As Delta pilots prepare for another round of Section 6 negotiations, it’s worth remembering that every contract, and every negotiating cycle, is shaped by history, priorities, and sometimes difficult tradeoffs. In this episode of the Engage Podcast, host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Delta MEC Executive Administrator Captain Rich Wheeler, former negotiator and longtime union leader, to talk about the realities of contract negotiations and the lessons learned from decades of pilot agreements. Rich shares a historical perspective on how pilot contracts have evolved, how negotiating priorities shift with industry conditions, and why understanding the past is essential when shaping the future.

For this week's Engage Weekly episode, Adam provides an update on CNO inconsistencies, gives a warm welcome to the March 3 New Hire Class, encourages pilots to stay engaged as we approach Section 6 negotiations, reminds pilots to buy extra vacation before April 1, promotes the updated FAR 117 and PWA Limits Quick Reference Guide, and highlights news from select MEC committees

Engage Weekly is live with news from your MEC during their regular meeting in Austin, TX. Here's your news checklist.

For this week's Engage Weekly episode, the Delta MEC's major headlines include:

All links and additional info can be found in this week's MEC News. Enjoy the last weekend in February!

In this in-depth episode of the Engage Podcast, host First Officer Ryan Argenta is joined by MEC Executive Administrator Captain Rich Wheeler and Scheduling Committee Vice Chairman Captain Josh Cantrell to unpack the growing complexity behind open time, inverse assignments, and the rollout of Quick Slips under MOU 25-05. The conversation traces how chronic understaffing, outdated staffing formulas, expanding flying schedules, and evolving contract provisions have combined to create today’s operational pressure cooker.

Rich and Josh explain how PCS, manual trip coverage, batch sizes, proactive rest, and 23 M.7 usage interact behind the scenes, often in ways that are invisible to line pilots but deeply impactful to pay, quality of life, and schedule stability. They break down why inverse assignments exploded in recent years, how “race-to-the-phone” coverage undermined seniority, and why Quick Slips represent a major shift toward restoring transparency, structure, and fairness in last-minute flying.  

With historical perspective and practical insight, this episode separates fact from rumor and explains what “controlled chaos” really means in today’s scheduling environment. Whether you’re chasing premium flying, protecting your days off, or simply trying to understand why the system feels so strained, this conversation offers clarity, context, and a realistic path forward.   

 Welcome aboard your weekly MEC engagement. Here's what's on the radar:

All links and additional news can be found in this week's newsletter!

Here is this week's Engage Weekly! Checklist below ✏️ 📋

✅ Delta MEC Special Meeting: Direction to Negotiating Committee

✅ Engage - ASAP Explained: What Really Happens After You Hit “Submit”

✅ February Grievances Available in New Tracker

✅ MOU 25-05 Update - Sick/Well Notification

✅ Delta MEC March Regular Meeting - Austin, TX

✅ Presidents Day - Holiday Office Hours

✅ Plus, Committee Updates and Pilot Events!

What actually happens after a pilot submits an ASAP? Where does it go, who reads it, and what outcomes can follow? In this episode of the Engage, Host First Officer Ryan Argenta sits down with Captain Jason Herman, Chairman of the Airport & Ground Environment (AGE) Subcommittee of the Central Air Safety Committee (CASC), to pull back the curtain on the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) step by step.  

They walk through the full ASAP lifecycle, from de-identification and triage to Event Review Committee (ERC) discussions, closeouts, and potential follow-ups. Along the way, they tackle common myths (no, ASAP isn’t a black hole or a “get out of jail free card”), explain how ASAP interacts with ASRs and FOQA/Flight Pulse data, and share practical guidance on writing reports that actually lead to change.  

If you’ve ever wondered whether your ASAP is read, how outcomes are decided, or how pilot reports drive real-world improvements to procedures, training, and airport operations - this episode is required listening. 

Get your Engage Weekly in before the big game 🏈. Here are the big headlines:

All info, links, news, and important dates are available in our weekly newsletter!

MEC News has hit the digital airwaves!