WHERE WE GO FROM HERE

INSIDE 

03 

SWAPA's Salute to Service 

06 

Vacancy Bids: Planning 

for the Future 

PAGE 04 :: PS ELECTION 

REPORTING POINT :: THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION :: VOLUME 16 + NO. 12 + NOVEMBER 2016 

WHERE WE GO FROM HERE 

Jon Weaks | President | jweaks@swapa.org 

We have a new Collective 

Bargaining Agreement. It was long 

overdue, it is not perfect, and it is not 

an end. From becoming amendable 

to what we went through last year to 

what we accomplished this year, it has 

been an awakening and an incredible 

journey. I hope that SWAPA has 

pleasantly surprised and impressed 

you. I know that you have impressed 

me. From your buy-in to the pickets to 

your resolve and support, every rankand-file 

Pilot who did his or her part 

made this happen. Don’t kid yourself; 

things, and some of these will not 

be what unions have historically 

done. I also fully understand that 

not everything we try will work. 

SWAPA will continue to improve 

our service to you. Additionally, our 

Union will be more influential, more 

aggressive in defending your interests, 

and more proactive. We have a multitiered 

strategy to better our Company 

that includes you and our daily flight 

operations, Wall Street and our 

felt frustration with the Company in the 

past as a result of management not being 

receptive to your input and feedback. 

You are our eyes and ears, and when we 

seek your participation and thoughts, 

please help us help you by giving us 

feedback. It will be vital in most of what 

we do. We will be doing more surveys, 

the first starting around the time you 

read this, so please participate. 

LineTuner should also be out of beta 

testing and up and running for everyone 

you made this happen. It is that simple. What is critical to understand here is that people do not do what you 

We gave you the tools, protection, 

confidence, and structure to be able 

to band together, and you did. You 

did it as never before and established 

a formula for our continued success. 

expect, but what you inspect. Culture is not a prime mover. Rather, it 

is a derivative. It forms as a result of signals employees get from the 

corporate processes that structure their work priorities. 

We go forward from here, together. 

We are going to use this contract 

as the first step in our overarching 

strategy going forward. SWAPA can 

never again be allowed to slip back 

into complacency and indifference. 

— Lou Gerstner, “The Culture Ate Our Corporate Reputation” 

Wall Street Journal 

My responsibility and job is to lead, 

run, represent, defend, and improve 

this organization. We are not going to 

slow down. We are going to continue 

to innovate and be unconventional 

disrupters. We are going to do new 

institutional investors, governmental 

affairs, the media, and our passengers. 

As for daily flight operations and 

you, we will be asking for more of your 

input in 2017. I know some of you have 

by the time you read this. I hope this 

makes your lives easier immediately 

while we continue to work on more 

improvements. We also have presented 

Flight Ops with many choices to make 

our operation and your lives better. We 

feel that VP of Flight Ops Alan Kasher 

is very receptive to exploring these 

opportunities. Steve Jones, Senior 

Manager Flight Ops Crew Planning, 

will hopefully heed our advice and start 

working with us rather than against 

us. I have directed your Schedule 

Research Committee to compile and 

keep current all documentation we can 

that details the conflicts, problems, and 

abuses that we have experienced over 

the past years with Crew Planning and 

Crew Scheduling. This is not meant 

to ruin careers. It is meant to point 

out corrections that need to be made, 

change attitudes toward our Pilots 

and SWAPA, and explore new ideas. 

We are also going to be pressing 

our hotel issues with the Company. 

The advent of the CBA MOU will allow 

a small start to some participation 

in our hotel situation. It will also 

allow some monitoring. I have Alan 

Kasher’s commitment that there will 

be more Flight Ops oversight of the 

CBA and more cooperation going 

forward. This is a beginning, and 

we have no intention of stopping. 

SWAPA trusts three people within 

the Flight Operations department. They 

are Alan Kasher, Bob Waltz, and Dave 

Retnam. Alan had a lot dumped in his 

lap due to circumstances, events, and 

incompetence before he became VP. 

There are many more problems and 

layers to turning Flight Ops around than 

the turnaround SWAPA went through 

this year. We will give Flight Ops time to

2 

REPORTING POINT 

NOVEMBER 2016 

FROM YOUR EXECS 

continue the process. In other words, we 

the groundwork for future negotiations. 

can’t hear what you are saying.” This 

the corporate processes that structure 

trust Alan, but we will verbalize, verify, 

In the event that we acquire another 

statement has rung very true here 

their work priorities.” Sound and feel 

monitor, and intervene to keep Flight 

airline — and, no, I do not know of 

recently. The manner in which senior 

familiar? We expect our Company 

Ops from going into the red again. 

anything currently on the horizon — 

management handled the AirTran 

to return to our core values. 

Speaking of training, we continue 

we will not be as complacent as we 

acquisition, the 717 charade and shell 

In closing, my sincere and heartfelt 

to press for more changes in training 

were previously. Management should 

game, being too proud and stubborn 

thanks go to our NC and their families, 

and personnel at the Training Center 

know that we will be as aggressive and 

to use a fully functioning international 

your SWAPA staff, and the many SWAPA 

and it has Flight Ops leadership’s 

ruthless with them as they force us to be. 

program and then not listening to the 

committee Pilots who made this 

attention. You all should know that you 

We will fight relentlessly to protect our 

Pilots the Company hired to build 

contract a reality, and to you for your 

are very well represented by SWAPA’s 

Pilots, and we will expect and demand 

our own, the selection of our internet 

participation and resolve. My job is not 

Training and Standards Committee 

to share in the success in return for 

provider on our aircraft, our seats and 

fun; it is fulfilling, however, because 

whose members are very well respected 

any risk we may be asked to assume. 

lack of innovation on our airplanes both 

you gave this BOD the energy, support, 

and engaged. This committee is 

The first step in management’s 

in the cabin and on the flight deck, the 

and resolve to carry your message 

doing outstanding work with helping 

recovery process is admitting that they 

manner in which the Company handled 

forward. I have said this before but it 

liaison with our Check Airmen and 

have major problems. In the June 7 

negotiations, our woeful technology, 

bears repeating: You gave this BOD one 

improving our training curriculum. 

meeting with upper management, they 

and even the way the branding and 

last chance to do it right and hopefully 

The most recent example is the AQP 

stated that they had “to try to begin” 

uniform changes were mishandled are 

we have not let you down. None of this 

recurrent program for 2017. I have 

to regain the trust of the Pilots. The 

just a few examples that illustrate that 

would have been possible without you 

started studying myself, and from what 

continuing operational challenges, old 

management must wake up. We do 

telling management, “No more!” 

I have read and prepared for so far, it is 

attitudes, the IT problems, and the need 

not desire to be difficult for the sake of 

I hope that not having negotiations 

a vast improvement that did not come 

for us to assume a war footing to try to 

being difficult, but our airline is on an 

hanging over our heads will help bring 

without a lot of input from SWAPA. 

get a market-rate contract do not instill 

unsustainable path. Pure talk, repeated 

some of the fun back into our daily 

In future Reporting Point articles, 

confidence. Time and their actions will 

mistakes, arrogance, and broken 

work. Fly the jet and let SWAPA continue 

I will go into detail on the other tiers 

tell if they really want a road back and 

promises will never again suffice. Never. 

to work on your behalf. I thank you 

of our strategy for 2017. Key to making 

understand the true value of us and 

In the Wall Street Journal article, 

again for all that you have helped us 

these avenues work for us is to maintain 

our profession. As we have proven time 

“The Culture Ate Our Corporate 

accomplish this year. I have never been 

your trust, to continue communicating 

and again, our value to Southwest is 

Reputation,” author and former IBM 

more proud of a group of aviators. I, 

with you, and to keep you engaged. 

not just in terms of dollars and cents; 

CEO Lou Gerstner says, “What is critical 

and the BOD, will do our very best to 

We may soon find ourselves as the sole 

we are not plumbers. We are innovators 

to understand here is that people do 

maintain your trust and make you proud 

independent major airline union, and 

and leaders and we are going to save 

not do what you expect, but what you 

of SWAPA. Take care of each other, 

we must remain independent. Using 

our Company. Senior management 

inspect. Culture is not a prime mover. 

your crews, and your passengers. I look 

these improved and multi-front methods 

can join us or continue to fight us. 

Rather, it is a derivative. It forms as a 

forward to seeing you out on the line. 

will help us exert our influence and lay 

“Your actions speak so loudly, I 

result of signals employees get from 

Throughout this issue, SWAPA salutes some of the BOD members and committee Pilots who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces. Thanks to all of them 

pictured on these pages, as well as to the countless others in our Pilot group, who protect our freedoms. 

From left: DEN FO and Outreach Chair Jean Peck; PHX CA and Safety Committee member Steve Swauger; DEN CA and SRC Chair Gary Hooyman; ATL FO and Safety 

Chair David Eiser

PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS 


NOVEMBER 2016 

3 

WELCOME TO THE NEW PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE 

Ken Terrell | Chair, Professional Standards Committee | prostandards@swapa.org 

As chair of the Professional 

Standards Committee, I want to 

take a few minutes to remind you of 

all of the benefits and advantages 

of utilizing this SWAPA resource, 

should you ever need to. 

This committee has been around 

almost since the beginning of 

SWAPA, but there seems to be quite 

a bit of misinformation about it and 

its function. When I took over as 

the committee chair, utilization of 

the committee was at an all-time 

low for multiple reasons, including 

misunderstanding about what the 

committee does, a lack of trust, slow 

Committee is made up of Pilot 

volunteers. It is a SWAPA- (or Union-) 

born committee designed to help you, 

the line Pilot, in conflicts with other 

employees. It is not a Company- or 

management-led organization. That 

said, we want to have a cooperative 

relationship with our management 

groups so that we can help in 

situations where our Chief Pilots 

would prefer a situation be handled 

at the lowest level and keep it “out of 

the office.” We have also made contact 

and have developed relationships 

with the Professional Standards 

Committees for flight attendants, 

the Company, failure to follow 

standard operating procedures, 

differing cockpit management 

styles, offensive behaviors, or 

potential harassment issues. 

If an issue arises that you’re not 

sure is appropriate for the committee, 

please give us a call anyway. If we don’t 

handle the type of case in question, 

we’ll direct you to the right resource, 

whether it be another SWAPA group 

or committee, a Southwest Airlines 

resource, or even management. 

In short, we are Pilots helping 

Pilots to yield better margins of 

safety in all operations while at the 

same time enhancing the standing 

of the professional airline Pilot. 

TASKED TO PROMOTE THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF 

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AMONG OUR PILOTS, 

OUR PRIMARY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY AND 

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF A FLIGHT. 

response times, inaccessibility, 

and most of all, a belief that 

the system was ineffective. 

We set out to change all of that with 

a complete overhaul of the process and 

the mechanics of the system. We have 

introduced a standardized process 

for all cases in order to ensure that a 

Pilot on the East Coast is getting the 

same product as a Pilot on the West 

Coast. While creating our new process, 

we also came up with a new phone 

system. By calling just one number 

(214.722.4245), you can be directly 

connected to the cellphone of one of 

our committee members so that we 

can ensure faster and more reliable 

service. Just follow the prompts. 

The Professional Standards 

mechanics, and dispatchers. 

Tasked to promote the 

highest degree of professional 

conduct among our Pilots, our 

primary concern is the safety and 

professional conduct of a flight. 

Everything we do is strictly 

confidential. We will ask that you 

remain confidential about any 

case as well. As a matter of fact, 

we cannot take your case unless 

you agree to a confidentiality 

agreement between you and the 

Professional Standards member. 

The Professional Standards 

Committee handles a variety of cases. 

These can include interpersonal 

conflicts between Pilots or between 

a Pilot and another employee of 

Clockwise from top left: 2nd Vice President CA Tom Gasparolo; PHX Chair CA 

Mike Vastano; MDW CA and Safety Committee member Ty Dimeff (third from 

left) with family members.

4 

REPORTING 

POINT 

NOVEMBER 2016 

NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE 

PROFIT SHARING ELECTION: MAKING YOUR ELECTION GOING FORWARD 

Negotiating Committee | nc@swapa.org 

OVERVIEW 

Under the new contract, for the 

first time, SWAPA Pilots have the 

option to receive some profit sharing 

dollars as cash, rather than as a 

qualified retirement contribution. 

Before the discussion on this year’s 

election begins, let’s first review 

some background information. 

The NC’s mandate this year, based 

on polling, was some form of a profit 

sharing cash option. Unlike every 

other major airline, the Southwest 

Airlines Profit Sharing Plan is unique 

in that it is a qualified retirement 

plan. That means ours is subject 

to ERISA and IRS rules that do not 

apply to the cash bonus plans at our 

peers. One of those rules requires 

any cash versus deferral election to 

apply to our entire group. We cannot 

make a selection on an individual 

basis. Under that limitation, the NC 

negotiated four options that SWAPA 

could choose from each year that 

would provide at least some cash to 

our members. During the September 

board meeting, the BOD passed a 

resolution that gave the decision to our 

Pilots via an annual membership-wide 

referendum. This year’s vote is set to 

open on Wednesday, November 30 at 

12 p.m. CT and close on Wednesday, 

December 14 at 12 p.m. CT. 

Remember when talking about 

the Southwest Airlines Profit 

Sharing Plan, everything is drawn 

out time-wise. SWAPA Pilots will 

choose a deferral rate by the end 

of 2016 that will apply to the 2017 

Profit Sharing Plan year. 2017 profit 

sharing will not be paid until the 

spring of 2018. So, our Pilots are 

making a choice that will take effect 

almost a year-and-a-half from now. 

HOW IT WORKS 

Section 19.A. outlines the 

annual election by the Pilots 

to cast a vote for profit sharing 

deferral. The four options are: 

A. Up to the first 5 percent of 

profit sharing is tax-deferred, 

then the rest in taxable cash 

B. Up to the first 7.5 percent of 



C. Up to the first 10.0 percent of 



D. All profit sharing is deferred into 

your qualified retirement account 

Option D is current practice. If 

you like the way it is today with as 

much money contributed to your 

qualified retirement account as 

possible, option D is the best option 

for you. It is important to understand 

that these group elections apply 

only to the qualified portion of profit 

sharing. That means all profit sharing 

on income above the IRS 401(a)(17) 

limit ($270,000 in 2017) is unaffected 

by this election. It will all be funded 

to the 401(a)(17) Plan or returned 

as cash on an individual basis. 

SWAPA has received a number 

of questions on the how the math 

would work. This election doesn’t 

mean 5 percent of total profit sharing, 

but rather the first 5 percent of the 

stated profit sharing percentage 

amount. Suppose profit sharing was 

8.5 percent and SWAPA collectively 

elected 5 percent. The first 5 percent 

would go into each Pilot’s retirement 

account and the remaining 3.5 

percent would get paid as cash. 

