posted on March 12, 2019 22:25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Captain Dennis Tajer: 847-902-8481; Gregg Overman: 817-302-2250

Allied Pilots Association Remains Confident in Boeing 737 Max

FORT WORTH, Texas (March 12, 2019) — The Allied Pilots Association (APA), representing the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, remains confident in the Boeing 737 Max and in our members’ ability to safely fly it.

The pilots for the world’s largest airline have the necessary training and experience to troubleshoot problems and take decisive actions on the flight deck to protect our passengers and crew. Our pilots are a major reason why American Airlines is an industry leader in aviation safety.

In the wake of the tragic loss of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on Sunday, people around the world are jumping to conclusions about the Boeing 737 Max. Federal and international authorities have just begun to look into Sunday’s accident. It is too early to determine possible causes.

APA and American Airlines jointly operate a Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) program that monitors all AA flights. We get notification of anything that would be a precursor to the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) activating. We have reviewed data for more than 14,000 flights since the Lion Air Flight 610 accident in Indonesia last October, and we have not seen a single anomaly related to the MCAS.

The flying public should also be aware that American Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max planes are unique. After the loss of Lion Air Flight 610, Boeing disclosed that the MCAS can be triggered by a single erroneous Angle of Attack (AOA) event. The two dozen 737 Max aircraft in the American Airlines fleet are the only ones equipped with two AOA displays, one for each pilot, providing an extra layer of awareness and warning.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which is on site in Africa with the National Transportation Safety Board, has issued a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) for Boeing 737 Max operators. We look forward to them completing their investigation and sharing the facts it will reveal.

Founded in 1963, the Allied Pilots Association — the largest independent pilots union in the United States — is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. APA represents the 15,000 pilots of American Airlines, including several hundred pilots on full-time military leave of absence serving in the armed forces. The union’s website is AlliedPilots.org. American Airlines is the world’s largest passenger airline.