05ADM008To: Member Associations (FE) 23 June 2004

Dear Colleague

RE: Letter to Heads of State

At the Annual Conference in Sydney I held a special meeting for the Presidents and Chief Delegates of the attending Member Associations. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss and debate IFALPA's response to unilateral government actions that mandate other governments to implement certain procedures that affect aviation, and hence pilots and flight engineers. The example that prompted this reaction was the implementation by the United States in December 2003 of a rule which required foreign carriers operating into the United States to have Sky Marshals aboard certain designated flights.

As a result of the discussion at the meeting in Sydney, I was directed to write a letter to the Head of State of each Member Association stating the Federation's belief that in the future before any such decisions are mandated discussions among all of the stakeholders, including pilots, and flight engineers should be conducted in an attempt to reach a consensus on the most prudent course of action to be taken in such cases.

The attached letter has been sent to your Head of State to fulfil the mandate I received at the Conference, and it is provided for your information and knowledge should you be contacted regarding its content. I am hopeful that in the future pilots and flight engineers will be given the opportunity, either through IFALPA or your local association, to participate in the decision making process on important issues such as the deployment of armed guards aboard commercial aircraft.

Thank you for your support and consideration.

Yours sincerely,

Captain Dennis J. DolanPresident