Let’s go over two examples of 

how the profit sharing deferral will 

work. In the first example, we look at 

a Pilot who makes $250,000 (Figure 

1). Southwest announces 12 percent 

profit sharing for the year. Depending 

on the membership election for our 

Pilot group, you can see that the 

Pilot will receive $30,000 split one of 

four ways. The Pilot would receive 

as much as $30,000 in his qualified 

account (like today) or as little as 

$12,500. In each case, the actual 

amount would be limited by the 

IRS 415(c) Limit. Any overage would 

automatically be returned to the Pilot 

as cash or deferred into the 415 Excess 

Plan. Conversely, he will receive 

between zero and $17,500 as cash. 

In all cases, there is no loss of profit 

sharing dollars. The election simply 

determines where the money goes. 

In the second example, we 

consider our $250,000 Pilot again. 

SWAPA elects 10 percent profit 

sharing withholding. In Figure 2, 

we see that until Southwest profit 

sharing exceeds 10 percent, he will 

not receive the cash option. All profit 

sharing up to 10 percent will be 

treated as deferred money like it is 

today. Anything over 10 percent will 

be paid as a taxable cash bonus. 

FORECASTS, ASSUMPTIONS, AND ESTIMATES 

For the following analysis, SWAPA 

is presenting examples using a 

profit sharing percentage based on 

forecasted profits (EBT) by Credit 

Suisse and forecasted eligible wages 

by the Negotiating Committee. 

Today, that analysis estimates 2017 

profit sharing to be 11.5 percent. 

While this is the best guess we have 

today, it is still only a guess. Last year 

at this time, Wall Street predicted 

Southwest Airlines profits would 

be close to 17 percent profit sharing 

this year. Today, following the IT 

failure in August and numerous 

ratification bonus payments, that 

number has dropped closer to 14 

percent. As you unfortunately know, 

it takes only one router failure or 

another Midway Meltdown to cost 

our airline tens of millions of dollars, 

and by extension, our employees 

millions in profit sharing, so consider 

these numbers optimistic.

NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE 


NOVEMBER 2016 

5 

THE CASH BACK OPTION 

TO SUMMARIZE, IF YOU: 

In addition to Wall Street 

estimates, our models are also 

based on the new Company nonelective 

contribution (NEC) of 13.4 

percent next year as well as the IRS 

limits for 2017 shown in Figure 3. 

CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR INDIVIDUAL VOTE 

First, if you are an average captain 

who does not participate in the 415 

Excess Plan, based on Wall Street 

estimates for next year, you will 

see the same distribution of profit 

sharing regardless of the membership 

election. It’s also important to 

understand that for Pilots who receive 

excess payments, the difference 

between the cash bonus payment 

date and the excess cash funding is 

only a couple of months. The choice 

between cash or deferral for these 

Pilots has little impact on them. 

If you are a mid- to high-earning 

Pilot who participates in the 415 

Excess Plan and wants to shelter as 

much money from taxes as possible, 

you should vote for ALL profit sharing 

to be deferred. If our group decides 

to take cash from profit sharing, 

it will limit the amount of money 

available to fund the Excess Plan. For 

a Pilot who earns $270,000 or more 

and 11.5 percent profit sharing next 

year, you can see he will be restricted 

from contributing $17,550 to his 415 

Excess Plan if the group choice is 5 

percent deferral next year. (Figure 4) 

With those two groups considered, 

let’s look at the rest of our Pilot group 

using the table in Figure 5. The bottom 

of the chart is represented by an 

average first-year FO on reserve who 

will make around $70,000. The top of 

the chart is $270,000. Remember, the 

membership-wide election applies 

on income up to the IRS 401(a)(17) 

Limit which is $270,000 next year. 

In Figure 5, for each election (5.0%, 

7.5%, 10.0%, ALL) you can see how 

much money will be funded to the 

qualified bucket based on the 11.5 

percent profit sharing forecast and 

our guaranteed 13.4 percent NEC. 

The numbers highlighted in yellow 

show that the IRS 415(c) Limit ($54,000 

in 2017) can be met with some Pilot 

contributions. Numbers highlighted in 

green show those who will hit the limit 

without any Pilot contributions. Please 

remember that if you are age 50 or over 

and want to contribute $60,000 in 2017 

to the qualified plans, the additional 

$6,000 above the IRS 415(c) limit 

must come from Pilot contributions. 

It’s important to say that the 11.5 

percent profit sharing forecast based 

on Wall Street estimates can be wildly 

inaccurate a year out. SWAPA strongly 

urges each Pilot to contribute as 

much as possible to his or her 401(k) 

Plan just like today assuming that the 

profit sharing payout could be $0. 

If the membership elects to return 

some profit sharing as cash, this 

table shows the amount based on 

the election and Pilot wages. 

CONCLUSION 

Earn more than around 

$200,000 and do not 

participate in the 415 

Excess Plan 

Participate in the 415 

Excess Plan and want 

to maximize your 

tax-sheltered 

contributions 

Earn less than around 

$200,000 and want 

to maximize your 

qualified retirement 

savings 

Earn less than around 

$200,000 but need 

cash now rather than 

retirement savings 

Each option 

is effectively 

the same 

Select 

option D 

(ALL) 

Select 

option D 

(ALL) 

Options A 

through C, 

personal 

choice 

SWAPA has negotiated four options for profit sharing payment, but ultimately, 

the choice is up to the membership. While the NC certainly wanted individual 

elections, we were unable to achieve that due to IRS restrictions unique to the 

Southwest Airlines Profit Sharing Plan. Each Pilot has unique circumstances 

and should weigh the need for retirement savings or immediate cash payments. 

At least as a group, we will be able to choose and choice is always good. 

Notes: 

1. The maximum qualified contribution is $54,000 in 2017. Any values in the table in excess of $54,000 must be paid as cash or deferred into the 415 Excess Benefit Plan. 

2. EBT estimation from Credit Suisse 26 Oct. 2016 Equity Research Report. 

3. Eligible Wage and Profit Sharing Contribution projected estimations from SWAPA NC. 

4. The profit sharing percentage is an estimate and can change due to business and economic conditions. 

5. Do not rely on this data for financial planning purposes. This is intended for general educational material only. 

6. Past performance is not an indicator of future performance.

6 

REPORTING 

POINT 

NOVEMBER 2016 

SCHEDULE RESEARCH 

VACANCY BIDS: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE 

Schedule Research Committeee | scheduling@swapa.org 

One thing that we can always 

count on as professionals in the airline 

industry is the ever-changing nature 

of how we do business. As the network 

grows and the employee group grows, 

so, too, must the processes that 

govern when and where we report to 

work. One way we see this manifest 

is in our vacancy bidding. For those 

still new to the Company, there is 

a lot to learn, and to those tenured 

individuals … well, there’s still a lot 

to learn. The SRC is here to help you 

navigate the vacancy bidding timeline 

as well as the various areas of the new 

CBA that may impact your approach 

to vacancy bids moving forward. 

WHAT IS A VACANCY? 

Let’s start with the basics. First, 

a vacancy bid occurs when there is 

an increase or decrease of captains 

and/or first officers in one or more 

bases, meaning the number of Pilots 

needed in a category (domicile/seat) 

is changing based on the network’s 

needs. The vacancy bid is published as 

a table listing the increase or decrease 

in the number of captains and/or 

first officers for each base. Given that 

there are currently 10 domiciles, the 

vacancy chart reflects 20 categories 

for potential vacancy activity. When 

the Company is growing Pilot 

staffing, positive vacancies will be 

listed. Stagnant staffing will have no 

overall increases, although shuffling 

can occur between domiciles or 

seat positions. Contraction will 

result in negative values for the 

shrinking domicile or seat position. 

The Company provides two notices 

to the Pilots including an Initial 

Vacancy posting and a Revised or 

Final Vacancy posting. No less than 

30 days prior to closing, an Initial 

Vacancy notice is posted on SWALife 

advising Pilots that a vacancy bid will 

occur as well as the time and dates 

for the bid closing and protest period, 

but it does not include any details 

regarding the changes to domicile 

staffing due to the speculative 

nature of vacancies (see Figure 1). 

As the effective month draws 

near, the Company releases a Revised 

Vacancy posting featuring a table 

with overall staffing changes for each 

domicile (see Figure 2). Vacancies are 

awarded by seat (captains bidding 

for CA vacancies first) and then 

by system seniority, which is the 

seniority number displayed under 

your name in CWA (see Figure 3). 

DOMICILE CAPTAINS FIRST 

OFFICERS 

ATL 0 0 

BWI 1 -14 

DAL 13 2 

DEN 6 0 

HOU 5 -8 

LAS 8 -2 

MCO 0 -3 

MDW 6 -8 

OAK 6 5 

PHX 7 -2 

OVERALL 

VACANCY 

52 -30 

After the closing and processing of 

the bids, the Company will post the 

vacancy awards as well as an updated 

seniority list for each base and seat. 

You will then have 24 hours to submit 

a protest if you believe there is an error 

with your award. These postings are all 

available through Company email or 

by navigating to SWALife > My Work > 

Flight Ops > Our Business > Vacancy 

Postings in your web browser (see 

Figure 4). 

THE FINE PRINT ON DRR 

One differentiation in the vacancy 

bid language is that of the primary 

versus secondary vacancy. The 

vacancy chart featured in the revised 

vacancy announcement represents the 

primary vacancies. Once the shuffling 

of Pilots between bases begins, newly 

created vacancies that result from 

this shuffle are considered secondary 

vacancies. These separately defined 

rounds of vacancy awards become 

particularly important when utilizing 

DRR, or Domicile Right of Return, 

which is one of the many featured 

language changes in the new CBA. 

DRR is an additional process that will 

precede the primary vacancy award 

and is meant to serve those Pilots 

who are displaced from their most 

desired base and seat. We recently 

ran an article on the ins and outs of 

DRR, but here are some bullet points: 

• You only qualify for DRR 

if you are assigned to and 

subsequently (after at least one 

bid period) displaced from your 

number-one vacancy bid. 

• Before the vacancy award 

process is run, each category’s 

right of return list is evaluated 

and up to half (rounded down) 

of the published vacancies are 

initially filled with right of return



NOVEMBER 2016 

7 

Pilots, in seniority order, then 

the remaining slots are filled by 

the normal vacancy process. 

• There is a possibility of being 

displaced in the secondary 

vacancy even after exercising 

DRR in the primary vacancy. 

• You are removed from the 

DRR list if you take the 

displaced Pilot paid move 

opportunity or if you modify 

your vacancy bid ordering. 

Other than those slots awarded 

under DRR provisions, all new 

vacancies in the primary round, 

and those created in the secondary 

round, are available to the entire 

system. If a Pilot successfully bids 

into a different domicile, he is entitled 

to 12 hours of rest as well as time to 

commute between domiciles. This 

break in flying will look different 

for each Pilot depending on their 

month-to-month overlap. Unique 

circumstances should be reviewed 

with your domicile Chief Pilot. 

DISPLACEMENTS 

In an ideal world, all movement 

between base and seat would be 

deliberate and voluntary. That being 

said, our membership is a growing 

and dynamic group with changing 

needs and individual motivations 

that don’t always mesh. Therefore, 

our CBA specifically addresses 

involuntary displacement — when 

a Pilot is forced out of their base and/ 

or seat. Two scenarios are outlined: 

one being a full elimination of a bid 

status (like a domicile or elimination 

of an ETOPS bid group) and the 

other more likely scenario being a 

reduction in a bid status (base and 

seat) to the point where the system 

can no longer accommodate the 

number of Pilots actively bidding in 

that status in the future month. DRR 

will provide some relief in the event 

you find yourself in a displacement 

situation, but even with this added 

new CBA protection, there will still 

be Pilots who fall victim to this 

unpleasant reality — at least for a time. 

There is some financial recourse 

tied to an involuntary displacement 

as well as a timeline to accommodate 

the transition between bases. 

For starters, if you don’t plan to 

pursue DRR protection, you can 

opt for a paid Company move or 

hotel reimbursement if you plan to 

commute. Just make sure you read 

the fine print in Section 10 of the 

contract as there are a number of 

stipulations involved. The CBA also 

provides you with two days for travel 

time prior to the first assignment in 

your new domicile. If this window of 

time doesn’t occur naturally on your 

schedule when your line is loaded, 

make sure you contact SWA before the 

end of the overlap adjustment period 

to request your required days off, but 

these days won’t necessarily be pulled 

with pay so make sure you evaluate 

your individual situation carefully. 

VACANCY LOCKS 

When discussing the ins and outs 

of vacancy planning and your bidding 

strategy, make sure you take into 

consideration the various “locks” — 

aka commitment timeframes — that 

are tied to certain vacancy awards. 

The concept of locks isn’t necessarily 

new, but the new CBA language will 

introduce some lock scenarios you 

should familiarize yourself with. One 

longer standing example is when a 

CA bids back to FO. During the 2017 

Lance Program transition, those who 

bid in this fashion will not be eligible 

for lance opportunities, they will 

also continue to incur a lock into the 

FO seat for four bid periods under 

the new CBA. See our article in the 

April RP on Lance Captain bidding 

for a closer look at these changes. 

As for other locks, the prior CBA 

language did address ETOPS Bid 

Groups with specific lock timeframes, 

and the new CBA simplifies those. 

There would be a six-bid period lock 

involved when voluntarily bidding 

into an ETOPS Bid Group (EBG) or 

an international domicile. Of course, 

these locks don’t apply to Pilots who 

are involuntarily displaced, and new 

hires won’t be locked into an EBG 

or international domicile if those 

categories were their lowest vacancy 

preference(s). In the event you do get 

locked into an EBG or international 

domicile (once those categories 

are actually created), you can still 

bid freely between other domiciles 

with EBGs or between international 

domiciles if more than one exists. 

WITH OR WITHOUT CONTINGENCIES? 

When bidding, each Pilot must 

enter a vacancy bid to include each 

seat position and domicile without 

contingencies (bid at 100 percent). 

Pilots can enter this as a standing 

bid under Bid Input > Vacancy Bid. 

Currently your standing vacancy bid 

should result in at least 20 preferences 

entered with one CA and one FO entry 

per each of the 10 domiciles bid at 

100 percent. Additional preference 

entries may be added as contingency 

bids, should the Pilot desire, one 

contingency bid per category for a 

maximum of 40 preferences total. A 

contingency bid allows you to bid into 

a category with a certain amount of 

seniority. For example, a Pilot may 

choose to commute to a domicile 

only if he can be reasonably assured 

to not sit reserve. This Pilot would 

bid that particular domicile at say 

85 percent seniority. Or, assuming 

this Pilot wishes to be reasonably 

assured to hold weekday line flying, 

then he may adjust his contingency 

to around 40 to 50 percent. 

A couple of things to remember 

about bidding contingencies: First, 

each Pilot must, at a minimum, 

have one bid for each category at 100 

percent somewhere in their ordering 

to allow for the process to be able to 

handle any possible displacement. 

Second, if a Pilot falls below their 

contingency by any amount (even 

by only .01 — there is no rounding 

past the first tenth), then the system 

will move to the next lower bid. 

