Posts classified under: Expert Witness Directory

A highly experienced recently retired senior airline captain with more than 50 years of flight experience and more than 30 years as an air safety representative. He has approximately 30,000 domestic and international flight hours in both major airline and general aviation aircraft. Captain Ross’s FAA type ratings include various versions of the Boeing 747, Boeing 777, McDonnell Douglas DC10, and Boeing 737. He has flown as a captain for one of the world’s largest international airlines continuously from 1991 until his retirement in 2019. Captain Ross is also a former full-performance-level FPL air traffic controller.

Captain Ross served on the Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee ATPAC reporting to the FAA Administrator on new or significantly revised air traffic control ATC procedural concepts charts, diagrams, and illustrations, identifying their relevance to current, revised, or proposed ATC procedures and concepts.

His areas of expertise include Federal Air Regulations FAR Part 121 airline operational safety issues, turbulence injury investigation and mitigation, passenger disruptions, domestic and international flight operations, regulatory and flight operations manual compliance, flight crew performance, crew resource management and coordination, cockpit-related human factors issues, compliance with company procedures, aircraft limitations, navigation and communications procedures, standard operating procedures, and best practices.

• Highly experienced retired airline pilot and aviation safety representative with more than 50 years of flight experience and approximately 30,000 domestic and international flight hours in both major airline and general aviation aircraft


• Former senior airline captain, air traffic controller, air safety representative involved in aviation rulemaking, flight instructor, general aviation aircraft owner and operator


• Areas of expertise include Federal Air Regulations FAR Part 121 airline and air traffic control operational safety issues, flight operations, standard operating procedures, regulatory and flight operations manual compliance, crew performance and coordination, cockpit-related human factors issues, compliance with company procedures, aircraft limitations, navigation and communications procedures, and best practices


• Extensive experience in international and domestic major-airline operations, aviation safety, aviation-related technology, flight crew procedures, and in leading committees and project teams.


• FAA licensed pilot since 1972


• Holds Federal Aviation Administration FAA type ratings on several aircraft, including various versions of the B747, B777, DC10, and B737 Curriculum Vitae of Captain Ross Sagun May 2023 Note: all dates are approximate


• Piloted and instructed on numerous general aviation aircraft ü Served as Chairman of the Air Line Pilots’ Association International ALPA-I National Air Traffic Services Group ü Served as Regional Vice President for the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations IFALPA responsible for promoting the highest level of aviation safety worldwide and being a global advocate of the piloting profession


• Designated as ALPA Boeing 747 Fleet Safety Coordinator at United Airlines, responsible for investigating accidents and incidents occurring on United Airlines’ B747 fleet worldwide


• Served on the Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee ATPAC reporting to the FAA Administrator on new or significantly revised air traffic control ATC procedural concepts charts, diagrams, and illustrations, identifying their relevance to current, revised, or proposed ATC procedures and concepts

Education and Certifications Background

• University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor’s Degree in Economics 1976 1972-1976


• United Airlines Flight Training Center, Denver, CO, initial training 1978-1979


• Federal Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control Academy, Oklahoma City, OK 1982


• United Airlines Flight Training Center, Denver, CO, transition training schools 1980-2017

Licenses

• FAA Airline Transport Pilot ATP certificate


• FAA Aircraft Type Ratings: B-737, B-747, B-777, DC-10


• FAA Flight Engineer Ratings: B-737, B-727, DC-8


• FAA Certified Flight Instructor CFI/CFII


• FAA Control Tower Operator CTO


• FAA Remote Pilot Drone Certificate


• National Weather Service NWS Certified Weather Observer

Professional Experience

Solano County Airport Land Use Commission 2016-present

• Appointed as Commissioner on the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission ALUC by the Solano County Board of Supervisors


• Responsible for operating under the auspices of California Public Utilities Code to assist local agencies with airport development planning at the state, regional, and local level


• Elected as Chairman 2022-present

United Airlines, Inc., Chicago, IL – Airline Pilot 1978-2019

• Flew domestic and international routes on DC8, B727, B-737-200/-300/-500, 1978-2019 DC-10/-30, B-777-200/-300, B-747-400


• Promoted to narrow-body captain 1991


• Promoted to widebody captain 2000


• Crew Rest Oversight Committee - Chairman 2015-2019
  
  
  
