Flying the Line

By Air Line Pilots Association, International

Aviation

What's Flying the Line about?

Recount an exciting chapter in aviation history and the beginnings of the Air Line Pilots Association, the world’s largest pilot union and nongovernmental air safety organization, through an abridged retelling of the book by George E. Hopkins, ”Flying the Line.”
Volume 1 narrated by Corey Kuhn. Volume 2 narrated by Gina Leahy.

Download our free app to listen on your phone

LAST EPISODE

Episode 29 - Blue Skies and...

12.06.2023

An unlikely connection between United’s CEO and the pilots’ MEC chair leads to a controversial contract proposal.

Flying the Line episodes:

12.06.2023 Episode 29 - Blue Skies and MEC Wars—The Origins of the United Strike of 1985, Part 1 An unlikely connection between United’s CEO and the pilots’ MEC chair leads to a controversial contract proposal.
11.22.2023 Episode 28 - The Continental Strike—ALPA’s Dark Night of the Soul, Part 3 ALPA raises safety concerns as Continental continues to fly during its protracted strike.
11.10.2023 Episode 27 - The Continental Strike—ALPA’s Dark Night of the Soul, Part 2 The Bildisco decision, although temporary in its precedence, seals the Continental pilots’ fate.
10.25.2023 Episode 26 - The Continental Strike—ALPA’s Dark Night of the Soul, Part 1 Continental’s striking pilots fight back as Frank Lorenzo looks for ways to keep his airline flying.
10.11.2023 Episode 25 - The Origins of the Continental Strike—Lorenzo Prepares His Blitzkrieg, Part 2 Frank Lorenzo uses the leverage of Chapter 11 to compel Continental pilots to make even more concessions.
09.13.2023 Episode 24 - The Origins of the Continental Strike—Lorenzo Prepares His Blitzkrieg, Part 1 With ample resources hidden in Continental Airlines’ parent company, Texas Air Corporation, Lorenzo files for bankruptcy.
08.30.2023 Episode 23 - Pilots and PACs, Republicans and Labor—The “Reagan Revolution” Hits ALPA, Part 2 ALPA’s responds to the adverse effects of deregulation, recession, and the Lorenzo wars by forming a Political Action Committee.
08.16.2023 Episode 22 - Pilots and PACs, Republicans and Labor—The “Reagan Revolution” Hits ALPA, Part 1 In this episode we look at airline deregulation and the evolving nature and influence of the Republican Party.
08.04.2023 Episode 21 - Bad Dude Rising—Frank Lorenzo Grabs Continental, Part 3 Hank Duffy inherits the debacle at Continental.
07.19.2023 Episode 20 - Bad Dude Rising—Frank Lorenzo Grabs Continental, Part 2 A rift between junior and senior Continental pilots occurs when they most desperately need to be unified.
07.06.2023 Episode 19 - Bad Dude Rising—Frank Lorenzo Grabs Continental, Part 1 Frank Lorenzo takes over Continental Airlines.
06.23.2023 Episode 18 - Who Are These Guys?—Frank Lorenzo and His Kind, Part 2 Frank Lorenzo enters the industry and advances his airline ambitions.
05.26.2023 Episode 17 - Who Are These Guys?—Frank Lorenzo and His Kind, Part 1 A new breed of corporate leadership challenges the status quo in the aviation industry.
05.01.2023 Episode 16 - Duffy Takes Charge–A Troubled Transition, Part 2 We explore the Duffy administration's inauspicious start and the emergence of Frank Lorenzo.
04.12.2023 Episode 15 - Duffy Takes Charge—A Troubled Transition, Part 1 We take a look inside the transition from J.J. O’Donnell's administration to Hank Duffy's.
03.29.2023 Episode 14 - Hank Duffy’s Destiny—The Making of an ALPA President, Part 2 We explore the experiences that led Hank Duffy to pursue the ALPA presidency.
03.15.2023 Episode 13 - Hank Duffy’s Destiny—The Making of an ALPA President, Part 1 In this episode we follow Hank Duffy's path to Delta Air Lines.
03.03.2023 Episode 12 - The End of the O’Donnell Era—The Election of 1982, Part 2 We learn more about the ALPA presidential election of 1982 and how labor protection provisions, or LPPs, played a role.