Such progression (falling out of a 

contingency bid) is not considered 

involuntary nor is it considered a 

displacement since it wasn’t from a 100 

percent bid. In other words, moving 

out of a contingency to the next lower 

bid is considered voluntary and the 

Pilot will not be able to utilize any 

displacement privileges or bumping 

rights. For example, an ATL CA has 

ATL CA 90 percent followed by ATL 

FO 100 percent — if he falls below the 

90 percent next month, he will not 

be able to bump a junior ATL FO and 

would only be assigned ATL FO if there 

is a primary or secondary vacancy 

still available. Another caution with 

contingency bids: Assuming that the 

systemwide number of captains isn’t 

being reduced, a captain cannot be 

forced out of their seat by an FO as 

long as they maintain a vacancy bid 

for all 10 domiciles in the CA seat 

without contingencies (100 percent) 

and that are all above any FO bid. 

While a little complicated, 

contingency bids are a great tool to 

manage what seniority you're willing 

to bid to a particular domicile based 

on the relative schedule you can hold 

at the various domiciles. However, 

always be mindful of all of the above 

limitations of contingency bidding. 

(Continued on the next page.)

8 


NOVEMBER 2016 


CLOSING THOUGHTS 

As you can see, there are a number 

of variables that can impact your 

strategy for vacancy bidding. To 

help you predict what you might be 

able to hold in the next vacancy, SRC 

provides two products: a monthly 

vacancy projection and a relative 

seniority analysis. The projected 

vacancy report is published a few 

days before each vacancy close 

and can be found on SWAPA.org 

under Scheduling Research. 

The vacancy projection provides 

you with the seniority of the most 

junior Pilot for each base and seat as 

well as a projection of the first two/ 

three digits of the seniority number 

for the most junior Pilot likely to bid 

successfully into each category where 

vacancies are available (see Figure 

5). If a displacement is indicated, the 

projection will specify how many 

potential displacements are likely to 

occur so the most junior Pilots in that 

category can proactively strategize 

their potential displacement. 

Meanwhile, the seniority analysis 

allows you to review the number of 

retirements scheduled to occur as well 

as your current seniority standings 

so you can project the impact on 

your future seniority placement, and 

potentially, your chances of achieving 

a future vacancy slot in a desired 

category (see Figure 6). The seniority 

analysis is found on SWAPA.org via 

the “My Stuff” pull-down under 

“Seniority Sneak Peek.” The SRC is 

actively brainstorming potential 

tools to further assist you with your 

vacancy bidding, so we encourage 

you to stay engaged and submit your 

ideas and feedback. As always, if you 

have further questions, please contact 

us at scheduling@swapa.org. 

FIGURE 6


NOVEMBER 2016 

9 

From top: MCO Vice Chair FO 

Keith Hurley; Safety Committee 

members MCO FO Joe Mondello 

and HOU FO Floyd Garner 

NOV 

PHOTO OF THE MONTH 

FO ERIC KNUDSON 

DEN/#90231 

CONTEST RULES 

1. The photo must be the original work of the active SWA pilot 

submitting the photo. Remember all works of art including 

photos are copyrighted at the moment of creation. 

2. The photo must be related to aviation. Yes, photos 

of full scale aircraft can be submitted. 

3. The photo can only be entered in one monthly 

contest. If you have submitted it in one contest, 

submit a different photo in later contests. 

4. The photo must be less than five years old. 

5. By submitting a photo you give Southwest 

Airlines Pilots’ Association permission to use 

the photo in the Reporting Point, the website, 

forums, or any other SWAPA publication. 

6. Please send any aviation related photos to rp@swapa. 

org with the subject “photo of the month.” Don’t 

forget to include your name and employee number.

10 


NOVEMBER 2016 

FLY Healthy 

MEMBERSHIP DOMICILE COLUMNS LETTERS 

flyhealthy@swapa.org 

Ilan “Eli” Berko 

I recently flew with another Pilot 

who described his workout on the 

road as “I gotta sweat.” I found that 

to be a very interesting description 

of working out. He didn’t care 

what he did. Would he jump on 

the elliptical, the treadmill, or run 

outside? Would he lift some weights? 

Didn’t matter. He just needed to 

sweat. So the question for you is, 

do your workouts make you sweat? 

And more pointedly, how intense 

are your workouts? Do you just go 

through the motions? Is your workout 

so boring that you have absolutely 

no interest in making it difficult? 

Are you watching TV or reading a 

magazine while on the treadmill? 

Anything to avoid thinking about 

what you are actually doing, right? 

To be sure, there are workouts 

that don’t require sweating. Many 

forms of yoga and even light cardio 

will seldom get a genuine sweat 

going. But those workouts are 

there to offset the workouts that 

do, in fact, make you sweat. They 

are the exception to the rule. 

If you are not packing a workout 

outfit for each of your overnights, 

then you are probably not sweating 

enough. At the end of a good workout, 

your shirt should be soaked. How 

soaked? So soaked that you’re 

wondering how you are going to pack 

it in your suitcase without making 

the rest of your clothes reek. (Tip: 

Pack those nasty clothes in the hotel’s 

dry-cleaning bag from the closet). 

So why bother? Why is it so 

important to “break a sweat”? 

Numerous studies have shown 

that high-intensity workouts are 

significantly more effective than lowintensity 

ones. (That being said, low 

intensity workouts do have their place 

— but make them long, very long.) 

100 REP CHALLENGE (BY JIM WENDLER) 

There are many ways to “break 

a sweat.” Certainly cardio is an 

easy one. Just go for a run and 

increase the speed until you’re 

huffing and puffing and sweating. 

You can also do a conditioning 

circuit. For example, 30 seconds of 

five different exercises (push-ups, 

jumping jacks, etc.) in a row. 

Those are very typical exercise 

regimens that you may have tried. But 

let’s try something new — the 100-rep 

challenge. Why 100 reps? This will 

certainly make you sweat, but more 

importantly, build mental fortitude, 

mental toughness, and confidence in 

believing that anything is possible. 

This is a great workout for 

hypertrophy; that muscle-pump 

that you love. It will help you grow 

more muscle and even get stronger. 

After a thorough warmup 

including upper and lower 

body dynamic stretches, 

perform these exercises: 

Upper Body: 

1. Front raise. Grab a dumbbell 

with both hands and raise it (with 

straight arms above your head 

and lower to chest level). Repeat 

for 100 reps. This will pump up 

your shoulders, back, and chest. 

Don’t use too much momentum. 

2. Curls. Use a dumbbell in 

each arm and curl at the 

same time for 100 reps. Again, 

try not to use momentum. 

Keep your torso straight. 

3. Bent over rows. Bend about 45 

degrees at the waist, and row a 

dumbbell in each hand to your 

sides level with your bellybutton. 

At the top of the movement, 

shrug your shoulders back. 

Theoretically, you should perform 

all 100 reps without stopping. That 

is nearly impossible for most of us, 

so instead attempt to perform 50-60 

reps, then take a five-second breather 

and continue until you reach 100. 

Do not put the dumbbells on the 

floor until all 100 reps are finished. 

Lower Body: 

1. Bulgarian split squats. It’s best 

to Google this exercise if you 

are not familiar. No need to use 

weights for this one. Make sure 

you get a full range of motion and 

again with as little momentum 

as possible. Perform 50 reps on 

one leg and then 50 on the other. 

2. Hamstring curl. Use a machine if 

possible, if one is not available, lie 

on your stomach, and put a light 

dumbbell between your shoes 

and curl up your hamstrings. 

3. Sit-ups or crunches. In either 

one, no need to go all the way 

up. Just get your shoulders off 

the floor and scrunch up those 

abdominal muscles. Keep 

your hands crossed along your 

chest. If you feel any strain on 

your neck, press your tongue 

against the roof of your mouth 

as your perform the exercise. 

This is going to be tough. Pick a 

weight that will challenge you. Your 

muscles should feel like they are 

going to explode. Those last 10 reps 

should feel just about impossible to 

do. Your form will be awful on those 

last reps. That’s okay. You are using a 

light enough weight that poor form 

will not cause injury. If done right, 

you should be utterly exhausted at 

the end of the workout. And you will 

probably be very sore the next day. 

Yes, you may curse me at that point! 

If you are unsure about this 

workout, you can try 50 reps the 

first time. Adjust the weight on 

subsequent workouts as needed 

to find that perfect balance of 

difficulty and mental toughness. 

This is a good workout that can 

be added to your existing routine. 

This is not a substitute for weight 

lifting or cardio. Your diet and sleep 

(or lack of it) will have a significant 

impact on your performance. Write 

down how much you slept the night 

before, how much alcohol you 

drank, and how many carbs and 

what type. Perform once a week and 

compare each subsequent workout. 

You will be astounded to see how 

much your diet and the amount you 

sleep actually affects you overall. 

Fly healthy!

OPERATIONS COMMITTEE 


NOVEMBER 2016 

11 

HE TOOK A WALK 

Jeff Hoyt | Chair, Operations Committee | operations@swapa.org 

For the past two years, I’ve been 

asking you to “take a walk.” I’ve asked 

you to get involved to ensure that we 

capture every one of our passengers 

(both revenue and non-revenue). 

This month, I would like to thank 

the captain who did precisely that 

and made sure that on July 26, 2016, 

every member of Boy Scout Troop 

339 was able to make his trip to the 

Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. 

The troop leader did everything 

Southwest Airlines asked. The 

reservation for 20 Scouts and 10 adult 

leaders was made in December 2015. 

The reservation was confirmed on June 

20, 2016. The morning of the flight, 

the troop arrived at the airport at 4:20 

a.m. for a 6:20 a.m. scheduled push. 

This is how the troop leader 

described the events upon arrival at 

the ticket counter: “I was instructed 

by the Southwest concierge to have 

our group wait off to the side until 

space was available in the kiosk 

area. My group got in line as soon 

as space allowed. Initially, there 

were three Southwest employees 

working at the baggage check-in 

counter. As our group approached 

the counter, one Southwest employee 

left, so only two employees were left 

to check in our luggage as well as 

the regular passengers’ luggage. At 

some point, an employee did return 

to assist with checking in bags.” 

After getting all their gear checked, 

the troop proceeded to security. Part 

of the group was sent through precheck 

while the rest went through 

the regular lines. Post-security was 

described this way: “After making it 

through the pre-check security area, I 

realized that our flight departure time 

was very soon. The adults and Scouts 

with me ran through the terminal to 

make it to the plane. I did not realize 

that most of my group of teenage boys 

and adults was not onboard until 

after I sat in my seat. I spoke to a flight 

attendant who stated that there was 

still 10 minutes more for boarding.” 

We have seen it many times; the 

overzealous effort to push the aircraft 

unnecessarily early was described this 

way. “A few minutes later, I received a 

call from my teenaged Scout, outside 

the plane, that a Southwest employee 

had just closed the door to the gate 

right in front of him. No one else was 

being allowed on the plane. He stated 

that he was with a group of about 

25 Scouts who had just run through 

the terminal carrying their boots.” 

After hanging up from this call, 

the troop leader went to the front 

of aircraft to ask for help getting 

the troop onboard. At the forward 

entry, the leader was “confronted by 

a woman with ‘Supervisor’ on her 

name tag. She informed me that the 

aircraft’s door was being shut and no 

one else was allowed to board.” As the 

leader was pleading for the rest of the 

troop to be boarded, the “Supervisor” 

threatened to have security remove 

the troop leader (in full uniform 

by the way) from the plane. 

Thankfully, this is where the 

captain stepped in. He instructed 

the “Supervisor” to board the rest 

of the troop. The response from 

the “Supervisor?” “They better not 

come onboard with food and sodas 

after making us wait for them.” 

So how long did the rest of the 

passengers have to wait so this one Boy 

Scout troop could be accommodated? 

What Delay Code was assigned to this 

delay? The answer to both questions 

is none. The flight pushed one minute 

early and arrived 14 minutes early. 

So, if you piloted Flight 1358 

from BWI to MDW on July 26, 

2016, thank you for ensuring that 

Boy Scout Troop 339 was able to 

complete this trip of a lifetime. 

From left: OAK Chair FO Brian Fitting; MDW CA and Safety Committee member Bruce Thomas; ATL Vice Chair FO Dave Peck; PHX FO and Communications Committee 

member Sam Mann; MCO CA and Safety Committee member Scott Hutchinson

12 

Family 


NOVEMBER 2016 

CONNECTIONS 

Congratulations 

FO DAVE GOOCH (MDW/#83341) married 

Ann Marie Moore on September 22. 

FO STEVE WILLIAMS (PHX/#88082) 

and wife, Janice, had a baby girl. 

Sierra was born August 12. 

FO AREND KAMPS (BWI/#88520) and wife, 

Veneta, had twins. Gerard Aidan and 

Karina Daniela were born September 

29, both weighing 6 pounds. 

FO CRAIG JAKUBOWSKI (DEN/#95482) 

and wife, Kimberly, had a baby girl. 

Wren Elizabeth was born October 

4, weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces. 

FO JASON FREESE (HOU/#116835) had a 

baby girl. Jayne Elizabeth was born 

October 9, weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces. 

FO ROSS CHALFANT (HOU/#82591) and 

wife, Arlyn, had a baby boy. Ross 

Chalfant, Jr. was born October 16. 

FO MIKE BAILEY (OAK/#117383) and wife had 

a baby girl. Emilia was born October 

17, weighing 6 pounds, 4 ounces. 

Condolences 

FO MATT SMELLER (DAL/#95473) 

passed away. 

CA JIM KNIESE (DAL/#2233) passed away. 

CA PAUL LAWRENCE (MCO/#43399) father, 

Lloyd “Bud” Lawrence, passed away. 

FO BRYAN TURNER (BWI/#103204) fatherin-law, 

Frank Shelton, passed away. 

CA JOE MIKLOS (MDW/#58011) father, 

William Miklos, passed away. 

CA PAT BOYD (MDW/#54619) mother, 

Violet Seymour Boyd, passed away. 

FO GEORGE CARMO (BWI/#74497) 

mother, Bernardina Carmo, 

passed away. 

CA JACK KING (PHX/#51340) father-inlaw, 

Billy Rae Sharp, passed away. 

FO TONY MARRAZZO 

(OAK/#85363) mother, Shari 

Marrazzo, passed away. 

CA ALAN CONRAD (LAS/#51342) father, 

Roy Conrad, passed away. 

FO ALAN LECLERC (LAS/#86361) fatherin-law, 

John Parker IV, passed away. 

CA STEVE JOHNSON (BWI/#40132) father, 

Ralph Johnson, passed away. 

CA MARK CHENEY (OAK/#6596) motherin-law, 

Joyce Meyer, passed away. 

FO KIMBERLY LANE (BWI/#80348) father, 

Gerard Francis Lane, 

passed away. 

FO MICHAEL FREITAG (MDW/#80861) 

mother, Marsha Freitag, passed away. 

