ALPA to DOT: Block SkyWest Request for Charter Certificate

ALPA president Capt. Joe DePete described SkyWest’s proposal as purposefully deceitful. He said it would undermine safety standards because it would allow the airline to avoid critical first officer qualification rules that apply to Part 121 operations, but not Part 135. That means the airline could hire pilots at less than the requirements of the 1,500-hour rule.

Michael Wildes

Wednesday, August 03, 2022 at 03:57 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

• The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has formally opposed SkyWest Airlines' request for a Part 135 air charter certificate, criticizing it as a "scheme" to bypass existing first officer qualification rules and compromise aviation safety.
• SkyWest seeks the Part 135 certificate to address pilot shortages and re-establish service to small communities, as it would allow hiring first officers with significantly fewer flight hours (500 vs. 1,500 for Part 121 operations).
• ALPA argues that the move would undermine established safety standards, set a dangerous precedent for the industry, potentially allow SkyWest to use federal funds with less-qualified pilots, and enable less stringent safety requirements.
• SkyWest has assured investors that its charter operations would maintain the same high safety standards as its Part 121 commercial flights, including utilizing its robust safety management systems and internal pilot qualification processes.

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