February 3, 2011 

Weener Tours U.S. Coast Guard's Vessel Traffic Service Facility

On Tuesday, January 4, 2011, Board Member Earl Weener traveled to Houston, Texas, and in the company of Jack Spencer, Director, Office Marine of Safety, and Karen Bury, Program Quality Advisor, toured the office of the Sabine Pilots and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Vessel Traffic Service facility in Port Arthur, Texas.  While at the various facilities, the group received briefings on the unique challenges involved in managing the vessel traffic and navigating the Sabine Neches Waterway, the location of the Eagle Otome vessel incident that occurred on January 23, 2010.  Following the briefings, the group boarded an Aframax vessel, the Petropavlovsk, and rode the 759 foot oil tanker up through the Waterway until it docked at a refining facility.  The trip provided a firsthand opportunity to observe the piloting operations of the Sabine Pilots aboard the vessel, view the actual site of the Eagle Otome accident, and gain an appreciation for the importance of the Waterway to the economic interests of the region. 

Members Weener and Rosekind vist JetBlue University in Orlando, Florida

On Thursday, January 12, Member Weener joined with Member Rosekind in a visit to JetBlue University, JetBlue Airways’ training facility located in Orlando, Florida, and participated in the Air Transport Association Safety Council Meeting.  The Board Members received a tour of the facility and briefings on JetBlue’s pilot and crew training program for JetBlue's fleet of Airbus A320s and Embraer 190s.  During the visit Member Weener also had the opportunity to pilot an Embraer 190 simulator, with his copilot Member Rosekind, and participate in an evacuation training exercise.   At the ATA Safety Council meeting Member Weener discussed the NTSB’s Pilot Professionalism Forum and Code Sharing Symposium, and reported on the status of the UPS Boeing 747F, Dubai accident investigation.  Pilot Weener concluded by attributing his superb simulator flying experience to his very able co-pilot Member Rosekind, and remarked “I would be very pleased to simulate flying with Copilot Rosekind anytime, anywhere!”