CA MERCEDES BALIN (HOU/#11675) father, 

Dr. Jerry Craftre, passed away. 

FO ROB HYLAND (HOU/#76498) 

grandfather, Wayne Hansen, 

passed away. 

CA JEFF DEBEER (MDW/#41492) brother, 

Greg DeBeer, passed away. 

CA SCOTT BERG (MDW/#21515) motherin-law, 

June Braun, passed away. 

CA GARY GARNER (OAK/#49025) mother-inlaw, 

Darlene Sheddan, passed away. 

CA DAVID BROCKETT (BWI/#24378) brother, 

Peter Brockett, passed away. 

FO DUSTY BENKER (PHX/#108962) 

father passed away. 

FO DALE PETERSON (BWI/#63110) father, 

David Peterson, passed away. 

FO TONY ANDREWS (MDW/#81795) fatherin-law, 

Lance Hardie, passed away. 

Scheduled Retirements 

CA DANA PLACE (MDW/#53519) 4 DECEMBER 

CA WILLIAM HAYES (ATL/#30712) 6 DECEMBER 

CA CARL LEACH (DAL/#14589) 8 DECEMBER 

CA RICHARD ROTH, JR. (MDW/#32796) 8 DECEMBER 

CA GORDON CRAGG (HOU/#16193) 15 DECEMBER 

CA THOMAS WHITMIRE (MCO/#41131) 18 DECEMBER 

CA ROBERT SCARBOROUGH (DAL/#6674) 21 DECEMBER 

CA JAY MIRANDA (DAL/#4787) 23 DECEMBER 

CA ERIC VOGEL (BWI/#26441) 27 DECEMBER 

CA DAVID DILL (MDW/#28540) 29 DECEMBER 

The Reporting Point‘s mission is to unify, educate, and 

communicate with the pilots of Southwest Airlines. 

COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE | eb@swapa.org 

CA Rudy Feijoo, Chair #77464 

FO Mike Frier, Member #91075 

CA Kurt Heidemann, Member #74447 

FO Sam Mann, Member #108586 

FO Kris Takle, Member #90153 

FO Mike Weisser, Member #106641 

STAFF | commoffice@swapa.org 

Neal Hanks, Director of Communications 

Brad Holmes, Graphic Designer 

Amy Robinson, Communications Manager 

Casey Casteel, Communications Specialist 

Paige Skinner, Communications Coordinator 

The Reporting Point is the official monthly publication of the 

Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association. Editions will be published on 

the 15th of each month. The Communications Committee will implement 

the SWAPA Publications Policy. A review of the publications 

policy will be conducted annually. 

POLICIES & STANDARDS 

All articles are published for the interest and education of our 

readers and as such must be consistent with Association policies 

and standards. The Communications Committee has authority over 

all content with the exception of domicile columns as noted in the 

domicile column section of this policy. Personal attacks or the use 

of profanity are prohibited. Constructive disagreement is allowed 

but disparaging or insulting remarks, or promoting hostility toward 

individuals is prohibited. We will not publish articles or letters that 

advocate the abuse of the sick leave policy or that could be construed 

as a reference to illegal job actions — either for or against. 

LETTERS TO THE MEMBERSHIP 

The Letters to the Membership section is intended as an open forum 

where a wide range of opinions can be expressed. Letters must 

pertain to the issues of the Association and should be guided by 

respect for one’s fellow pilot and Association and must conform to 

policies and standards. The final determination to include a letter 

will be made by the Communications Committee. In the event 

that an Association member is dissatisfied with decisions of the 

Communications Committee they may appeal to the SWAPA BOD. 

Letters are limited to 600 words in length per pilot per publication. 

Members may not have more than one letter printed in the same 

edition. Letters will be published in the order they are received. 

Members may submit a title for the letter and it will be used. If no 

title is submitted, the Communications Committee will choose one. 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 

• Email all submissions to: rp@swapa.org. 

• Submissions must state “For Inclusion in the Reporting Point.” 

• Include: Author’s name, employee number, base, and highest 

seat position. 

• Anonymous letters will not be published. 

EDITING 

All submissions are subject to editing for clarity, content, accuracy, 

and length. All attempts will be made to contact the author, on 

revisions (except layout style, typos, or grammar) for approval prior 

to publication. 

DEADLINE 

• Monthly issue: 30th at 12 p.m. CT (Feb. 28/29 as applicable) 

• No exceptions will be made to these deadlines. 

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS’ ASSOCIATION 

1450 Empire Central 

Brookview Plaza Suite 737 

Dallas, Texas 75247 

800.969.7972 

www.swapa.org 

PRESIDENT 

Capt. Jon Weaks #14441 

VICE PRESIDENT 

Capt. Mike Panebianco 

#58448 

2ND VICE PRESIDENT 

Capt. Tom Gasparolo #35673 

FO TONY ASTRAN (OAK/#119994) 

grandmother, Julia Villareal, 

passed away. 

SUBMIT YOUR FAMILY CONNECTIONS 

TO FAMILYCONNECTIONS@SWAPA.ORG 

All rights reserved © 2016 Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association

CONTRACT ADMIN 


NOVEMBER 2016 

13 

NEW GRIEVANCE PROCESS 

AS OF JANUARY 1, 2017 

CONTRACT TOP FIVE 

Tom Gooding | Contract Admin Committee | contractadmin@swapa.org 

With the ratification of our new CBA, we have some philosophical and 

procedural changes that we expect will work better for all parties. Section 16.B.1. 

establishes a “Pre-Grievance” phase where Pilots will present problems or issues 

to their domicile Chief Pilot. The Pre-Grievance discussion will be held within 

ten (10) calendar days of either the occurrence of the event or within ten (10) days 

of when the Pilot would reasonably be expected to have knowledge of the event, 

whichever is later. It is highly recommended that the Pilot involve and seek the 

assistance of his/her domicile representative during this process. 

The domicile Chief Pilot will respond with ten (10) calendar days. 

If the matter is not resolved to the Pilot’s satisfaction through his/her Chief 

Pilot, the Pilot may lodge a grievance with the Association within ten (10) calendar 

days of the Chief Pilot’s denial. For discipline/discharge matters only, the Pilot may 

skip the Pre-Grievance process. 

PRE-GRIEVANCE TIMELINE 

Pilot has 10 days to present issue to domicile Chief Pilot 

Chief Pilot has 10 days to respond/resolve 

If matter is not successfully resolved, 

Pilot has 10 days to file a grievance 

with SWAPA 

Per the CBA, SWAPA is required to file a grievance with the Company within 

65 days of the time the Pilot of the Association acquired knowledge, or reasonably 

should have acquired knowledge, of the fact(s) or event(s) giving rise to the 

grievance. The Pilot, his domicile representative, and his domicile Chief Pilot are 

responsible for completing the process outlined above (CBA Sec. 16). 

After you submit a grievance, SWAPA will go through its internal process to 

research, evaluate, and correspond with you regarding the status of your grievance. 

Contractually, SWAPA is required to file the grievance with the Company 65 days 

from the event. 

OPEN TIME PRIORITY 

Q. During monthly overlap, a 4-day was 

pulled from my November line. I am now 

eligible for Open Time Priority (OTP). 

Do I have to contact Scheduling? If I call 

Scheduling to get on the OTP list, do I have to 

accept the trips they award me? 

A. No. You may choose to either contact the 

Company or you may choose to decline the 

pairing offered by the Company. By doing so, 

you forfeit the right to pay protection under the 

OTP section. Contract Section 5.J.5. 

OTA ALERT PREFERENCES 

Q. If my alert preference is restricted by 

a minimum of 6.5 TFP average per day 

requirement, will I receive alerts on all 

SNOT-P trips that match the base and date 

range since all of them will pay minimum 

rigs upon the award? 

A. No. When the alerts-match process 

compares your alert to the trip, it will compare 

your pay restrictions against the standard pay 

values in the “credit” column of the trip. A 

2-day trip that pays 5 TFP each day would pay 

at or above the 6.5 TFP requirement upon the 

award, however, would not trigger an alert as 

the system references the 10 TFP against the 

6.5 TFP requirement. 

DIVERT AND TABLE B FDP LIMITS 

Q. If I have a deadhead at the beginning 

of my duty day, does it count as a flight 

segment for the Table B Flight Duty Period 

(FDP) calculations? Are diverts and gate 

returns considered additional flight 

segments? 

A. Gate returns and deadheads are not 

considered flight segments, however, 

deadheads prior to a flight segment count 

toward the flight duty period calculation. A 

divert does not count as a flight segment 

unless you do not continue on to your original 

destination. Then the divert and the next leg 

both count as flight segments. 

RESERVE/DAILY RESERVE ORDER (DRO) 

Q. Tomorrow I begin a 3-day reserve block 

with an 11 a.m. RAP start. There are two 

other Pilots who have the same RAP as I do 

and all three of us have a pass preference. 

My reserve projected total (RPT) is 86; 

one Pilot has a RPT of 96, and the other 

Pilot has a RPT of 92. Which one of us will 

be assigned the 3-day reserve trip for 

tomorrow? 

A. The first Pilot on the DRO whose RPT has 

not exceeded the reserve guarantee is the 

Pilot with the RPT of 96, followed by the Pilot 

with RPT of 92, followed by you with RPT of 

86. Since you do not have anyone to pass to, 

you will be assigned the 3-day trip. 

GUARANTEED SEAT FOR DEADHEADING 

Q. I am scheduled for a deadhead flight at 

the end of my day that exceeds two hours. 

Am I guaranteed a seat in the cabin? 

A. No. Since the Pilot is not performing a flight 

after the deadhead, a seat in the cabin will 

not be guaranteed. Section 5.S.2. states: “A 

pilot will be guaranteed a seat in the cabin if 

his deadhead flight is scheduled for a single 

flight or any combination of flights which 

exceed two (2) hours or more of scheduled 

block time and the pilot is deadheading to 

fly during that duty period. A pilot scheduled 

to deadhead on near international or ETOPS 

flights to exceed five (5) hours will be 

guaranteed a seat in the cabin.” 

Q. If there is already one Pilot in the 

cockpit jumpseat, am I required to take 

the second jumpseat? 

A. No. Sections 5.S.1. and 5.S.3. both state: “… 

no more than one deadheading pilot will be 

required to occupy a cockpit jumpseat.”

14 


NOVEMBER 2016 


CREW SCHEDULING MAKES ILL-ADVISED CHANGE TO VPF TRIPS 

Schedule Research Committee | scheduling@swapa.org 

SRC is constantly monitoring 

many aspects of our schedules 

for contractual compliance and 

significant departures from the norm 

so that SWAPA can engage proactively 

on the issues that matter to you. One 

thing that we have noticed is that 

the Company has recently made a 

significant change in the types of 

trips that they offer through VPF. 

JAs cannot be longer than 2-day 

assignments. Until recently, trips 

offered through VPF have been truly 

“JA ready” turn and 2-day assignments 

that have fallen through the Open 

Time processes. Beginning this past 

May and increasing exponentially 

over the summer, Scheduling has 

been offering VPF 3- and 4-day 

trips in numbers that we have never 

seen before (see Figure 1). We asked 

Scheduling leadership about this 

unexpected and sudden change and 

were advised that they launched this 

new practice earlier this year. No 

solid answer was provided for the 

reason behind this change to status 

quo; only that it wasn’t prohibited. 

Your Schedule Research Committee 

contends that this change is simply 

a way for Crew Scheduling to take a 

second bite at the apple to cover the 

trips after they ignored the initial POT 

bids and assigned reserves first — only 

to re-run (through VPF) the leftovers 

before splitting them into JA-sized 

pieces and running these through 

Open Time yet again. This is counterproductive 

because Scheduling is 

not considering that as time moves 

forward from the 0900 DOT close the 

day prior and on through the various 

DOT, HOT, and SNOT processes, the 

supply of available Pilots willing to 

bid on Open Time trips predictably 

decreases. It’s obvious that some Pilots 

will drop out of the Open Time market 

because they get to the point where 

they no longer can commute, they can 

pick up a sure-thing via Giveaway, 

or they just simply make more 

important personal plans like taking 

their significant other out to lunch. 

Though not a perfect tool, Crew 

Scheduling actually has a pre-POT 

program that can determine which 

trips would go uncovered if POT was 

awarded immediately after DOT but 

before reserves are assigned. They 

could then determine which trips 

would go to Premium bidders and 

assign the reserves to the unwanted 

remainder. They already do this to 

some extent during times of high 

Open Time demand when Scheduling 

supervisors believe the reserves are 

going to be fully utilized regardless. 

This VPF change makes it appear 

as if they are ignoring their own 

pre-POT capability and instead, 

assigning the higher-paying trips that 

actually have POT bids to reserves 

in the hopes that some Pilots will 

change their minds on the unwanted 

garbage in VPF and pick up the 

“scraps” the second time around after 

they see that the “good stuff” they 

initially bid on went to reserves. 

SRC contends that it frequently 

would have provided better trip 

coverage and there would have been 

fewer trips to run through VPF, if any, 

had the Company run POT prior to 

reserve assignments. Unnecessary 

export/split-to-cover of pairings 

with POT bidders to increase reserve 

utilization would improve coverage 

as well. This often turns into a “more 

of the same” shell game which causes 

increased reroutes and JAs because 

Crew Scheduling chooses not use 

those Pilots who have indicated their 

willingness to fly early in the DOT/ 

HOT timeline and later drop out or 

just give up on participating in Open 

Time out of frustration (see Figure 2). 

Often, this then requires Scheduling 

to rely on involuntary assignments 

— reroutes, unscheduled overnights, 

and JAs — in order to cover the 

schedule. SRC is pretty confident 

that most of you have experienced 

this type of outcome more than a 

few times over the past two years. 

This re-running of 3- and 4-day 

pairings through VPF isn’t really a 

good faith attempt to cover flying 

before resorting to involuntary reassignments 

and JA, which is the 

whole point of VPF. Our concern 

is that, in running these longer 

trips through VPF, Scheduling is 

moving to an interpretation where 

if they have run the legs — not the 

pairing — through VPF, they feel 

that they have met their obligation 

to attempt VPF before involuntary 

assignment. Using this interpretation, 

they then feel they can justify 

using Sky Solver to subsequently 

split and involuntarily assign online 

Pilots to cover those legs. 

The Company’s complaints to 

SRC about lower numbers of Pilots 

bidding on Open Time when they 

are choosing to offer longer VPF that



NOVEMBER 2016 

15 

obviously fewer Pilots are legal or 

willing to do in the first place are 

wholly without merit. Scheduling’s 

short-sighted goal with this status 

quo change to VPF seems to be to 

get those uncovered trips to the 

Optimizer to try to wring out rig cost 

savings while disregarding both the 

short- and long-term consequences of 

dis-incentivizing Open Time bidding. 

