(Washington, DC- September 21, 2022) The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations ( CAPA), representing over 30,000 professional cockpit crew members, fully supports the recent decision by the FAA to deny Republic Airway’s application for reduced aeronautical expertise levels equal to that of a US military-trained pilot.
The current pilot qualification standards, mandated by Congress in 2010 following a series of tragic accidents, have resulted in one of the safest periods in aviation history.
“Simply reducing pilot experience levels to accommodate a near-term supply chain problem, exacerbated by accelerated airline retirements during the pandemic, is not in the best long-term interest of the aviation industry or the traveling public,” stated CAPA President Larry Rooney.
CAPA believes that all airline pilots should be held to the same rigorous standards contained within the ATP process before practicing their craft and continues to advocate for robust safety measures to help ensure that the US aviation system remains the “gold standard” for others to emulate.
CAPA is the world’s largest pilot trade association representing over 30,000 professional pilots at American Airlines (Allied Pilots Association), UPS Airlines (Independent Pilots Association), Atlas Air (Teamsters Local 2750), Republic Airways (Teamsters Local 357), ABX Air, Horizon Air, Cape Air, Omni Air, and Silver Airways (Teamsters Local 1224).