02.15.2023 Episode 11 - The End of the O’Donnell Era—The Election of 1982, Part 1 We review the events and decisions leading up to the 1982 ALPA presidential election.
02.02.2023 Episode 10 - O’Donnell’s Dilemmas—The PATCO Strike, Braniff, and Furloughs, Part 2 This episode covers the PATCO strike and its impact on ALPA, the J.J. O’Donnell administration, and airline labor.
01.18.2023 Episode 9 - O’Donnell’s Dilemmas—The PATCO Strike, Braniff, and Furloughs, Part 1 We examine the aftermath of the Braniff debacle.
01.04.2023 Episode 8 - The Braniff Debacle—Deregulation Hits Home, Part 2 We look at how Braniff pilots faced a crisis that no other U.S. pilot group had ever confronted.
12.22.2022 Episode 7 - The Braniff Debacle—Deregulation Hits Home, Part 1 We examine the reasons behind Braniff’s demise.
12.08.2022 Episode 6 - Dodging Bullets—Crew Complement, Politics, and the Wien Strike, Part 2 We explore the history of the crew compliment issue.
11.23.2022 Episode 5 - Dodging Bullets—Crew Complement, Politics and the Wien Strike, Part 1 We examine the administrative change from regional to executive vice president and how that changed the political landscape of the Air Line Pilots Association.
11.02.2022 Episode 4 - The Trials of J.J. O’Donnell - Part 2 We examine the 1981 suspension of service, codenamed “Operation USA.”
10.05.2022 Episode 3 - The Trials of J.J. O’Donnell - Part 1 In this episode, we look at the legacy of ALPA President J.J. O’Donnell, the effects of the skyjacking phenomenon, and an impending suspension of service.
09.21.2022 Episode 2 - The Legacy of Four Golden Decades The deregulation of the airline industry makes an indelible mark on the modern profession, as politics and economics become a part of an airline pilot’s daily routine.
08.31.2022 Episode 1 - The World of the Airline Pilot In the span of one lifetime, commercial aviation has made progress that would shame the wildest flights of science fiction fancy. And yet, the basic process of flight, of readying both pilot and airplane, is eerily similar. Join us as ...
12.10.2021 Chapter 25 - The Rise of J.J. O’Donnell ALPA’s fight against skyjacking is taken to the next level, as an unorthodox tactic is deployed to raise public awareness in the wake of continued violence.
12.10.2021 Chapter 24 (Part 2) - ”Skyjacking” A surge of skyjackings tears through the industry. Armed with experience, ALPA mobilizes to halt the advancing threat despite significant pushback.
12.10.2021 Chapter 24 (Part 1) - ”Skyjacking” The pilots of Eastern Airlines strike and ALPA is forced to walk a fine line with management.
12.10.2021 Chapter 23 (Part 2) - ”Jets and Thin Ice” The transition of pilots and airlines to the jet age becomes a major trouble spot for all, and the rising tensions result in some pilots taking matters into their own hands with an unauthorized strike.
08.16.2021 Chapter 23 (Part 1) - "Jets and Thin Ice" As ALPA enters the jet age, technological improvements open the door to progress. But much like every major leap in technological progress before, the transition to jets isn't without problems or controversy.
08.09.2021 Chapter 22 (Part 2) - "American Airlines Goes It Alone" The dissidents of American Airlines mount their challenge, and decide on their future, with or without ALPA.
08.09.2021 Chapter 22 (Part 1) - "American Airlines Goes It Alone" The pilots of American Airlines decide to chart their own future after the issue of crew complement returns to the forefront, and dissident leaders seize their chance to break away.
07.15.2021 Chapter 21 - "The Origins of the American Airlines Split" ALPA's during its early years was a remarkable story of unification across company lines. There were cracks lying under the surface, but unity kept any schisms at bay. But as time went by, the old spirit of shoulder-to-shoulder solidarity among ...