Since Pilots are increasingly 

being used as on-line reserves for 

involuntary extensions to their 

pairings, sometimes hours, sometimes 

days, is it any surprise that fewer Pilots 

are willing to expose themselves to 

the increased risk of reroute and JA? Is 

it any surprise that when Scheduling 

doesn’t accurately predict the Pilot 

supply for Open Time and commits 

their reserves too early that the 

pool of volunteers later in the day 

dries up and, ultimately results in 

more expensive reroutes and JAs? 

SRC contends that VPF should 

be for 1- to 2-day pairings. More 

pairings awarded in a timely manner 

to Pilots indicating a willingness to 

fly while saving reserves for shorternotice 

callouts is more effective, 

less chaotic, and ultimately a less 

expensive way to cover open flying. 

Chart of daily frustrated POT bidders: Daily average number of Pilots who placed at least one POT bid on a trip that was either assigned to a reserve or split/exported. These Pilots 

remained unassigned on the days they initially volunteered to fly for POT. 

SUPPORT BREAST CANCER AWARENESS 

From left: PHX CA Gary Brunner; BWI CA Brent Anderson (left) and BWI FO Gary Goldstone (right) with PHX crewmembers in SNA; HOU FO Ken Arcoleo; MDW FO Omar 

Baig (middle) and ATL CA Roger Smith (right) with a flight attendant

16 


NOVEMBER 2016 

SWAPA SAFETY SCORECARD 

SAFETY COMMITTEE 

ASAP 

ASAP reviewed an uptick in reports where flights landed with less than 4,000 pounds of fuel for various reasons, but 

often associated with destination-area weather. Some reports cite a desire for early and improved communication 

from Dispatch. 

There were also reports where the Pilot Monitoring (PM) retracted the flaps instead of the landing gear immediately 

following departure. Fatigue and complacency are contributing factors. For more information on this phenomenon, 

perform an Internet search for “action slip.” easyJet Airlines experienced a similar incident earlier this year about 

which there are many informative articles. Analysts will continue to monitor this unusual recent trend. 

DISPATCH 

• The flight ETE was 4+30 for arrival into LAS with 

no alternate required. Due to thunderstorms in 

the terminal area, LAS Approach issued holding 

instructions. The crew realized without any holding 

they would arrive in LAS with 4,900 pounds of fuel. 

The crew asked to divert to PHX. Once enroute, they 

realized PHX arrival fuel would be 2,400 lbs. The 

captain lamented not establishing radio contact with 

Dispatch. 

• A crew was given a filed alternate of COS with RNAV 

approaches only available. However, the crew was 

dispatched in a -300 aircraft. An FDC NOTAM did 

not allow minimums to the ILS approaches. System 

programming is unable to trap potential errors placing 

responsibility on the Dispatcher and the crew to verify 

legal alternates. 

• The flight was planned from LAS to CMH with no 

alternate required. Approaching IND, the crew realized 

a very large squall line had developed about 40 miles 

west of CMH. Dispatch sent a message to add DAY as 

an alternate due to VCTS at CMH. The crew discounted 

this alternate because the squall line was on top of 

DAY. They deviated four different times to the north 

trying to pass through the squall line. Once on course 

to CMH they declared minimum fuel and landed with 

2,800 lbs 

PROCEDURES 

• A crew was busy during preflight duties with 

maintenance activities resulting from a medical 

emergency on the inbound flight. During the Before 

Start Originating checklist, the crew verified the total 

fuel onboard matched the required Dispatch Release 

fuel. Once airborne, they noticed a 4,000-pound 

imbalance. The fueler made an error by loading the 

center and right wing tanks. The crew commented the 

dim displays in the -300 may have contributed to not 

noticing the fuel imbalance prior to takeoff. 

• A jumpseating FAA inspector asked the crew after 

the flight why they set different bug speeds on their 

respective airspeed indicators in a Classic. The captain 

thought the first officer had set Vref during the OPC 

review. While discussing with the FAA inspector, the 

captain observed the first officer move his bug and 

the FAA inspector departed the cockpit. After further 

discussion the first officer stated he did not know 

for sure what to set in a Classic and had actually set 

Vtarget. 

• Prior to pushback in SNA, the first officer noted the 

OPC takeoff data indicated less than 1,000-foot 

stopping margin. He suggested a Flaps 15 takeoff and 

the captain agreed. Once airborne at cutback altitude, 

the crew realized that they did not have a cutback N1 

setting. After further review, they realized only flaps 

5 and 10 are approved for SNA noise abatement 

departures. 

• A crew was being vectored for final approach when 

ATC slowed them from 210 knots to 170 knots. They 

were in a descending turn and the Pilot Flying 

(PF) set 170 knots but did not call for any flaps. As 

they leveled off, the stick shaker activated. The PF 

realized they were below 175 knots and added power 

while directing flaps 5. The PM was looking outside 

searching for area traffic and failed to monitor 

the airspeed and flaps. The autothrottles were 

inoperative and deferred. 

• After departing LAS Runway 25R, a crew became 

distracted with static on the radios. The PF called for 

“landing gear up” and the PM mistakenly selected 

the flaps to up. The stick shaker actuated and the 

PF recognized the situation. He called for flaps to be 

set back to position 1 and for the landing gear to be 

retracted. Both crewmembers discussed the impact 

of the radio’s momentary distraction. 

NAVIGATION/ALTITUDE ERROR 

• Prior to taking the runway for departure, a crew 

received a Speed Trim Fail light after pressing the 

Recall button. The QRH was referenced and the crew 

elected to continue the takeoff. The crew realized on 

departure that something was not right when the 

flight director bars were not in sight and the flight 

instruments displayed an ATT flag. The FO noticed 

the IRSs were in the OFF position and, after notifying 

Dispatch, the crew elected to return to the point of 

departure. 

• CPDLC changed the SID from what was filed. The crew 

selected “LOAD” and noted a route discontinuity. 

They programmed the new SID but failed to select 

a transition. After takeoff ATC noted the crew was 

flying direct and not complying with the SID. The 

crew believed CPDLC and their complacency were 

to blame. 

GROUND OPS 

• The reporter is concerned with the Company’s 

decision to not install printers on the flight deck. 

He cites several recent flights with CPDLC message 

errors, rapidly changing ATIS, and multiple Dispatch 

divert plans requiring the PM to focus on writing 

down ACARS messages resulting in distractions 

and safety issues. The reporter believes the industry 

standard of installing printers should be adopted by 

SWA. 

TAXI 

• BNA Ground issued taxi to “Runway 2L via T4, T3, 

Bravo.” While exiting the ramp area on T4, the 

captain was late to recognize the turn to T3 and 

applied moderate braking to slow and make the 

turn. At cruise, the captain was informed by the 

flight attendants that they had been tossed around 

and were a little sore from the taxi out in BNA. The 

crew noted the geometry exiting the ramp at T4 is 

complex and results in five different turn options. 

MAINTENANCE 

• Passing 90 knots during takeoff, the PM called out the 

Master Caution light for Aft Cargo Door illuminated. 

The captain (PF) called “continue” and completed 

the takeoff and normal clean up. The crew complied 

with QRH and continued to their destination. Both 

Pilots complimented the AQP training this year for 

preparing them for this non-normal situation. 

• After takeoff from LAS, while accelerating to clean 

up, the #2 engine failed with an explosive sound 

and large yaw moment. The PF complied with the 

engine out turn procedure until ATC could provide 

vectors for a downwind. The crew completed the 

QRH checklists and made a one engine inoperative 

landing. 

• The captain deferred a landing light but failed to 

add “okay to continue per MEL ###” to the logbook. 

The captain noted the 57-page bulletin on the new 

logbook was too long and failed to show an accurate 

example of this type of write-up. The captain would 

prefer classroom or video training for such new 

procedures. 

FATIGUE 

ATC 

• After a late ATC clearance to “descend via,” the PF 

selected V/S to start the descent. The MCP was set 

to the bottom altitude for the STAR. Approaching 

the first crossing altitude, the PF attempted to 

select VNAV but had already descended below the 

published altitude before VNAV PTH was captured. 

This resulted in an altitude deviation. 

TCAS 

• The crew was distracted by a heavy MD-11 converging 

on the parallel runway during a visual approach. The 

first officer elected to switch the TCAS to TA to avoid 

a possible RA. The captain was late in configuring 

the HUD to back up his approach and the crew did 

not complete the Before Landing Checklist. On short 

final, they received a “Too Low Flaps” due to Flaps 15. 

The crew failed to execute the required go-around, 

selected Flaps 30, and continued to landing. 

• While flying on the BUR ILS Runway 8, a crew 

received a maintain altitude TCAS RA resolution. 

ATC pointed out the traffic to the crew and thought 

it would not be a factor. The crew complied with the 

RA guidance and notified ATC. 

INFLIGHT 

• While at cruise, a crew was contacted by the flight 

attendants and informed of excessive heat and 

electrical burning smell in the aft galley. The crew 

declared an emergency and began a diversion. Once 

on the ground, the fire department inspected the 

aircraft, found no heat or smoke, and the crew taxied 

to the gate. A Contract Mechanic found the aft coffee 

pot to be the source of the fumes. 

MONTH-TO-MONTH CALL NUMBER COMPARISON 2012–2016 

Fatigue continued on next page. 

Confidentiality: Not for public dissemination. Because of the nature of the information in this publication, please use discretion when handling and discarding it. Misplacing this communication in public places, such as hotels and aircraft seat back pockets, as 

well as disposing of such communication in a public place, could compromise the confidential nature of the information contained herein. The information in this document may be protected from disclosure under 49 U.S.C., section 40123 and 14 CFR Part 19.


NOVEMBER 2016 


NOVEMBER 2016 

17 

17 

TOTAL ANNUAL FATIGUE CALLS 2009–2016 

LANDING FLAPS SET 

BELOW 1,000 FT. 

NG 

Classic 

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 (est.) 

Fatigue calls for September totaled 64, which is up very slightly from last year but also closely follows historical trends. 

October (at time of print deadline) is approaching approximately 85 calls, which is also matching our seasonal trends. 

The total call count is a combination of being actively removed from many versions of flying to include the declining of 

FDP extensions as well as “add on” requests from Scheduling. 

CLASSIC OR NG 

AUG 2015 

SEP 2015 

OCT 2015 

NOV 2015 

DEC 2015 

JAN 2016 

FEB 2016 

MAR 2016 

APR 2016 

MAY 2016 

JUN 2016 

JUL 2016 

AUG 2016 

Obviously the TA2 vote has been a predominant focus for all. We are very pleased to report that several improvements 

were made in the contract language that are specific to our Fatigue policy. We believe these changes help clear up many 

misconceptions in how the policy works but also adds specifics and improvements to how fatigue pay issues are to be 

addressed. The vote will take place in between print deadlines but if passed, we will certainly go into greater detail in a 

later article. 

The Fatigue Safety Advisory Group (FSAG, formerly known as the Fatigue Work Group) meets monthly and reviews 

every submitted report for root cause analysis and determination. The top three root causes for fatigue remain largely 

unchanged as they are mostly unaffected by seasonal trends: 

GPWS WARNINGS 

EVENTS 

NG 

Classic 

1. Duty day longer than expected (many times due to a Scheduling change) 

2. Hotel issues 

3. Short overnight rest 

Keep in mind that it’s rarely one single item that triggers fatigue but many times a combination of several factors. 

Fatigue tip of the month: Despite having “legal” rest, please ensure that you have an 8 hour uninterrupted sleep 

opportunity that fits within this rest. Scheduling can only track your rest (being legal to no less than 10+00 hours) but 

only you can determine the existence of the 8-hour sleep opportunity. You are legally required to inform SWA as soon 

as you determine this time does not exist. 

Please continue to have each Pilot file Fatigue Reports on SWALife > My Work > Flt Ops > Forms/Reports > Fatigue 

Report. FAR 117 and CBA legalities alone do a poor job at protecting Pilots from fatigue nor do they ensure you are fit 

for duty. You alone are entrusted to make this important decision. Your Fatigue Reports greatly help us show your hard 

work is tempered with professional responsibility. We encourage and support every Pilot to file for a “Call” when removed 

from any flying or for a situation that you gives you a “Concern” (you later realized that flying was the wrong choice or 

observing a fatigue inducing problem in the operation). We will investigate and give you direct feedback to all reports. 

Please contact Scott Hutchinson, SWAPA Safety - Fatigue Risk Management at fatigue@swapa.org or 321.794.0416 (cell). 

GPWS COMPLIANCE 

EVENTS 

SEP 2015 

OCT 2015 

NOV 2015 

DEC 2015 

JAN 2016 

FEB 2016 

MAR 2016 

APR 2016 

MAY 2016 

JUN 2016 

JUL 2016 

Compliant 

Non-compliant 

AUG 2016 

SEP 2016 

FDAP 

Much of the information provided in these graphs is also available on SWALife > FlightOps > Safety > FDAP 

SEP 2015 

OCT 2015 

NOV 2015 

DEC 2015 

JAN 2016 

FEB 2016 

MAR 2016 

APR 2016 

MAY 2016 

JUN 2016 

JUL 2016 

AUG 2016 

SEP 2016 

AUGUST 2016 TOP 10 UNSTABLE APPROACH RATE AT 500 FEET 

RNO 34L 

RA TO TA DURING RESOLUTION ADVISORY 

ABQ 08 

SAN 27 

DCA 19 

DEN 34R 

BHM 06 

ABQ 03 

EVENTS 

AUG 2015 

SEP 2015 

OCT 2015 

NOV 2015 

DEC 2015 

JAN 2016 

FEB 2016 

MAR 2016 

APR 2016 

MAY 2016 

JUN 2016 

JUL 2016 

AUG 2016 

DEN 35L 

MCO 17L 

SFO 28L

18 


NOVEMBER 2016 

HUMAN FACTORS 

THE HUMAN FACTOR: WINTER OPS – CHANGING HABIT PATTERNS 

Steve Swauger | Safety Committee | safety@swapa.org 

As we move into the winter season, 

it’s useful to review some of the more 

significant operational challenges 

that may affect how you operate. All 

through the summer, we reinforce 

habit patterns that may no longer 

serve us once winter conditions 

prevail. Let’s review a few of these. 

Unintentional aircraft movement 

at the gate: During the summer, many 

Pilots release the brakes at the gate 

after engine shutdown. Unfortunately, 

every winter, we have events of 

unintentional aircraft movement 

because the chocks fail to hold the 

nose tires on icy ramps. Unless you 

use heavy braking during landing, tire 

and brake heat is not a winter problem 

— alleviating the need for releasing 

the brakes at the gate. Keeping the 

brakes set on cold days, especially if 

any ice is present, protects against 

this unintentional movement. 

