FLIGHT OPS FLYER April 30, 1999 **************** ************** Two United Crews Aid Private Pilot in Distress ---------------------------------------------- When a VFR-rated private pilot became disoriented and lost after inadvertently flying into IFR conditions between Decora, Iowa, and Neseedha, Wisconsin, two United flight crews came to his rescue. SFOFO Captain Bob Haygooni, flying flight 333 ORD-SEA on April 12, heard a faint "Mayday" call on the radio. It was the private pilot's wife working the radio, who frantically explained that they were lost in the clouds. The couple's 11-month old son also was on board. Captain Haygooni and First Officer Maher Ladki were joined by IADFO Captain Pete Friedman and First Officer Greg Wright, who also were in the area flying flight 165 BOS-SFO. Together the two United crews provided "on-the-spot IFR training" to enable the private pilot to stay calm, level the airplane and acquire visual contact with the ground. At that point, ATC picked up their radio transmission and guided them safely to the nearest runway. In a letter to Captain Haygooni, the private pilot's wife expressed her appreciation for "helping to make the sometimes not-so-friendly skies of IFR conditions safer by allowing us to use your wisdom and the wisdom of all the people who were helping you to help us." "This is a wonderful story," said System Chief Pilot Captain Dave Ringwalt. "Both of these crews demonstrated not only their airmanship skills in `talking down' this private pilot, but their compassion as well. I'm proud of them for helping to turn a potential tragedy into happy ending for all concerned." United, ALPA Conduct Employee Assistance Training ------------------------------------------------- United and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) this week conducted a joint Employee Assistance Program (EAP) training session in suburban Chicago. For more than 20 years, employees from Medical, Flight Operations and ALPA have participated in EAP training. Participants in the training session are EAP committee members at United's 10 pilot domiciles. Each committee includes an EAP representative and the regional flight surgeon from United's Medical Department, as well as an ALPA representative and a manager from Flight Operations. The EAP training includes presentations from experts on chemical dependency, relapse prevention and FAA concerns. "United's Employee Assistance Program is the oldest in the airline industry and one of the best in corporate America," says Dr. Gary Kohn, corporate medical director. "The success of EAP, which has helped several hundred pilots, is a direct result of the high level of support the program receives from both ALPA and the company." FAA Controller Display Scope Replacement (DSR) --------------------------------------------- The FAA has begun a large-scale program of replacing controller radar scopes. The program began at Chicago on April 23 and starts at New York today. It will be a gradual process that will increase taxi-out times to satisfy additional miles-in-trail requirements to allow controllers to become familiar with the new equipment. The severity will increase until approximately May 21 when they will slowly return to a normal operation. During this period, extra taxi times and fewer NRP and direct routings can be expected to destinations of ORD, the NYC airports and flights through Chicago Center airspace. Cleveland Center, the first complex facility to begin DSR, is mid-way through the process. Restrictions to flight through Cleveland Center exist as well. Five to 10 extra minutes of taxi time for eastbound departures as far west as DEN may occur. UAL/SIUC Aviation Career Day a Big Success ------------------------------------------ For the sixth year, United and Southern Illinois University- Carbondale (SIUC) hosted Aviation Career day at SIUC. United System Chief Pilot Captain Dave Ringwalt, SIUC's Aviation Management and Flight College Chairman Dr. David Newmeyer, and a group of United employees joined together on April 24 to introduce the students to aviation careers. Retired DC-10 Captain Bill Norwood, who serves on the SIUC Board of Trustees, also took part in the activities. The students boarded a B737-300 at ORD for a flight to SIU in Carbondale, Ill. ORDFO Captain Barry Batson and First Officer Chris Sims flew the flights to and from Carbondale. At SIU, the students toured the campus and heard presentations about aviation careers and an SIUC education. A highlight of the day was a tour of the B737-200 United recently donated to the school. Now painted in SIUC colors, and with the words "Southern Illinois University Carbondale, in partnership with United Airlines" painted on the fuselage, the plane will be used in the aviation education process. Flight Operations employees participating in the Aviation Career Day included: Capt. Clarence Copping Capt. Capt. Kerry Johnson, ORDFO F/O Lorraine Morris, ORDFO F/O Craig Munter, ORDFO F/O Scott Stoker, ORDFO S/O Jeffrey Underwood, ORDFO Welcome Aboard -------------- There was no new-hire pilot class at DENTK this week. The total number of new hires for 1999 remains at 233. ************************************************************ Flight Operations Communications, WHQVF 847/700-7288 "Flight Ops Flyer" also is available in the United Airlines section of CompuServe under "Pilot Information." ************************************************************