Pilots Union's Runway Safety Site Takes Off
The Air Line Pilots Association International unveiled a new Web site on Tuesday that is devoted to runway incursions. ALPA, the world's largest pilots union, says these hazardous incidents happen more frequently than the public realizes, with about 2.5 incidents occurring in the United States per day. The site (www.alpa.org/Default.aspx?tabid=3064) also says sometimes collisions are narrowly avoided -- in one case, by just 35 feet. The entire industry and the FAA have been working together to decrease the risk, the site points out.
ALPA represents about 60,000 pilots for U.S. and Canadian airlines. Safety is an important part of its mission, and the interactive Web site supports that by highlighting where runway incursions occur most often and how pilots can increase their situational awareness both aloft and on the ground and avoid them, it says. The union also said it will create a series of informative newsletters.
The new site displays a welcome message signed by John Prater, ALPA's president, and Terry McVenes, executive air safety chairman. ALPA's Air Safety Web site is http://crewroom.alpa.org/safety/.