Lightly loaded -800s: We have 

had reports of lightly loaded -800s 

exhibiting very nose-heavy rotation 

during takeoff. We rarely see this 

with heavy summer passenger loads, 

but they happen more commonly as 

loads drop off. We have traced this 

to our Ops Load Sheet software and 

the Operations practice of forwardloading 

light -800s. This effect typically 

happens when there is a significant 

bag/freight load and a minimal 

passenger load. Ops will normally 

plan to load all the bags and freight 

in the forward bin and enter the total 

passenger load into Zone 1 data field in 

the software. While the software will 

always give you a legal trim setting, 

it tends to generate a very low trim 

number and a nose-heavy experience 

on rotation. The trim setting is about 

a full unit higher (and a more typical 

rotation feel) if a 3-zone count is 

entered, but few Ops agents use this 

because it is more time-consuming 

and often requires passenger 

movement. So, if you notice that all of 

the freight is loaded in the forward bin 

and all passengers entered into Zone 

1 block on the load sheet, expect to 

use more aft-yoke travel and a higher 

force to achieve normal rotation. 

Cold Soaked Fuel Frost (CSFF): 

By far, the most common icing event 

we experience is CSFF. We finally 

have some relief in that we are now 

allowed to have CSFF on the upper 

wing of the NG aircraft as long as: 

• The CSFF is on or between 

the black lines defining the 

allowable CSFF area. 

• Outside air temperature (OAT) 

is at or above 4°C (39°F). 

• Fuel tank temperature is 

at or above -16°C (3°F). 

• There is no precipitation or visible 

moisture (rain, snow, drizzle, or 

fog with less than 1-mile visibility). 

Many believe that CSFF only 

forms in the large black-bordered box 

painted on the -700 wing. In truth, 

CSFF can form anywhere along the 

wing fuel tank and on any 737 model. 

While it is far more prevalent on 

the NGs, it does rarely form on the 

Classics. Additionally, CSFF seems to 

form more heavily on the right wing. 

The most reliable way to check 

for CSFF is to physically touch the 

upper wing surface. Practically, this 

is very difficult and probably not even 

advisable. Even with an inspection 

stand, you can’t reach out far enough 

onto the wing surface to verify CSFF. 

Under good lighting conditions, 

the best vantage point is from the 

passenger cabin. The best time to 

check is after passenger deplaning and 

before boarding. When uncertain, I 

recommend enlisting the services of 

iceman. I alert station operations that 

I cannot confirm the status of ice and 

need them to inspect it more closely. 

On several occasions, they have been 

able to move the iceman bucket over 

the wing and physically touch the 

surface. They accurately confirm either 

a clean wing or the need to deice. 

Our FOM directs us to maintain 

a “two-flight vision” of operations. 

Carrying tanker fuel into a non-glycol 

airport can become a problem if 

CSFF forms outside of the allowable 

limits. Leaving tanker fuel behind 

gives you the option to upload 

warmer fuel and avoid the problem. 

Braking effectiveness and 

runway temperature: Unlike with 

summertime rainfall, winter runway 

braking action is highly dependent 

on runway surface temperature. If 

snow is falling on a warmer runway, 

it quickly melts. Your braking action 

will normally be “good” or “good to 

medium.” As the runway surface 

begins to cool or as snowfall increases, 

the snow begins to stick. Your braking 

will begin to degrade. When the 

runway temperature approaches a 

narrow range between +2°C and -2°C 

(zero ± 2°), the braking action can 

quickly deteriorate to NIL (a condition 

often coincident with slush). It’s not a 

straight-line, predictable progression. 

It slowly degrades, then runs rapidly 

off the charts. As the temperature 

continues to drop to well-below 

freezing, the braking action actually 

improves back up into the “medium” 

conditions. What you should take 

away from this discussion is that 

as the temperature drops, you can 

assume that each landing aircraft will 

experience less braking efficiency. 

So, as you monitor a runway and see 

that the temperature is dropping, you 

should expect braking action reports 

to drop accordingly. As it approaches 

0°C, there is a danger zone where 

it will become unsafe to operate. 

Braking action reporting: 

Remember that braking action is 

based on an assessment of braking 

deceleration and directional control. 

Most Pilots only consider braking 

action, but crosswinds can make 

directional control a greater concern. 

If you haven’t reviewed the chart on 

page 12-7 of the FOM in a while, it is 

worth your time. The TALPA chart 

only refers to categories. For example, 

“medium” directional control is 

described as “noticeably reduced.” 

The 12-7 FOM chart includes further 

detail to include, “Lateral control is 

manageable with nose wheel steering, 

but not crisp as on a dry runway.” Also, 

please make braking action reports 

over Tower frequency and via ACARS 

during all conditions below “good.” 

The “Flaps Up” call: All summer 

long, we called, “Flaps Up” clearing the 

runway. During winter ops, we need to 

adjust this habit pattern. If the runway 

was covered with snow and slush, you 

may have incurred ice contamination 

in the flap assemblies. Retract the 

flaps only to 15 until you can make 

an exterior inspection and ensure

HUMAN FACTORS 


NOVEMBER 2016 

19 

that they are clear. If there is any ice 

accumulation in the flap assemblies, 

do not raise the flaps. The -700 is 

especially sensitive to flap ice damage 

from contaminated flap tracks. 

Taxi out with flaps down: 

Many years ago, we kept the flaps 

up during taxi out if taxiways were 

contaminated with snow and 

slush. While that procedure was 

changed many years ago, we still 

encounter cases where Pilots revert 

to the old procedure. Remember, 

all taxi-out is always flaps-down. 

Evaluate the next worse landing 

condition: During the summer, we 

typically checked the landing data 

only for the ATIS condition. During 

the winter, it is prudent to perform 

an additional OPC computation 

for the next worse condition. Then, 

if the aircraft before you calls that 

worsening condition, you already 

know whether you can continue 

to land or go missed-approach. 

Don’t follow the crowd: Somebody 

is going to be the first to break the 

conga line. Often, airfield operations 

will try to get a line of aircraft to land 

before closing the runway for plowing/ 

sanding. Often, that decision is based 

more on the line of arriving aircraft 

than the actual braking action of the 

runway. Somebody is going to be the 

first to call “poor” — it might be you. 

Somebody is going to be the first crew 

to go-around — it might be you. Don’t 

be reluctant to call “poor,” even if it 

might require the remaining aircraft 

to divert. You may be saving them from 

sliding off the runway. Finally, make 

that critical braking action report on 

Tower frequency, so aircraft on short 

final get the most current information. 

Promote appropriate winter 

operations: If we were to sum up our 

role during winter operations, it is to 

ensure that we conduct appropriate 

operations. In the end, we need to 

do the right thing for the actual and 

trending conditions. Appropriate 

operations mean that we maintain 

an adequate safety margin, often 

in rapidly deteriorating conditions. 

The measure of appropriateness is 

achieved when we assess and balance 

all of the risk factors to ensure safe 

operations. This is big picture stuff 

— making sure the total picture 

makes sense and remains safe. 

Dispatch and FAR legality only 

ensures that rules are followed. 

They do not ensure your safety. 

Likewise, other Pilots/aircraft do not 

determine your safety margin. Only 

you can ensure your safety margin. 

This winter, we will all be faced with 

situations when our safety margins 

shrink. As conditions degrade, we 

will reach a point where it will no 

longer be appropriate to continue. 

Preserving safety margins from 

things we don’t know: Uncertainty 

increases as marginal conditions 

worsen. How we think in uncertain 

situations differs from how we think 

in known or familiar situations. Our 

decisions are most often based on 

our assessment of risk. So, when 

we conduct operations in marginal 

conditions, we need to pay even closer 

attention to our safety margins. 

As things get worse, the number 

and severity of unknown factors, 

of “what we don’t know,” increase. 

For example, we can predict our 

stopping distance at “good” with great 

accuracy. We know the distance for 

“medium” with less accuracy and 

“poor” with even less. Additionally, 

there is a time-lag between when a 

crew reports a lower braking action 

and when it is relayed by ATC. 

Preserving safety margins from 

things we do know: When we land on 

snow-covered runways, we assess how 

well that aircraft is actually braking. 

If you need full reverse and antiskid 

cycling to slow the aircraft, this is a 

clear warning flag. We all agree that 

if we need to use everything the jet 

can deliver to safely stop, that we have 

exceeded appropriate operations 

— that the safety margin is just too 

thin. Appropriate operations are 

based on acceptable safety margins 

using ordinary procedures, not 

extraordinary measures. Safety 

margin management means that 

we detect factors like this and 

conclude that our landing safety 

margin is reaching unacceptable 

limits. Landing shorter, reversing 

more, and braking harder are not 

techniques that we will need to use if 

we choose the safer option of diverting 

to a more appropriate runway. 

Successful operations are not 

necessarily appropriate operations: 

Successfully operating in marginal 

conditions does not mean that it is 

okay for you or others to continue. 

Many aircraft successfully stopped 

on the runway on the night of 

our MDW accident. Almost all of 

those Pilots reported how difficult 

and marginal the conditions were 

becoming. If you landed normally 

and felt that you had little remaining 

safety margin, it is time for you to 

take measures to stop operations. 

Your thin margin for success cannot 

become the standard for the next Pilot. 

How to make appropriate 

decisions: When crews trusted 

their internal risk management and 

instincts, they generally preserved 

their safety margins. When they 

became swayed by external 

influences, like other’s successes 

or by outside advice, they didn’t. 

When they relied solely on single 

indicators, they often compromised 

their safety margins. When they 

assessed and balanced all of the 

conditions in the entire picture, they 

preserved their safety margins. 

In every case, ask yourself 

the following questions: 

1. How are the conditions trending? 

2. What are the consequences if my 

decision to continue is wrong? 

3. What are the factors working 

in my favor and improving 

my safety margin? 

4. What are the risk factors working 

against my safety margin? 

5. How many risk factors are 

stacked up against me and 

how are they interacting? 

6. What is my gut or 

instinct telling me? 

Notice that nowhere in my list 

was, “What will happen if I divert 

or refuse to depart or return to the 

gate?” or “What will happen to these 

passengers?” These questions will 

push you into accepting increased 

risk and inappropriate operations. 

PROFIT 

SHARING 

ELECTION 

Don’t forget to vote 

on your 2017 Profit 

Sharing election, which 

takes effect in spring 

of 2018. Voting opens 

November 30 at 12 

p.m. CT and closes on 

December 14 at 12 p.m. 

CT. Read more about 

the election on page 4.

20 


NOVEMBER 2016 

SWAPAfamily is proud to honor our Pilots’ significant others who have served and are serving in the 

armed forces. Here is just a handful of those family members. 

From left: USAF Space Operations Officer Gene Thatcher, Spouse of MCO FO Scott Thatcher; retired Senior Chief Communications Electrician Suzanne Whitaker, spouse 

of PHX FO Charlie Falkenmayer 

From left: USMC MMO Amber Warlock, spouse of DEN FO Geoffrey Warlock; Colonel Jacqueline Breeden, spouse of DEN FO Jason Breeden; Colonel Clancy Preston, 

spouse of BWI CA Jim Preston; USMC Pilot/Instructor Esther Wingard, spouse of DEN CA Craig Wingard; USAF Logistics Master Sergeant, Louise Caudell, spouse of DAL 

FO Mike Caudell 

From left: US Army Officer Sharon Cox, spouse of DEN FO David Cox; USN Cryptologist, Electrical Officer Ratana Pensyl, spouse of HOU FO Jeremy Pensyl


NOVEMBER 2016 

SNAPSHOTS 

SHARE YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY PHOTOS WITH US! 

SEND TO: OUTREACH@SWAPA.ORG. 

21 

HOU FO Paul and Christy Songy and their children 

Brooklyn (11) and Vivienne (8). May the force be with you! 

DAL CA Marc and Deanna 

Valadez taking in a game 

at Pirate Stadium. 

Kristine Williams, spouse of DAL FO 

Kristian Williams, rocked it in the 2016 

Spartan Race with her team of dedicated 

and diehard athletes. Congrats Kristine! 

Oh Ship! DAL CA Greg Jones and DAL FO 

Chris Braly cruised the Caribbean with 

their families in October. 

DEN FO Gina Martyn enjoying a day in Colorado kayaking. 

McKenzie Currie, daughter of 

DEN FO Kent and Kerry Currie, 

loaned her SWAPA ROCKS shirt 

to Skelly for Halloween.

22 


NOVEMBER 2016 

MEMBERSHIP LETTERS 

Opinions and letters published in this section are not necessarily the views of the Association. 

SWAPA PILOTS ARE WORTH LESS! 

airline Pilot. First a student Pilot, then a 

about 500 billion solutions per seat per 

it with new QOL pairings based on Pilot 

I'm conflicted. When it comes 

CFI, then flying freight or bank checks, 

day! Where do you begin? The driver is 

input. Cartel members would end up with 

to deciding whether to ratify or to 

then a regional Pilot, followed by SWA, 

the yield-optimized flight schedule, built 

empty boards, while commuters would 

reject TA2, one must necessarily 

and finally a job at one of the Big Three. 

six months in advance, against which 

end up with 3-, 4- or 5-day commutable 

measure the proposed contract 

Let's face it ... by locking in an 

tickets are sold. This is the life blood of the 

schedules. Pilots in domicile would 

changes against our industry. We've 

industry-lagging contract for a decade 

airline. Aircraft flows are superimposed 

reduce their trip length to turns and 

been schooled by the NC-embedded 

(because that's how long SWA Pilot 

like multi-colored strings of yarn 

2-days and overnight mostly in non- 

Comm guy that pattern negotiating is 

contracts average) we are giving up on 

around the pins of our city-pair map. 

commuter cities. This post-bid QOL 

the norm, and the that Company, the 

ourselves. I know that's a depressing 

Pairings are built on top of aircraft 

pairing generator would be completely 

NMB, and our own Union expends 

thought and no one wants to view himself 

flows. Crew flows that match aircraft 

fair, because seniority wouldn’t be 

tremendous effort calculating the value 

as a failure. I'm not a failure. I earn a great 

flows make the most efficient pairings. 

abrogated. Only volunteers would 

of every aspect of the agreement. 

living and enjoy my work and the people 

No sit time; no swaps; no duty-rigs. 

participate in this sausage machine. 

So when I decided to write about 

with whom I fly. But if this contract 

You recognize these embedded flows 

It’s obvious that only SWAPA 

the decision process, I felt a title 

is ratified, we will have capitulated 

and welcome them like old friends. The 

could pull off a project of this scope 

which captures the dilemma cleverly 

where our industry peers did not. 

problem is that aircraft flows seldom 

and complexity. How about it? 

would help spring this letter to the 

top of the heap. I considered "(We're) 

CA Ken Lightsey — DAL/#43233 

get you to or from home. Aircraft flows 

are built to optimize the use of capital 

Sincerely, 

Not Good Enough" and "Less Than 

Average." Both titles trained the reader's 

equipment, not QOL. Our pairings 

are compromises based on FAR-117, 

CA Hermann Weidemann — PHX/#26576 

attention on judging the value of the 

LT2020 — LINE TUNER 20/20 

contractual constraints, and connecter 

Pilot group and measuring that value 

Search the SWAPA website for “Line 

legs. That’s why you always seem to have 

against the industry. Of course there 

Tuner,” and you’ll find the following: 

a plane swap on your first or last leg. 

isn't a way to measure the value of 

“The Line Tuner Classic system provides 

PBS (Preferential Bidding System) 

the people, per se, so that leaves one 

one-way notifications to individuals 

builds crew schedules on existing 

to judge the value of TA2 instead. 

when conditions match user specified 

aircraft flows with crew QOL input. 

