taking members’ proposals and incorporating them into an opening proposal format.

Paper Certificates expire March 31, 2013.

All paper certificate holders cannot exercise the privileges of their PAPER certificates after March 31, 2013. This includes all certificates that are issued under 14 CFR Part 63 and 65. 14 CFR 63.15(d) and 65.15(d) reads:

Duration of Certificates. Except for temporary certificates issued under §63.15 and 65.15, the holder of a paper certificate issued under this part may not exercise the privileges of that certificate after March 31, 2013.

To Change your certificate number from your SSN and request a replacement, click here:

http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/change_certificate_number/

To replace your Airmen Certificate, click here:
http://www.faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/certificate_replacement/

NOTE: If your flight engineer or flight navigator certificate was issued on the basis of a foreign license under 14 CFR Part 63.23, you must first apply for a verification of authenticity of your foreign license. You may visit our website for more information and to obtain the verification form. Your foreign license must first be verified with the CM prior to making application with the IFO or FSDO to replace your paper certificate.

If your airman certificate was issued after July 2003 and is a plastic certificate, it already meets the paper to plastic rule as specified in 14 CFR Parts 63 and 65 and you may disregard this notification.

Sub UA GSE/Facilities Committee Meets

Last week members of the sub UA GSE/Facilities Committee met with Ray Ames and managers from the largest hubs to discuss items relating to the new CBA. Items discussed involved payroll issues, facilities insourcing opportunities as well as the bidding of ground equipment/facilities machinists and welders. An agreement was reached to open bids for ground equipment and facilities machinists and welders at the meeting. More details will follow in the coming weeks regarding these positions. Scott Baroni (Local 781), Allen Cosides (Local 210), Dion Cornelious and Greg Sullivan (Local 986) Ken Meidinger (Local 455), Business Agent Dave Elmore, and Division Representative Bob Fisher were in attendance for the Union.

Notice from Local 210 Regarding 757 Engine Runs

The following notice was issued by Local 210. The advice contained in the notice applies to all 757 run-up mechanics.

Recently it has been brought to the Union’s attention that the Company is considering mechanics that are taxi/run qualified on 757 aircraft with Rolls Royce (RR) engines to also be qualified on 757 aircraft with Pratt and Whitney (PW) engines. This has caused great concern and angst with the membership.

The Company has taken the position that as long as you use the proper checklists and maintenance manual references you are OK to taxi/run both. A MSAP was filed by our Local UAL safety representative and the response was, in part, that a “Fleet” type is a term donating a group, not a specific aircraft engine combination. For example, the 757 aircraft is certified (type certificate) with multiple engine combinations (RR, PW) as a single fleet. All similar fleet types have been examined for physical and procedural differences to validate, or not, the grandfathering process. Findings yield no significant differences that can’t be mitigated with existing controls and mechanisms already in place. Those controls are the mechanics checklists, the controlled manual system, and the policies.

With that being said, if at any time an AMT is not comfortable with their ability to perform any assignment, it is imperative that they bring this to the attention of the supervisor and request assistance or reassignment.

We urge all members to err towards the side of caution. Make sure you take the time to review the proper procedures (engine start, parameters, etc.) before hastily performing a taxi/engine run on the 757 aircraft.

Thank you for your time and if you have any questions feel free to contact the Union office.