05.17.2021 Chapter 20 (Part 2) - "Charley Ruby's Hour" The unique experiences of Charles Ruby’s life and career made him an unlikely choice for the Association’s president. But his due to the circumstances surrounding the departures of his predecessors, and the place ALPA was in at the time of ...
05.17.2021 Chapter 20 (Part 1) -"Charley Ruby's Hour" The election of ALPA President Charles Ruby, a seemingly status quo leader, brings reform and new ideas to the Association – challenging what some members’ thoughts on what their union’s purpose should be.
05.05.2021 Chapter 19 - "Internal Politicking, 1960–1962" The 1960 election of President John F. Kennedy opens new doors for labor, in both aviation and other industries. And the promise of a new age spawns new ambitions for leaders and politicians alike.
04.30.2021 Chapter 18 (Part 2) - "The Southern Airways Strike of 1960" The striking pilots of Southern Airways resort to unorthodox tactics, including starting their own airline, to win public support, and the federal government intervenes. But this strike tests the Association like no conflict prior. And with the country’s election of ...
03.05.2021 Chapter 18 (Part 1) - "The Southern Airways Strike of 1960" In stark contrast with his fellow airline operators, the president of Southern Airways, Frank Hulse, goes to war with his airline’s pilots by cutting pay and benefits to bolster his own profits. While the pilots are forced to resort to ...
01.29.2021 Chapter 17 (Part 2)- "Safety and Crew Complement in the 1950s" A prank by a pilot in the jumpseat on a scheduled passenger flight highlights the need for more stringent standards on who should be afforded the right to have a seat on the flight deck. But this battle with federal ...
12.21.2020 Chapter 17 (Part 1)- "Safety and Crew Complement in the 1950s" ALPA advocates on behalf of having three pilots working on the flight deck of the new airliners of the post-World War 2 era, but accidents and pilot pranks do little to help the cause, all while one airline’s pilots mull ...
12.07.2020 Chapter 16 (Part 2)- "The Sayen Style" ALPA’s second president Clancy Sayen began his term on the heels of a bitter fight that ousted ALPA’s founder Dave Behncke. Upon his election, Sayen began a top-to-bottom reorganization of ALPA’s governance structure in order to democratize the association. In ...
11.23.2020 Chapter 16 (Part 1)- "The Sayen Style" In a way, ALPA's second president, Clancy Sayen was a victim of the ouster of ALPA's founder and first president, Dave Behncke. When Sayen joined ALPA, he did not have the presidency in his plans. However, due to his well-spoken ...
11.09.2020 Chapter 15 (Part 2)-”The Fall of Dave Behncke” Against all odds and amidst a quickly shifting industry and labor landscape, ALPA’s first president Dave Behncke continues his fight to maintain his position atop the organization he founded. Questions about the legitimacy of an vote takes the battle for ...
10.13.2020 Chapter 15 (Part 1)-”The Fall of Dave Behncke” ALPA’s founder and first president, Dave Behncke, works to maintain his position against all odds. But an investigative committee looks into various factors that would eventually lead to his downfall, including discontent among the professional staff of ALPA and the ...
09.12.2020 Chapter 14 (Part 2)-”The Ordeal of E. P. McDonald” The fight for Capt. MacDonald's career ends with a victory for the union pilots of National Airlines after a long and hard-fought battle with National's CEO, George T. Baker. However, this was only the start of what would be a ...
08.24.2020 Chapter 14 (Part 1)-”The Ordeal of E. P. McDonald” In the wake of the National Airlines strike, management resorts to dirty tricks to topple labor, and one pro-ALPA captain, Ed McDonald, is removed from flying as two other pilots sabotage his airmanship.

