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Allied Pilots Association

“Positive Rate” is designed to help keep the pilots who fly for American Airlines up to date on the issues affecting their professional careers. Produced by the Allied Pilots Association, “Positive Rate” features the union's leaders and subject-matter experts who work on the members' behalf.

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August 28 · 21 min
Positive Rate Episode 71: Meet Captain Nick Silva
Over the coming months, we will be highlighting APA's Section 6 leadership. This episode features our President, Captain Nick Silva, who served as a member of our Economic & Financial Analysis team during the last contract effort and has used those experiences to help shape APA.
July 31 · 24 min
Positive Rate Episode 70: J.P. Morgan Analyst Jamie Baker (Part 2)
APA President Captain Nick Silva and Jamie Baker – Senior Analyst, U.S. Airlines and Aircraft Leasing for J.P. Morgan in New York City – continue their discussion of American Airlines' financial performance, the structure of the airline, the potential for industry consolidation, activist investor interest, and other timely topics.
July 31 · 28 min
Positive Rate Episode 69: J.P. Morgan Analyst Jamie Baker (Part 1)
APA President Captain Nick Silva and Jamie Baker – Senior Analyst, U.S. Airlines and Aircraft Leasing for J.P. Morgan in New York City – begin a two-part discussion of American Airlines' financial performance, the structure of the airline, the potential for industry consolidation, activist investor interest, and other timely topics.
May 19 · 25 min
Positive Rate Episode 68: Lessons Learned
Communications Committee Chair CA Andy Fierro discusses lessons learned with Negotiating Committee Chair CA Adam Rutherford and DCA Domicile Chair CA Chris Wachter, who chaired the Negotiating Committee when the 2023 contract was ratified. Their conversation focuses on APA's efforts to become a more adaptive, collaborative, and – most importantly – aligned institution.
April 23 · 9 min
Positive Rate Episode 67: Investor Relations Committee
Investor Relations Committee Chair CA Dennis Tajer addresses APA's ongoing outreach with Wall Street and how his committee, and APA's broader efforts, serve to amplify the issues we face at American for investors and analysts.
Oct 10, 2025 · 26 min
Positive Rate Episode 66: Captain's Authority Committee
Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with Captain's Authority Committee Chair CA Carl Jackson about how his committee monitors and documents instances of pilot pushing by gate agents and customer service managers. If you need help during a challenging situation, call the Captain's Authority Hotline: 817-302-2338. If you want to tell the committee about an incident after the fact, fill out a Captain's Authority Threats form on AlliedPilots.org. CA Jackson stressed that his committee welcomes contributions from First Officers.
Sep 29, 2025 · 27 min
Positive Rate Episode 65: National Communications Network
APA Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with CA Cody Lasker and FO Mike Roman about how the National Communications Network (NCN) facilitates face-to-face conversations throughout the system so union leadership can hear directly from line pilots and vice versa. They also discuss how pilots can become NCN volunteers, which CA Lasker describes as a "a very low-threat, high-reward commitment." APA's goal is for 10 percent of the membership to serve as NCN volunteers as part of preparations for upcoming contract negotiations.
Sep 18, 2025 · 16 min
Positive Rate Episode 64: Above the Clouds
In the latest episode of our “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan speaks with LGA CA Matt Sheehan, who serves on the board of the charitable organization Above the Clouds. The organization's stated mission: “Above the Clouds delivers joy and hope through the wonder of flight to children and teens who have a serious illness or disability, are underserved and/or are facing other diversity.” During the APA Board of Directors' summer meeting, CA Sheehan asked the Board to consider sponsoring “Wings of Legacy,” an Oct. 5 fundraising event the charity hosts in Quincy, Mass., for a scholarship honoring the life of CA David Willey, a U.S. Navy veteran who also flew for Cape Air, Southern Air Transport, and New England Air. Earlier in his career, CA Sheehan also worked for Cape Air and cited CA Willey's mentorship as a major influence in his life. The Board subsequently approved a motion authorizing a $3,000 donation to the Wings of Legacy event. Each episode of “Positive Rate” features APA subject-matter experts working on the membership's behalf. The podcast is available through popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can search for “Positive Rate” or “Allied Pilots Association” on your platform of choice to subscribe and download. Your first opportunity to listen will be via AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts.
Sep 12, 2025 · 25 min
Positive Rate Episode 63: Information Technology Steering Committee
Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with FO Connor Denton, Information Technology Steering Committee Chair, about the continuing evolution of the APA Pilot app. FO Denton highlights the app's extensive functionality and notes the union will be rolling out the next iteration, APA Pilot 3.0, in the coming months. The new version will reflect member feedback with what he terms a "calendar-based feel" and feature production versions of various features now in beta testing.
Aug 27, 2025 · 26 min
Positive Rate Episode 62: Smoke Odor and Fumes Subcommittee
In the latest episode of our “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with CA Bridget Van Scoy, Safety Committee Deputy Chair-Smoke Odor and Fumes Subcommittee, about the ongoing collaboration between APA and American Airlines to identify root causes of smoke, odor, and fume events, reduce their frequency, and effect change at the OEM level. CA Van Scoy also addresses what to do if you experience one of these events. Each episode of “Positive Rate” features APA subject-matter experts working on the membership's behalf. The podcast is available through popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can search for “Positive Rate” or “Allied Pilots Association” on your platform of choice to subscribe and download. Your first opportunity to listen will be via AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts.
