In a major move on Capitol Hill today, Senators Boxer and Snowe introduced a Bill to the floor ensuring safe and rested skies above us.
Our UPS pilots have long battled the cargo carve out ( or as we call it the exemption from flight fatigue rules).
* See the IPA (UPS pilots association court case here and how the FAA admits “faults in their rulemaking” http://www.capapilots.org/ups-pilot-court-challenge-faa-admits-to-errors-agrees-to-new-look-at-cargo
*Read my former post on the subject here
Last December, the FAA enacted a Flight Time and Duty Time rest and fatigue schedule for all commercial passenger pilots. Even though the Cargo Pilots (UPS, FEDEX, APA etc., ) all use the exact same airports, taxiways, runways and skyways as we (passenger planes) do.
The FAA said that in their referencing the “econometric model” of cost effcetiveness, that the “socio-economic impact was far greater with passenger planes and fatigue than cargo, therefore cargo would not be included in the new rules.”
Let me speak plainly here: A UPS pilots life is worth far less than a Delta pilots and all of his passengers lives. UPS pilots challenged that in court btw: see above link.
That said, UPS and Delta, et al passenger airlines all use the same airports from start to finish. So on takeoff, taxi and landing , that really tired cargo pilot coming in from Taiwan or China is behind you and your pals on your Florida plane. Yup, one wrong move and Wham-o, crash by a tired “cargo-pilot” into your well rested Delta pilot.
On May 30th ( last week) there was a cargo plane hit passenger plane on the runway @ O’Hare airport. Now, no one was hurt, and no fatigue was involved, but what if? Are you willing to take that chance?
I Bet not.
(Details here: http://www.capapilots.org/capa-president-kuwitzky-responds-to-the-ohare-collision-30-may-2012)
That scenario making no sense, a few great Senators like Cravaack, Bishop and Snowe and Boxer have set out to dispel the passenger only safety, and include cargo carriers in the Safe Skies Act of 2012.
You can read the latest press release here about the safe Skies act that came out today: Boxer Safe Skies Release
