ALPA Hails Government Action to Update Canadian Pilot Fatigue Rules

New, science-based regulations are essential to ensuring highest safety standards

OTTAWA, Sept. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - The Air Line Pilots Association, Int'l (ALPA) welcomes the notice of proposed amendment (NPA) regarding flight crew fatigue management issued today by Transport Canada.

"ALPA commends the Canadian government for making the process for modernizing pilot flight- and duty-time rules a priority," said Capt. Dan Adamus, president of ALPA's Canada Board. "The NPA marks a significant step forward in advancing ALPA's goals for combating pilot fatigue and further improving air safety throughout Canada."

For many years, ALPA has strongly advocated for science-based fatigue rules that would apply to all pilots in Canada. "Updated regulations, combined with fatigue risk management systems, are essential to ensuring the highest safety standards," Capt. Adamus said.

The NPA comes nearly two years after Transport Canada's Canadian Aviation Regulation Advisory Council (CARAC) Technical Committee unanimously recommended that the CARAC Flight Crew Fatigue Management Working Group report to update flight- and duty-time regulations and rest requirements be reviewed by the Civil Aviation Regulatory Committee.

ALPA participated as a member of the working group, which, in its report, recommended numerous changes to the current flight duty time limitations and rest periods that would bring Canadian regulations in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization's standards and recommended practices on fatigue management, as well as changes recently implemented by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

"As a leading proponent of modernizing flight- and duty-time regulations, ALPA will thoroughly review the NPA to ensure ALPA members' perspectives are addressed," Capt. Adamus said.

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world's largest pilot union, representing more than 51,000 pilots at 31 airlines in the United States and Canada, including the more than 2,600 Canadian flightcrew members who fly for Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, CanJet, First Air, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, and Wasaya. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org.

SOURCE: Air Line Pilots Association, Intl

Capt. Dan Adamus, ALPA Canada Board President, 613/293-0882, [email protected]