NZALPA Contingency Fund Trust - Inaugural A-Category Instructor Rating Scholarship

By Alan Mitchell.

The New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association (NZALPA) is launching a major strategic initiative to extend its coverage and sphere of activity into the general aviation industry (GA). GA pilots are faced with the typical range of employment issues and problems that workers everywhere face; they are also the prime recruitment pool for the airline turboprop and regional jet operations in which NZALPA is the main voice for pilots. General aviation is seen as the nursery for the airline transport industry in New Zealand, and it makes great sense for NZALPA to recruit and serve the needs of GA pilots, many of whom are in the formative stages of their careers.

Of course, many light aircraft pilots, instructors and helicopter pilots in aero clubs, flight schools and commercial and tourist operations have been members of NZALPA—the airline pilots’ union and professional association—for decades. Significant benefits are available to GA pilots in the form of cost-effective loss of licence insurance, technical and safety information, medical and welfare help, and—perhaps most importantly—professional representation in any employment matter or aviation incident or accident. NZALPA currently represents more than 250 pilots employed in one segment or another of the general aviation industry. It has successfully negotiated collective employment agreements for several of the larger GA pilot groups, and routinely represents individuals with employment relationship problems or issues involving CAA.

The most recent NZALPA Annual Conference in June of this year expressed the view that the Association should expand its involvement in GA by making a well-planned effort to provide a range of useful services to GA pilots who are often in the early stages of their flying careers, and to aim to double the size of the GA group currently involved in NZALPA. Amongst other initiatives, the Association is planning to employ a GA specialist to look after this sector; the Association will also develop new features on its website dedicated to the needs of GA pilots such as a directory of job vacancies and guidance on what to do following an incident or accident.

As part of this strategic effort, the NZALPA Contingency Fund Trust is offering an inaugural scholarship to suitable applicants from the New Zealand general aviation industry. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to an NZALPA member who wishes to upgrade his or her current B-Category Instructor rating to an A-Category rating, for either aeroplane or helicopter. The funding will cover the cost of the Aviation Services Ltd (ASL) flight test fee plus the costs of training up to a total combined value of $5,000.

The NZALPA Contingency Fund Trust (CFT)

The CFT is a fund that was established in September 2004 by the Board and membership of NZALPA in the wake of the Ansett 703 Dash-8 accident in 1995 and the demise of Ansett NZ in 2000. Both these occurrences highlighted to the Pilots’ Association the need to have significant financial reserves available in the event of such unforeseen occurrences. Since September 2004, the Trust has been levying Air Line Pilots’ Association members a small annual fee, which is then held in trust for beneficiaries.

Amongst other things, the Fund provides last-resort assistance for beneficiaries—which for the most part are NZALPA members—for aviation-related issues. However, the discretion provided to the trustees is wide, and during the past 18 months, the CFT has assisted a number of diverse causes, including a $30,000 contribution to the Air New Zealand Ltd Perpignan Trust. This was set up by Air New Zealand after the tragic loss of one of the airline’s A320s in November 2008, in order to help provide for the children of the victims of the accident.

The Fund also provided assistance to Air Nelson Ltd pilots during their protracted negotiation round of 2008. Here, the CFT stepped in by providing short-term interest-free advances to allow individuals who were feeling the financial squeeze to balance their budgets.

In January this year, the Southern DC3 Charitable Trust encountered problems with an unexpected need to replace an engine prematurely. This occurred at the height of the DC3 Trust’s summer earnings season and resulted in the aircraft being grounded. The CFT responded to a request from the Southern DC3 Charitable Trust to assist by providing a loan. The CFT was grateful to be able to assist such a worthwhile aviation endeavour.

The CFT has been involved with and contributed to a number of other initiatives that cannot be publicised because of their sensitivity and the need to maintain confidentially.

Why the scholarship?

The name of the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association dates back to 1945 but in modern times, it has become a little deceptive, as its members include some 350 air traffic controllers, as well as any NZ-based pilot who is employed (or seeking employment) in any capacity within the NZ aviation industry. Over the years, the number of members within the Air Line Pilots’ Association has grown steadily and currently stands at over 2,000. Some 1,400 of these members work for airlines but an increasing proportion of the membership comes from the general aviation sector, which, as already indicated, currently exceeds 250 members.

The trustees of the CFT appreciate that the Association’s general aviation members are vitally important to the Association. Indeed, it recognises that in many cases, they are the future of NZALPA. Often, these members don’t have a high profile but need just as much support and assistance as any other member of the Association.

The idea of the scholarship has taken a while to evolve. The trustees’ initial idea was for the CFT to provide a scholarship for a junior pilot to attend the annual Walsh Memorial Flying Camp at Matamata. After making a few enquiries, the trustees discovered that the greatest challenge for the Camp’s organisers was obtaining flying instructors, not obtaining keen students. It was from this that the idea of the instructor scholarship grew.

The A-Category instructor rating qualification is thought of as the pinnacle of flight instruction within NZ. Unfortunately, a large portion of the instructor population does not necessarily see value in progressing from the B-Category to the A-Category qualification. This move not only requires a great application of time and effort, but also money. Although the CFT cannot help with the time and effort required, it is able to assist with a monetary contribution and, as such, NZALPA—via its CFT—is keen to assist by encouraging the achievement of excellence in NZ instructing.

While the Trust has long since moved beyond the initial suggestion of providing a student scholarship to attend the Walsh Memorial Flying Camp, the trustees have chosen to retain a requirement for its own scholarship that the successful candidate make him or herself available to instruct at the Walsh Flying Camp if required.

What makes a suitable candidate for the scholarship?

Individuals applying for the scholarship must be suitably qualified and experienced to be able to undertake an upgrade to an A-Category qualification within one year. Additionally, NZALPA wants to encourage and support aviators who are not only keen and enthusiastic about aviation, but are also willing to give back to the general aviation community. This means that even though the scholarship is focused on up-and-coming general aviation instructors, the recipient does not necessarily have to be employed in general aviation instructing. For example, if a currently-employed airline pilot could demonstrate that he or she was providing a significant contribution back to general aviation, then an application from that pilot would be considered.

The overriding principle for NZALPA is that it wants to support individuals who show leadership and who genuinely wish to contribute to general aviation instructing. Additionally, the Trust is not restricted to the provision of a scholarship; if there are truly outstanding individuals out there who have a good case for support, the Trust might be in a position to consider providing financial assistance on a case-by-case basis.

The trustees realise that a limitation of the scholarship is that it might not be of particular interest to all of the Association’s GA members, as a significant number are not involved in instructing and probably never will be. However, while they realise this might not be ideal, they are pursuing the instructing scholarship as a clear demonstration that encouraging higher standards and education in aviation is very close to the hearts of the trustees.

NZALPA and the CFT’s trustees intend that this scholarship will become a valued and contested opportunity each year that the Trust will continue to sponsor. As such, members who might not qualify to apply for the initial scholarship can be assured that there will be further opportunities in future.

How to apply?

Suitably qualified and experienced individuals wishing to apply for the scholarship can contact the NZALPA office in Auckland for an application pack that provides all the necessary information and criteria. There is a requirement that the applicant must have been a member of the New Zealand Air Line Pilots’ Association for at least six months at the time applications close. Those wishing to obtain application packs can email the NZALPA office at office@nzalpa.org.nz for an electronic copy; or, by mail, contact NZALPA Contingency Fund Trust, P.O. Box 53-183, Auckland Airport. Along with their applications, applicants will need to provide two references and a short written statement about themselves, and describe their future aspirations.

Applications close 31st January 2010.