Jay Lake is in a class by himself when 

preferences.” … “These features include 

This solution is then sorted for cost- 

it comes to producing colorful charts and 

basic notifications for TTGA and ELITT 

effectiveness, i.e., no vacation drop. 

diagrams to help the reader visualize 

pairings, DTC values, and Net Zero Values; 

PBS is, after all, operated by an 

data. His graphs clearly show TA2 

support for multiple notification methods, 

airline for its benefit. Constraints are 

begins below the industry metrics and 

and a history of alerts sent.” … “Version 

needed during the pairing-generation 

remains there throughout its duration. 

2.0 of this system will be modular and 

process. Senior crews get what they 

If one is to compare widgets — 

scalable. As an Association, we are just 

want. Junior crews get shafted. 

flying B737 aircraft for one block hour 

getting underway with this initiative.” 

Line Tuner 2.0 alerts members to 

— the only logical conclusion one can 

We should all applaud SWAPA IT’s 

the availability of existing Company 

make (if we accept TA2 as a measure 

willingness to invest in a comprehensive, 

pairings to be exchanged for other 

of our worth) is that SWAPA Pilots are 

Pilot-oriented scheduling tool that will 

existing (full or partial) Company 

worth less. We aren't worthless, but 

enhance the quality of life (QOL) of all 

pairings, but it doesn’t have the ability 

arguably our management thinks we 

participants. Line Tuner could become 

to generate new custom pairings. 

are worth less. Then again, maybe 

the vehicle toward many of our diverse 

LT2020 would “know” the aircraft 

we're just below average. Or, maybe 

QOL wishes. Mini-domiciles and a 

flows. It would be a SWAPA-operated 

we just aren't good enough to deserve 

transparent trading system are low on 

pairing generator. Every pairing 

an industry-leading contract. 

Hopefully you see my point. Consider 

what you are worth. If all you are worth 

the Company’s priority list, but if Line 

Tuner could get a commuter one paid 

flight home, or one overnight at home, 

uploaded into the system would add 

the components of legs, plane swaps, 

and cities out of which custom pairings 

MCO FO and Benefits/Aeromedical 

Chair Brent Weisner with family. 

is about 80 percent of industry standard, 

or could get you to one soccer game, it 

can be generated. Every aircraft swap 

then this TA properly rewards you for 

would be a win. Could Line Tuner 2.0 be 

and every overnight is a node where 

your menial effort. You should focus on 

built into something larger though? How? 

crew flows intersect aircraft flows. It’s 

locking in the improvements before Mr. 

The number of possible solutions to 

like switching colored lines to a new 

Kelly comes to his senses and comes back 

our schedule is enormous! Multiply 1/5 

destination on the London subway. If 

for more concessions. Of course, by so 

of the Pilots by the number of flights per 

every Pilot would upload their entire 

doing, we will forever be a stepping stone 

day by the number of airplanes by the 

schedule, LT2020 could theoretically rip 

along the career path to becoming a real 

number of originating cities. This equals 

the entire SWA schedule and reassemble

DOMICILE COLUMNS 


NOVEMBER 2016 

23 

recent history. We are stronger than 

nature, our Union has generally dealt 

profession. They both did a phenomenal 

ever, but there is still much more we 

with them in the short-term, and then 

job, and we are all still very proud of 

ATL 

must aspire to as a Union. The member 

Pilots of SWAPA have become more 

moved on. In many instances, we don't 

adequately handle our problems in the 

their efforts that day. Do you think you 

are as good as they are? Do you believe 

unified than we ever have. However 

long-term and haven't learned from 

that you can maneuver the B-737 

our unity and our love of our Union 

the past. Putting our best foot forward, 

appropriately if the situation called 

still must build. I have asked Pilots to 

becoming a real union, we can tackle 

for it? I know the answer: You can and 

Jon Davis 

ATL Chair 

jdavis@swapa.org 

859.361.9438 

better know our history here in SWAPA, 

but it is also important to understand 

union history across the board in other 

industries as well, both in the service 

and manufacturing industries. We all 

the future. From this day, and into the 

future, we now choose to be proactive 

in all of our relationships. What is a 

real union? Above everything else, we 

must want to be in a union. A union is 

would. We are all professionals here as 

SWAPA Pilots at Southwest Airlines, 

and we are all as good as Sully and Jeff. 

Either you are for your Union, 

or you are working against it. The 

UNION MEMBER 24/7 

need to make a personal commitment to 

about sticking up for your rights — your 

success of our Union — and it makes 

How we are as union Pilots, members 

be a full-time union member. Each one 

rights in having a proper contract, and 

no difference if we’re in Section 6 

of SWAPA, is a reflection of who we are 

of us needs to be a Union member 24/7. 

your rights in enforcing that contract. 

negotiations or in between them — 

as people. You cannot pretend that you 

As a loyal union member, we always 

And now let me add one very important 

depends on each swinging bag tag 

are in a union. It has to be real. You 

honor labor groups in other industries 

statement, which must always be true: In 

and Union-pin-wearing Pilot. We need 

know it and you feel it. Being in a union 

and at other companies. If union 

the union there is no discrimination. We 

to know and understand this. When 

means you tell people. You can’t be a 

workers at another company go on 

are maturing into a full-fledged union. 

we hold this belief, this basic tenet, 

once-a-week union member. I want to 

strike, we should withhold our business 

Our Union is really a subset of 

then we've arrived. We’ve arrived and 

share some thoughts about the health 

there. The decision to honor a strike 

the public, with a common interest. 

we can push back from the gate any 

of our Union and about the direction 

from another employee group would be 

This common interest is our love of 

time and anywhere knowing that we 

we must take in order to get stronger. 

made by the whole union membership 

flying and our shared commitment to 

are Union Pilots, honorable and free, 

All members benefit from a healthy and 

at Southwest Airlines. If we still worked 

provide the safest air transportation 

proud and strong, in the best tradition 

strong union, but it is the junior Pilots 

during such a strike, that would not 

the world has ever known. Take a look 

of those airline Pilots who came before 

who stand to gain, or lose, the most. I 

categorically mean that we did not 

at Chesley Sullenberger and Jeff Skiles, 

us. If we are Union members 24/7, we 

have had a long career as a union Pilot, 

support the striking employee group. 

two American heroes and two Union 

will be on a direct heading toward 

and the future will not have the same 

Pilot unions have historically been 

brothers. The feat they performed on 

our deserved career destination. 

total effect on me, and those at my 

reactive. The profession has had to 

January 15, 2009, made the whole nation 

seniority level. What I’ll gain is supreme 

respond to the threats that have sprung 

feel good. But it wasn’t surprising to 

Keep the faith, 

satisfaction that our profession will 

up. Many of these threats have been 

any Pilot in the least. Landing on the 

Jon 

carry forth as it should into the future. 

efforts by management to keep the 

Hudson River after losing both engines 

The strength of a proactive union is 

union down. Whether the threat was 

was miraculous to the general public, 

great, as we have witnessed in our own 

safety, contractual, or anti-labor in 

but all in a day’s work to us in the 

Classifieds 

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24 


NOVEMBER 2016 


any reasoned vote and that we truly 

(membership involved) and compare 

gains for this Pilot group that reflect 

respected that it was a membership 

it to the old (membership in the dark). 

our worth and value in contributing 

HOU 

decision without our rep sway. 

Make no mistake that our “yes” vote 

was not “this is as good as it gets until the 

We think this is the way of the future 

and a key to building and maintaining 

unity. Yes, the one downside is that 

to Southwest’s success. So, if you were 

a “no” voter, please don’t give up. If 

you were a “yes” voter, don’t rest and 

next Section 6.” We will be pressing for 

when you don’t reach your stated 

wait for the next Section 6. There will 

further movement toward Platform-plus 

goal, many will be upset. But we 

be much to press for in the coming 

any opportunity we get today, tomorrow, 

believe having a tangible objective is 

months and years even before the next 

Howard Dulmage 

HOU Vice Chair 

hdulmage@swapa.org 

713.320.3455 

next week, next month, and so on. 

Some have asked what our ultimate 

goals are. We think the answer arises 

from your collective wisdom and we 

far superior to the old ways (“rowing 

off to an island,” to quote Casey 

Murray) of the NCs of yesteryear. 

To those upset who feel SWAPA sold 

Section 6. Stay united and continue 

to show your collective resolve. 

Finally, the operation still needs 

work. Company IT is a mess. Word in 

Fellow Pilots, 

support post-TA polling to help guide 

you a Platform and then threw in the 

the IT world is that SWA has a negative 

The passing of the TA signifies 

your BOD on what that is. Based 

towel, please don’t give up on helping 

reputation for how it hires, allocates, 

a collective decision to consolidate 

on lounge visit feedback, we think 

your brothers and sisters continue to 

and executes and this directly impacts 

gains and perhaps a decision that 

everyone would support moving our pay, 

move the ball down the field. We won’t 

the talent the Company attracts 

consolidation now and continued 

retirement, and benefits toward Delta’s. 

try to convince you that you are wrong 

and, once the talent is here, how 

effort is the fastest way to Platform or 

There are other things many of you have 

in your feelings of disappointment. 

they are allowed to do their jobs. 

Platform-plus. 

talked to us about like how our Pilots are 

Rather, we will remind you that without 

You live the results of these problems 

There is no question that many of you 

treated when out on medical leave. So we 

engaged members like many of you, 

far too often and so do our ultimate 

are disappointed that our efforts did not 

likely want to press for Company-paid 

the gains we have now would not have 

bosses — our customers. The VONC was, 

lead to achieving our published goal of 

COBRA-type coverage when Pilots are 

likely occurred. Your support and 

in large part, based on IT failures and 

the Platform or that we did not adjust 

grounded. This “you get sick and become 

efforts were not in vain. Rather they 

prior notice to the CEO and COO of what 

the Platform to a hard plus once we saw 

a second-class citizen” is inapposite to 

were and will continue to be, if you 

was wrong and no tangible efforts to fix 

some further movement in the industry. 

Southwest’s stated Company mission 

will continue to stay engaged, a critical 

those problems from notice to the VONC. 

We won’t make excuses. The majority 

statement. When a company can buy 

part of this Pilot group’s rising going 

We don’t see much movement in 

of your BOD, based on a host of factors, 

back billions of dollars worth of stock 

forward. So please reconsider any 

that area still. So Mr. Kelly needs to 

felt that the AIP needed to be presented 

shares, it can spend a few million each 

feelings of stepping back and giving 

act like a CEO and not a CFO and get 

for your up or down. Our Constitution 

year taking care of its sick and injured. 

up because you feel SWAPA caved. 

Southwest’s IT problems fixed, or he 

is biased to membership control. So 

Another general area that Casey 

Everyone please take a look at how 

needs to move on and let someone 

we won’t apologize for following our 

Murray spoke of during the roadshows 

far we have come in one short year as a 

take over who can make that happen. 

governance bedrock principle. Now, 

is that our basic CBA is old and worn 

Pilot group. We can train management 

It will also be interesting to see if Mr. 

based on the vote this seems to have 

out. A patchwork if you will from an 

to understand that we will be worthy 

Kelly supports our new vice president, 

allowed the majority will to speak. 

earlier time. A complete rewrite is a 

partners who will stand up for our 

Captain Kasher, in his efforts to work 

SWAPA tried to remain neutral. 

worthwhile project that your HOU reps 

value, or we can go back to the “take 

with the Pilot group. A lot of healing 

No doubt some will disagree. But 

wholeheartedly endorse. This rewrite 

one for the team, shiny new jets, insert 

is needed, and it needs to be more 

compare SWAPA’s approach today 

needs to be ready to be used as we 

your saying here” ways. We believe this 

than window wash and lip service. 

to the approach in the past, and you 

move forward and certainly for the next 

last year has demonstrated the power 

Positive, tangible action is required. 

will hopefully conclude an effort 

Section 6. We believe President Weaks 

of the membership and Association 

to let you decide was in play. 

agrees and will make this a priority. 

leadership working together and 

In continued unity and resolve, 

In Houston, we tried to balance the, 

There are many issues, such as QOL, 

engaging in unionism. A pleasant 

Stacy and Howie 

“How are you, Stacy and Howie, going 

scheduling, training, and the like, that 

shift from the, “I am embarrassed that 

to personally vote” question with not 

many of you have expressed a desire 

SWAPA said X” days. It takes a certain 

selling. Clearly, some would find our 

to see improved. All of these items 

swagger and bravado to move some 

refusal to answer cowardly or chicken, 

are on our radar and we hope you will 

CEOs. Don’t be afraid to do what it 

but we were concerned that the minute 

continue to give us feedback about 

takes to advocate for our profession. 

we said we felt consolidating gains was 

them going forward. We feel, given the 

In short, there is a new beginning 

the best approach to our ultimate goals 

Company’s likely asks over the next few 

and it needs to be further built on in 

that some would immediately see us as 

years, that there will arise opportunities 

the coming years. Yes, there is room 

biased. In the end, we hope that in our 

to make some improvements. 

for disappointment on specific things, 

lounge visits, telephone calls, emails, 

No matter how you voted, we hope 

but there is more to be proud of and 

and texts that you saw us as open to 

that you take note of the new paradigm 

that can be further developed into



NOVEMBER 2016 

25 

longer. Vacation bidding is already 

and be content with the status quo. 

a hot topic for next year, and while 

Now, to the “no” voters. I’ve been 

LAS 

we don't have a solution yet, expect 

to see polling in the very near future 

regarding this and other issues. Those 

MCO 

perusing the forums lately and have 

seen a ton of pissed off “no” voters. Posts 

such as, “I’m done with this Union,” and 

are no- or low-cost issues that we can 

“They can forget about me picketing ever 

fix. Disability medical is at the top of 

again,” particularly hit home. While I 

most lists, as well as some of the issues 

certainly understand those sentiments, 

Chris Hall 

LAS Vice Chair 

chall@swapa.org 

714.225.1211 

we missed in the agreement. And while 

many of the items that won’t be free to 

SWA are still on our list, there may be 

an opportunity to revisit some of what 

Keith Hurley 

MCO Vice Chair 

khurley@swapa.org 

757.348.4773 

I am reminded of the famous quote, 

“A true fighter is someone who never 

quits.” I can assure all of you that this 

CBA is not my dream CBA. Hell, it’s 

SO NOW WHAT? 

we missed out on during Section 6. 