Aug 15, 2025 · 8 min
Positive Rate Episode 61: Scheduling Committee
Communications Committee Deputy Chair CA Chris Ferguson talks with Scheduling Committee Deputy Chair FO Mikael Landau about how the Scheduling Committee and Scheduling Department address a broad range of scheduling-related issues for pilots involving PBS, DOTC, TTS, vacation, Mutual Base Exchange, TDYs, vacancies, and pairing analysis.
Aug 8, 2025 · 26 min
Positive Rate Episode 60: Security Committee
In this episode, Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with Security Committee Chair CA Paul Nelson, who details how the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks "profoundly changed the security environment." He affirms the committee's close collaboration with its Air Line Pilots Association peers and notes the committee maintains "a good line of communication" with American Airlines' security experts. CA Nelson cautions that "complacency" represents the biggest threat to our industry, with commercial aviation remaining a high-value target for terrorists around the world.
Jul 23, 2025 · 23 min
Positive Rate Episode 59: Investor Relations Committee
In the latest episode of our “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee Deputy Chair CA Chris Ferguson talks to Investor Relations Committee Chair CA Dennis Tajer about what we can expect when American Airlines reports second-quarter earnings on July 24. “We are the perennial bronze-medal holder at this point in time,” he said. “That's unacceptable.” Note: Their conversation was recorded before United Airlines reported its earnings on July 18.
Jul 18, 2025 · 16 min
Positive Rate Episode 58: Contract Compliance Committee
In the latest episode of our “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee Deputy Chair CA Chris Ferguson talks with Contract Compliance Committee Chair CA Jason Saxer about the committee's role in defending the Collective Bargaining Agreement, remedying errors, educating the membership, and other contract-related services. Each episode of “Positive Rate” features APA subject-matter experts working on the membership's behalf. The podcast is available through popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can search for “Positive Rate” or “Allied Pilots Association” on your platform of choice to subscribe and download. Your first opportunity to listen will be via AlliedPilots.org/Podcasts.
Jul 2, 2025 · 18 min
Positive Rate Episode 57: Sudden Grief Response Program
In the latest episode of our “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee member CA Chris Ferguson talks with FO Vern Reaser, Aeromedical Committee Deputy Chair-Sudden Grief Response Program (SGRP), about how SGRP assists APA members and their families in the event of sudden death. FO Reaser emphasizes the importance of having a checklist to ensure you and your family are appropriately prepared. Find the podcast on any popular streaming service, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify.
Jun 18, 2025 · 19 min
Positive Rate Episode 56: Government Affairs
APA Government Affairs Committee Chair FO Brian Bell talks about how the committee represents our pilots' interests on Capitol Hill. FO Bell cites the importance of contributing to the APA Political Action Committee, emphasizing that “it's your way to help me defend the profession.” He also characterizes the Benton House, APA's base of operations on Capitol Hill, as “one of the most useful tools in our toolkit” due to its proximity to the House and Senate office buildings.
Jun 6, 2025 · 20 min
Positive Rate Episode 55: Pilot Occupational Health
Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with CA Kevin Macelhaney, Aeromedical Committee Deputy Chair-Pilot Occupational Health, about the subcommittee's efforts to mitigate occupational hazards such as space weather, radiation, and fume events.
May 30, 2025 · 21 min
Positive Rate Episode 54: Pilot Mental Health
Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with Aeromedical Committee Chair CA Rondeau Flynn about pilot mental health. CA Flynn details how APA's robust peer-support network helps our members navigate situations that can affect their mental health, and he emphasizes that mental health should be considered in the same light as physical health, with both existing along a spectrum.
May 23, 2025 · 26 min
Positive Rate Episode 53: Military Affairs
Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with Membership Committee Deputy Chair-Military Affairs Subcommittee CA Chris Krahulec and subcommittee member CA Josh Daneault about APA's support of its military pilots. The subcommittee's primary areas of focus: educate military pilots on their rights and responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); promote USERRA compliance by all parties, while ensuring adoption of any future changes in the statutes; ensure military members have the tools to properly interface with American Airlines on company requirements; and coordinate with the military affairs arms of other air carriers to address national issues. APA Military Affairs maintains a comprehensive, searchable manual on AlliedPilots.org for our military pilots.
May 16, 2025 · 22 min
Positive Rate Episode 52: Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA)
In the latest episode of our “Positive Rate” podcast, Communications Committee Deputy Chair FO Melissa Monahan talks with Safety Committee Deputy Chair CA Casey Ronayne about how FOQA works to improve safety in two primary ways — through crew contacts to discuss variance events, and through aggregate data analysis to identify trends and emerging threats. CA Ronayne notes that unstable approaches, late configurations, and long landings are among the most common events the program addresses, and he emphasizes FOQA's non-punitive nature. Each episode of “Positive Rate” features APA subject-matter experts working on the membership's behalf. The podcast is available through popular streaming services, including Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify. You can search for “Positive Rate” or “Allied Pilots Association” on your platform of choice to subscribe and download.

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