AMFA National - Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association

Dear Members:

This month, on March 2, Assistant National Director, Floyd Looney and I attended a ceremony commemorating Charles E. Taylor at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Ken MacTiernan, Director of the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association (AMTA), sponsored the presentation of a bust of Charles E. Taylor, the Wright Brother’s mechanic, for display in the Academy’s library.

The bust of Mr. Taylor will be on display next to a replica of the Wright Flyer and busts of Orville and Wilbur Wright or “The Boys” as “Charlie” called them. In December 1903 history was made. But history almost forgot the man who helped turn the Wright Glider into the Wright Flyer. After more than 100 years of aviation it is long past the time where Charles E. Taylor deserves recognition. Although Orville and Wilbur always gave Charlie the credit for his contributions, history has made him little more than a footnote. Charlie deserves better! And, toward that end, I have been in contact with the AMTA and all of our Locals attempting to coordinate AMFA’s sponsorship of presenting a bust of Mr. Taylor to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington as we make progress on that effort I will keep you posted.

The second week in March I traveled to Dallas, Texas to attend the Local 11 membership meetings. I also had the opportunity to attend the SWA Appearance Technician negotiations that are ongoing.

The third week of March I attended the Local 14 membership meetings and conducted a station visit. The Alaska Airlines contract proposal submission period concluded this month and we will now move onto the next phase of the process toward our full Section 6 negotiations which will start next fall.

The last week of March Safety and Standards Director, Fred Digne and I traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with our legislative firm Keys to the Capitol. We discussed the changes that AMFA is working to put in place in the current FAA Reauthorization Bill as well as future efforts on legislation. A thank you goes out to all of the many AMFA members who submitted letters to their legislators in support of this regulatory change. While in D.C. we also conducted meetings at the National Transportation Safety Board where we met with all of the Office of Aviation Safety, Investigators in Charge of major investigations. Air Safety Investigator, Lorenda Ward gave Mr. Digne and I a tour of their offices including the metallurgical, accident animation, cockpit voice-recorder and flight data recorder laboratories.

For more carrier specific updates and in depth information regarding AMFA and the airline industry, please visit the AMFA National Web site at http://www.AMFANational.org/ and remember our most determined efforts will not succeed without your continued support and participation – Please stay informed. With your participation we will jointly craft our collective future. Work together, support one another, and be proud of your important profession.