STAYING STRONG 

not even in the top five. But I am not 

After the recent vote closed, 

We have some great leadership 

Before I begin, I’d like to take a 

going to quit. I am not going to stop 

regardless of what side you were 

currently and I, for one, am grateful 

moment and wish all of you and your 

fighting for all of the things we did not 

on, you might have wondered, 

that they decided to stay on during 

families a Happy Thanksgiving. I’d also 

achieve: medical during LTD, parking, 

“What are we going to do now?” 

the next two years, which can be a 

like to personally thank all of you for 

hotels, uniforms, and let’s not forget pay 

I continually remind folks that 

troubling time during implementation 

your support over the past 11 months. 

rates in line with the “Big Four,” etc. 

SWAPA is not some anonymous 

of a new contract. There is much work 

As the holidays are upon us, so are 

I realize that in the past, after a 

entity living in a low-rise building in 

to accomplish both on our end and on 

increased load factors and scheduling 

CBA vote, SWAPA has been seen to 

Dallas but rather, it is the 8,400-plus 

management’s end to get things done. 

snafus. Please remember to take your 

“stand down.” Releasing the NC and 

members spread across our system 

Know that we will not sit back and rest, 

time, be safe, and take care of each 

concentrating on “governance.” In the 

who make up our Association. 

hoping that things will be done. We 

other during the holiday season. 

past, we’ve rested on our laurels until 

We (your representatives) are simply 

have plans in place already that will 

Now, I’d like to also thank all of you 

we were in the negotiating window. This 

your voice. Without input from each of 

ensure follow through to completion. 

who took the time out of your busy lives 

is a different SWAPA. This is a SWAPA 

you, however, we would be shooting in 

While I realize that a small but 

to get informed and cast your vote for 

that will be ready for any eventuality. 

the dark. Please continue to call, text, 

significant percentage of the Pilot group 

our new CBA. We’re all “yes” voters now! 

We won’t need to “spool up” the NC to 

or email when you have an issue. We 

was not happy about the TA based on 

What does that mean? Have you thought 

get prepared for the next negotiations, 

may not have an immediate solution 

the vote results, we all are on the same 

about it? I used to think that it meant, 

because they’ll already be spooled up. 

but will work diligently to find one, in 

page now and must work to remain so 

since the majority voted a certain way, 

This is a SWAPA that understands that 

the most expeditious manner possible. 

going forward so that we can continue to 

that we all were resigned to that vote. 

negotiations started on November 8. 

Which brings me to the point of 

make gains when and where available. 

But now what I really think it means is 

We will keep fighting! But we can’t do it 

this article. What now? Your BOD has a 

As always, Tim and I are available 

that we’re all unified. Almost 85 percent 

without your continued support. “Yes” 

plan going forward that will encompass 

should you need anything — please 

of my brothers and sisters voted “yes,” 

or “no” voter, we’re not done. Until we’re 

changes that are required in the day-to- 

don’t hesitate to reach out to us. 

so I will stand with them. And, let’s 

industry average, we must continue to stay 

day operations and in utilizing increased 

be honest, standing together is really 

unified and we must continue to fight. 

leverage where available (think, when 

In Unity, 

what got us this far in the first place. 

Thanks again for all your support 

management needs something). Your 

Chris 

First, I’d like to address the “yes” 

and I hope all of you have an incredible 

current board is unified in our resolve 

voters. It’s natural for all of us at this 

holiday season! 

to utilize our recent showing of unity 

point to breathe a collective sigh of 

going forward. We will not squander it. 

relief. Four-plus years are finally behind 

We have maintained a list of no- 

us. Now, I can just get back to flying the 

cost, low-cost, and more expensive 

line right? Now everything will be like 

improvements that will be codified and 

it used to be, right? Management has 

brought to the table when possible. This 

seen the error of their ways and we can 

doesn't necessarily mean that some 

get back to having fun, right? Not so fast, 

negotiation needs to happen, rather 

my friends. More than 70 of our brothers 

it could be an opportunity to solve an 

and sisters have left in the last year for 

ongoing problem with QOL issues. For 

greener pastures. With the new CBA, 

instance, many of you have told me 

does anyone believe these numbers are 

that the 96-hour window for ELITT is 

going to suddenly change? I, for one, 

ridiculous and serves no purpose any 

do not. Now is not the time to sit back

26 


NOVEMBER 2016 


mental state of readiness going forward. 

and were going to start doing the right 

as that helps none of us. Please be 

That's the new reality. While I am a 

thing by us, I realized no learning had 

ready to stand with us when the next 

MDW 

fierce defender and promoter of the 

SWA brand while interacting with our 

occurred for them. I won’t forget that. 

As I sit here and review what I’ve 

negotiating opportunity presents 

itself so that we can continue to move 

customers, the internal reality is that 

written, a person who doesn’t know me 

toward that elusive end zone. 

we can no longer assume management 

might get the wrong idea ... might think 

will do right by us. Not without a fight, 

I’m trying to burn the place down. I’m 

Seth Kornblum 

MDW Chair 

skornblum@swapa.org 

330.241.2897 

anyway. And while I enjoy coming to 

work every day and love spending time 

with all of you and our customers out on 

the line, I will not forget our new reality. 

I will not forget that, at headquarters, 

not. Quite the contrary: It’s my sincere 

hope that we can work together going 

forward with some win-win solutions, 

even outside of Section 6 negotiations. 

I’m just asking that you keep perspective 

PHX 

NEVER FORGET. AND DON'T TAKE YOUR 

the personal mementos celebrating our 

on how we got here. We don’t know 

HANDS OFF THE WHEEL EITHER. 

employees that once lined the walls 

when the next battle will come. Maybe a 

It's November 7 as I write this. 

are gone. In fact, I recently visited the 

new scheduling policy? Another airline 

By now, you are all well aware that 

our Tentative Agreement has been 

ratified. While it's not perfect, and 

no deal ever is, the fight for Contract 

new TOPS building and had lunch 

there. As I approached the cafeteria 

entrance, I noticed photos on the wall 

and smiled. Until I got closer. Once I 

merger/acquisition? New regulations? 

More threats from foreign, state-owned 

airlines or flag of convenience carriers? 

Who knows what it’s gonna be. But the 

Mike Vastano 

PHX Chair 

mvastano@swapa.org 

480.316.1837 

2012 is now behind us. However, this 

got closer, I noticed the photos were 

only way for us to be ready for the next 

Hello Phoenix Pilots, 

is not the time to go back to our old 

not of employees or notable events in 

“war” is to fight off apathy and maintain 

Finally, we have a contract. While we 

ways as a Pilot group. Or as a Union. 

our history, but rather photos of the 

readiness during “peacetime.” And you 

celebrate the conclusion of a ridiculously 

In my opinion, this negotiation 

members of the Board of Directors of 

have to know your history to do that. 

long process, we are aware that there 

marked the coming of age, the loss of 

SWA, folks who mostly have never even 

You must remember how we got 

are still improvements to be made. A 

innocence of this Pilot group. Never 

worked a single day at this Company. Of 

here from yesterday and keep it all 

big thanks to all of you who showed 

before did the group as a whole get 

course, senior leadership can decorate 

in perspective going forward today, 

up at pickets and stayed engaged with 

involved personally to the degree we 

their building however they choose, and 

so we can be ready for tomorrow. 

emails and phone calls. We are aware 

had this time. And guess what? This 

with photos of whomever they want. 

Remember that asking management 

that some of you are disappointed but 

is our new reality. This is not the time 

That's their right. But I won’t forget who 

nicely for years didn’t work. In the 

please realize that you have helped 

for the group at large to stop thinking 

is now celebrated and valued around 

future, when being stonewalled at the 

fundamentally change our Union. 

about our contract or our daily working 

here, and who is not. Neither should you. 

table, our NC cannot just “ask harder.” 

SWAPA is no longer and never again 

conditions. We have all shown what 

I won’t forget that we had to file 

YOU may be called upon to once again 

will be as cooperative as it was in 

can we do collectively when you stand 

a grievance to get our crews fed on 

say, “Enough!” When an opportunity 

years past. We will never attempt to 

behind SWAPA to achieve your goals. 

international flights where they have 

presents itself to negotiate, understand 

harm the Company’s ability to make 

This is the time to remain engaged with 

no access to food. I won’t forget the 

that, yet again, we will all need to get 

profits. However, anything that the 

SWAPA, to contact your local SWAPA 

initial version of the Implementation 

comfortable being uncomfortable. 

Company seeks from the Pilot group 

reps and even the BOD at large, when 

Schedule that came along with the now 

It's my belief that we all need to wrap 

will be agreed upon at a cost benefit to 

you see things that you think need to be 

ratified CBA that I saw at the September 

our heads around that fact now, so we 

us. We have ample opportunity in the 

fixed. Why is this the time to do that? 

SWAPA BOD meeting. Numerous issues 

are prepared for what may come. 

near future to improve items in our 

Because going forward, it’s always the 

had “2018” for an implementation date. 

P.S. To those of you in the Pilot group 

contract. The talent that helped secure 

time. The days for career apathy and 

Just “2018.” That’s not a date. That’s a 

who were our activists, who answered the 

a B-Fund, pay-per-day reserve, and 

complacency are over. Keep your hands 

year window! That screams to me, “we 

call to picket and supported this effort 

full retro is graciously remaining on 

on the wheel. How? Stay engaged! Keep 

have so little respect for you, that we 

in so many ways, I’d like to say thank 

staff. The knowledge base and financial 

up on SWAPA news and committee 

don't even want to bother giving you 

you! You made this agreement possible. 

expertise will maintain our credibility 

articles. You have a whole team at 

a reasonable estimate. It’s not worth 

And keep in mind that even if this deal 

with the Company and Wall Street. 

SWAPA pouring their hearts into their 

our time.” Of course, due to SWAPA 

wasn’t good enough for you, the reality 

Planned quarterly meetings with the 

work for you. Please, take a peek every 

objections, that implementation 

is that you still made big improvements 

SWA CFO will keep SWAPA and the Pilot 

month. There’s some good stuff in 

timeline has since been modified. 

happen. If this isn’t a touchdown to 

group more involved in the process. 

those committee articles. I promise. 

But that was a fight that did not even 

you, take comfort in knowing that you 

At the December board meeting, 

While the fight is over, we must never 

need to take place. Just when I began 

earned us a very impressive drive, that at 

we will do some heavy lifting on 

forget it either. We, as a Union and as a 

to think maybe, just maybe a few key 

the very least put us into the Red Zone. 

quality of life issues. Some items to 

Pilot group, must maintain a heightened 

people in management had an epiphany 

Now isn’t the time to quit in frustration 

be addressed will be the monthly


NOVEMBER 2016 

27 

ELITT fiasco, moving up AQP dates 

on Pilots, and giving new hires hard 

lines in the first month, which throws 

seniority for a loop. Hotel quality will 

be addressed with the CAB chairman 

and Flight Ops leadership present. The 

continuing IT excuses by SWA will 

be addressed as we progress with the 

new CBA implementation schedule. 

Retention is an ongoing issue for 

the Company. We have had 70 Pilots 

leave for other airlines so far this 

year. The Pilot shortage is real and 

our long upgrade time is weighing on 

recruitment. We want quality Pilots 

to come to Southwest but if there 

is an avenue for improvement to 

recruitment, it will likely come from 

our CBA. That translates to leverage 

in any reopener required under 

Section 1 of our new agreement. 

Congratulations on the new contract. 

Together we achieved improvements 

that I thought I’d never see at SWA. 

While not perfect, it is an improvement 

with opportunity for additional benefits 

to our Pilot group. Your involvement 

in the process is appreciated. I look 

forward to helping implement the 

changes that Jon Weaks has planned 

in order to improve the product at 

SWAPA. Changes that will be better 

for all of us and can only be made with 

the support of a unified Pilot group. 

Mike Vastano 

CALLED TO SERVE 

ONE SWA PILOT’S DEDICATION TO THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY 

When PHX CA and singer/songwriter Jeff Senour formed 

his band, Called To Serve (CTS), 12 years ago, he knew 

he wanted his music to do one thing: Make a difference. 

“I knew I had this gift and love for music that I wanted to use 

to make a difference. It’s not about me but it is about being an 

influence in the community. Music is very powerful,” says Senour. 

Since creating the band all those years ago, CTS has been 

dedicated to honoring our military members, police officers, 

firefighters, and first responders. They have performed all over 

the country in various venues, have opened for numerous national 

artists, and for many well-known organizations such as the Medal 

of Honor, the Hispanic Medal Of Honor Society, at the Pentagon, 

and even American Airlines’ Snowball Express, an annual event to 

honor widows and children who have lost a loved one in military 

service. 

The impact of the band’s performances is not only felt by its 

audience members but by the founder himself. 

“Probably one of the most touching moments of any of our 

performances was our first time playing at Snowball Express. We 

Next month, he will perform on a stage totally new to him: on the 

deck of the USS Missouri for Pearl Harbor Day. “This is a great honor 

because I will perform the song I wrote after 9/11, ‘You Will Not Be 

Forgotten’ with the Army Band for the oldest living Pearl Harbor 

survivor, 104-year-old Ray Chavez. That’s a big honor,” says Senour. 

It is Senour’s dedication to serving those who serve that makes his 

music even more heartfelt. Messages of courage, hope, and heroes 

who are not forgotten are prevalent in the lyrics of many of Senour’s 

original songs, which he often refers to as ballads. In fact, the poignant, 

“Way Back Home,” is the song that plays over the credits in the awardwinning 

documentary Searching for Home: Coming Back from War, 

which was executive produced by actor Anthony Edwards. To hear more 

of Senour’s award-winning music, visit his site at www.ctsmusic.com. 

“We live in a great nation,” says Senour. “Being a Pilot, I’ve traveled 

all over and we are truly blessed to live in this nation, and it’s all thanks 

to those who serve.” 

were getting ready to play, standing up on this huge stage in L.A., 

and about 22 bus loads of spouses and children start making their 

way into the audience. It hit me pretty hard; all of these people 

standing in front of us have lost someone they love serving our 

country. I still get emails and phone calls from those families.” 

Senour and his band perform any and every chance they get 

(that is, when he’s not busy flying, though you might be lucky 

enough to hear him perform live for passengers at the end of his 

flights), whether it’s performing at a fallen soldier’s funeral at the 

request of the family at the Phoenix Veteran’s Day parade or at a 

local high school.

28 


NOVEMBER 2016 

DECEMBER 2016 

.710 

(3/11) 

7.528 

(6/15) 

(12/15) 

(12/15) 

83.84 

7.373 

82.47 

(12/15) 

.685 

(12/15) 

.850 

7.161 

.684 .848 

.841 

(9/15) 

(12/15) 

(12/15) 

6+01 

(12/15) 

8+45 

102.82 

(12/15) 

2.967 

2.939 

5+54 

8+34 

100.19 

Red=Contractual Limit and Most Undesirable, resulting in a heightened potential for cascading disruptions with operational stress inputs (i.e., weather, mechanical, etc.) 

Amber=Undesirable, resulting in a potential for cascading disruptions with operational stress inputs 

Green=Most desirable, providing for improved containment of operational disruptions. SRC believes the green band range provides the lowest possible scheduling execution costs as well as maximum QOL for the Pilot group as a whole.

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