Older episodes

Flying the Line

What's Flying the Line about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Flying the Line episodes:

Episode 29 - Blue Skies and MEC Wars—The Origins of the United Strike of 1985, Part 1

Episode 28 - The Continental Strike—ALPA’s Dark Night of the Soul, Part 3

Episode 27 - The Continental Strike—ALPA’s Dark Night of the Soul, Part 2

Episode 26 - The Continental Strike—ALPA’s Dark Night of the Soul, Part 1

Episode 25 - The Origins of the Continental Strike—Lorenzo Prepares His Blitzkrieg, Part 2

Episode 24 - The Origins of the Continental Strike—Lorenzo Prepares His Blitzkrieg, Part 1

Episode 23 - Pilots and PACs, Republicans and Labor—The “Reagan Revolution” Hits ALPA, Part 2

Episode 22 - Pilots and PACs, Republicans and Labor—The “Reagan Revolution” Hits ALPA, Part 1

Episode 21 - Bad Dude Rising—Frank Lorenzo Grabs Continental, Part 3

Episode 20 - Bad Dude Rising—Frank Lorenzo Grabs Continental, Part 2

Episode 19 - Bad Dude Rising—Frank Lorenzo Grabs Continental, Part 1

Episode 18 - Who Are These Guys?—Frank Lorenzo and His Kind, Part 2

Episode 17 - Who Are These Guys?—Frank Lorenzo and His Kind, Part 1

Episode 16 - Duffy Takes Charge–A Troubled Transition, Part 2

Episode 15 - Duffy Takes Charge—A Troubled Transition, Part 1

Episode 14 - Hank Duffy’s Destiny—The Making of an ALPA President, Part 2

Episode 13 - Hank Duffy’s Destiny—The Making of an ALPA President, Part 1

Episode 12 - The End of the O’Donnell Era—The Election of 1982, Part 2

Episode 11 - The End of the O’Donnell Era—The Election of 1982, Part 1

Episode 10 - O’Donnell’s Dilemmas—The PATCO Strike, Braniff, and Furloughs, Part 2

Episode 9 - O’Donnell’s Dilemmas—The PATCO Strike, Braniff, and Furloughs, Part 1

Episode 8 - The Braniff Debacle—Deregulation Hits Home, Part 2

Episode 7 - The Braniff Debacle—Deregulation Hits Home, Part 1

Episode 6 - Dodging Bullets—Crew Complement, Politics, and the Wien Strike, Part 2

Episode 5 - Dodging Bullets—Crew Complement, Politics and the Wien Strike, Part 1

Episode 4 - The Trials of J.J. O’Donnell - Part 2

Episode 3 - The Trials of J.J. O’Donnell - Part 1

Episode 2 - The Legacy of Four Golden Decades

Episode 1 - The World of the Airline Pilot

Chapter 25 - The Rise of J.J. O’Donnell

Chapter 24 (Part 2) - ”Skyjacking”

Chapter 24 (Part 1) - ”Skyjacking”

Chapter 23 (Part 2) - ”Jets and Thin Ice”

Chapter 23 (Part 1) - "Jets and Thin Ice"

Chapter 22 (Part 2) - "American Airlines Goes It Alone"

Chapter 22 (Part 1) - "American Airlines Goes It Alone"

Chapter 21 - "The Origins of the American Airlines Split"

Chapter 20 (Part 2) - "Charley Ruby's Hour"

Chapter 20 (Part 1) -"Charley Ruby's Hour"

Chapter 19 - "Internal Politicking, 1960–1962"

Chapter 18 (Part 2) - "The Southern Airways Strike of 1960"

Chapter 18 (Part 1) - "The Southern Airways Strike of 1960"

Chapter 17 (Part 2)- "Safety and Crew Complement in the 1950s"

Chapter 17 (Part 1)- "Safety and Crew Complement in the 1950s"

Chapter 16 (Part 2)- "The Sayen Style"

Chapter 16 (Part 1)- "The Sayen Style"

Chapter 15 (Part 2)-”The Fall of Dave Behncke”

Chapter 15 (Part 1)-”The Fall of Dave Behncke”

Chapter 14 (Part 2)-”The Ordeal of E. P. McDonald”

Chapter 14 (Part 1)-”The Ordeal of E. P. McDonald”