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

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

FromFlying the Line

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Length:

18 minutes

Released:

Nov 9, 2020

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

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 leadership into the courtroom.

Released:

Nov 9, 2020

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (82)

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." Narrated by Corey Kuhn.

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Chapter 10-”Dave Behncke: An American Success Story” (Part 2): Dave Behncke's path to becoming the founder and head of ALPA was not a direct one. While Behncke finally achieved the military assignment he had coveted, it was short-lived. This, along with several other setbacks in his career, convinced him that the de... by Flying the Line
12 min listen
Chapter 1-'What's a Pilots' Worth?' by Flying the Line
14 min listen
Chapter 6-"The Trouble with E.L. Cord" (Part 2): The Century Airlines Strike of 1932 was quite the spectacle during the early days of commercial aviation. Not only was it a pivotal event in the history of commercial aviation, but it was key to positioning ALPA as a major player in the labor movement as... by Flying the Line
15 min listen
Chapter 5-"The Livermore Affair" (Part 2): In this episode, we hear the conclusion of the Livermore Affair and learn how this tragedy set the groundwork for ALPA's critical role in setting high standards for aviation safety, eliminating the practice of "pilot pushing," and setting the bar for avi... by Flying the Line
17 min listen
Chapter 7-"Perils in Washington" (Part 2): Expert maneuvering by ALPA's first president, Capt. Dave Behncke helped propel ALPA from a small lobbying group to the most respected voice for airline pilots in Washington. Through ALPA's advocacy in the early days of the National Recovery Administratio... by Flying the Line
20 min listen
Chapter 4-"The Airmail Pilots' Strike of 1919": The Airmail Pilots' Strike of 1919 was one of the earliest organized actions taken by pilots. This 4-day strike led to concessions by Post Office management to eliminate the practice of "weather pushing" and to increase safety for airmail pilots. The roo... by Flying the Line
15 min listen
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. by Flying the Line
15 min listen
Chapter 8-”Flying for a Rogue Airline” (Part 2): Long and Harmon were essentially running a rogue airline that was refusing to abide by Decision 83, which was the National Labor Board edict that required pilots to be paid a certain amount for flying. Facing a hostile, anti-union environment, the pilots... by Flying the Line
15 min listen
Chapter 5-"The Livermore Affair" (Part 1): In 1937, a young widow by the name of Lorna Livermore helped ALPA shed light on the practice of “pilot pushing” with the public for the very first time when she sued Northwest Airlines alleging that “Pilot pushing” is what killed her husband, pilot Joe L... by Flying the Line
15 min listen
Chapter 9-”The Rise and Fall of the TWA Pilots' Association” (Part 1): Learn what chain of events led to the rise of one of the first airline-sponsored pilots' associations, the TWA Pilots' Association. Associations such as these often led to the system being rigged against the very pilots that these associations were suppo... by Flying the Line
14 min listen
Chapter 7-"Perils in Washington" (Part 1): The early days of ALPA's presence in Washington were filled with political maneuvering spearheaded by ALPA's founder, Dave Behncke. Through ALPA's support of President Franklin Roosevelt and his New Deal, ALPA positioned itself into a formidable force in... by Flying the Line
18 min listen
Episode 8 - The Braniff Debacle—Deregulation Hits Home, Part 2: In this episode, we look at how Braniff pilots faced a crisis that no other U.S. pilot group had ever confronted. by Flying the Line
20 min listen
Chapter 8-"Flying for a Rogue Airline" (Part 1): ALPA's first president, Dave Behncke was determined to make sure that all airline pilots would be treated equally with the respect they deserved. But airline management would fight hard to create a tiered system of pay. Learn how Behncke and ALPA leverag... by Flying the Line
18 min listen
Chapter 2-"Stepping on Toes": This week, hear about the 24 "key men" who saw themselves as good "company men" but were labeled as "troublemakers" by their airline management. ALPA's Key Men faced much opposition from both management and other line pilots, but persevered in their work... by Flying the Line
14 min listen
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. by Flying the Line
25 min listen
Chapter 6-"The Trouble with E.L. Cord" (Part 1): E.L. Cord was the owner of Century Air Lines, but more importantly, his name was the rallying cry for organizing pilots in the 1930s. The Century Air Lines Strike of 1932 gave ALPA its first opportunity to negotiate a labor dispute between its members an... by Flying the Line
16 min listen
Chapter 3-"Pilot Pushing": This week, we’ll hear about how the deadly practice of “pilot pushing” played a huge role in Capt. David Behncke’s drive to organize his fellow brother pilots. by Flying the Line
15 min listen
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 ... by Flying the Line
27 min listen
Chapter 13 (Part 2)-”The National Airlines Strike of 1948”: In ALPA’s short history, Ted Baker, the owner of National Airlines, was one of the most unscrupulous operators Dave Behncke had to deal with. The pilots of National Airlines attempted to hold their management accountable for poor working conditions, but ... by Flying the Line
16 min listen
Chapter 11 (Part 2)-”Wartime!”: In the midst of the United States fighting a global war, as ALPA fought to protect its pilots. With airline operators using wartime needs as an excuse to roll back flying limits, ALPA successfully navigated the tension between maintaining the safety of t... by Flying the Line
19 min listen
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 over leaving the Association. by Flying the Line
19 min listen
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... by Flying the Line
18 min listen
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. by Flying the Line
22 min listen
Chapter 9-”The Rise and Fall of the TWA Pilots' Association” (Part 2): The flight that killed U.S. Senator Bronson Cutting from New Mexico brought renewed scrutiny to the airline accident investigations process. Until this point, "pilot error" was a commonly cited cause for accidents. However, because a prominent politician... by Flying the Line
13 min listen
Chapter 10-”Dave Behncke: An American Success Story” (Part 1): Learn about the origins and story of ALPA's first president, Dave Behncke. Join us to retrace Behncke's journey from a small Midwestern farm to the head of one of the largest and most powerful labor unions. by Flying the Line
13 min listen
Chapter 12 (Part 2)-”The TWA Strike of 1946”: The pilots of TWA struck over “the four-engine pay problem” and another pilots association threatens to cross picket lines. However in the midst of all this, ALPA President Dave Behncke was rushed to the hospital with a suspected heart attack. by Flying the Line
11 min listen
Chapter 13 (Part 1)-”The National Airlines Strike of 1948”: Fresh off the TWA Pilots’ strike of 1946, ALPA had another battle looming with the management of National Airlines. In the minds of the pilots of National Airlines, the strike of 1948 was like World War II—a good fight, a just cause, an evil foe. George ... by Flying the Line
14 min listen
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. by Flying the Line
20 min listen
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 series of battles with Geor... by Flying the Line
14 min listen
Chapter 12 (Part 1)-”The TWA Strike of 1946” by Flying the Line
16 min listen

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Episode 31 - Of B-Scales and ALPA’s Future—The United Strike of 1985, Part 1: The United pilots’ Blue Skies honeymoon is cut short with the introduction of a two-tiered wage scale. by Flying the Line
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Chapter 15 (Part 2)-”The Fall of Dave Behncke”

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

Description

Titles in the series (82)

More Episodes from Flying the Line