  • Responsible for ensuring the adequacy and quality of on-board crew rest facilities to minimize pilot fatigue and improve flight safety
  
  
  
  


• Pilot-Dispatcher Communications Group PDCG 2011-2017
  
  
  
  • Pilot/flight dispatcher group responsible for resolving flight dispatchrelated technical and interoperability issues
  
  
  • Assisted in implementing a revolutionary new multi-million-dollar flight dispatch system for the airline Flywize
  
  
  • Led the Turbulence Injury Mitigation Team
  
  
  • Elected as PDCG Chairman
  
  
  
  


• Selected by management to become a member of the Flight Management Systems FMS Task Team responsible for evaluating new and proposed flight management systems and procedures

FAA Air Traffic Controller - Air Traffic Control Tower - Concord, CA 1981-1984

• Temporarily furloughed from United Airlines due to an economic downturn and joined the FAA during the layoff


• Became a full-performance level FPL air traffic controller


• Acted as Team Supervisor, Controller-in-charge, and Training Specialist


• Elected by the staff to be the facility human relations committee chairperson


• Recalled to United Airlines in 1984

Air Line Pilots’ Association (United Airlines), Master Executive Council, Chicago, IL 1985-2019 Represented more than 12,000 United Airlines pilots while concurrently serving as a full time United Airlines pilot

• Air Traffic Control Committee Chairman 1985-2019


• Boeing 747 Fleet Safety Coordinator 2005-2019


• International Subcommittee Chairman 2013-2019


• Pacific Coordinator 2013-2019

Air Line Pilots’ Association International (ALPA), Washington, DC 1992-2001

Represented more than 55,000 airline pilots from approximately 60 U.S. airlines while concurrently serving as a full time United Airlines pilot

• Representative to the Air Traffic Procedures Advisory Committee ATPAC 1992-2001


• Air Traffic Services Group - Vice Chairman 1992-1995


• Chairman 1995-2001

International Federation of Air Line Pilots Organizations IFALPA, Montreal, Canada 2000-2001 Volunteer position for an international air safety organization representing more than 100,0000 pilots in nearly 100 countries while concurrently serving as a full time United Airlines pilot

• Elected as Regional Vice President, US-Central East Pacific Region encompassing the United States and the Pacific between the West Coast of the Continental U.S.A. and Hawaii.

Aviation Safety Accomplishments

• Key participant in design, simulator evaluation, and implementation of the San Francisco International Airport SFO Runway 28R/L Localizer Directional Aid - Precision Runway Monitor LDA-PRM Simultaneous Offset Instrument Approach SOIA, a revolutionary new airport capacity-enhancing instrument approach concept utilizing fast-update radar and newly-developed air traffic control and pilot procedures


• Authored Oceanic Weather Deviation Procedure used worldwide


• Helped implement revolutionary new flight dispatch system for United Airlines Flywize


• Advised the FAA on development of Land-and-hold-short procedures LAHSO


• Represented US-ALPA internationally before the IFALPA ATS Committee


• Authored numerous ALPA National Safety Alert Bulletins to alert airline pilots worldwide of significant aviation safety hazards


• Appointed to the United Airlines Flight Management Systems FMS Task Team


• Former general aviation aircraft owner and operator


• Worked with the FAA, airlines, and industry groups on the following aviation safety projects:
  
  
  
  • Traffic Collision Avoidance System In-Trail Climb TCAS ITC procedure
  
  
  • Precision Runway Monitor PRM approaches and associated TCAS requirements
  
  
  • Aircraft conspicuity while holding in position on an active runway
  
  
  • Runway incursion prevention
  
  
  • Los Angeles LAX Stadium Visual Charted Visual Approach Flight Procedure CVFP
  
  
  • Free Flight airport capacity enhancement concept
  
  
  • Reduced vertical separation RVSM standards
  
  
  • Visual separation standards and procedures
  
  
  • Reduced Oceanic separation standards
  
  
  • Wake turbulence separation standards
  
  
  
  

Membership and Professional Activities

• Air Line Pilots Association, International ALPA-I


• Retired United Pilots Association RUPA


• Quiet Birdmen QB

Air Safety Recognitions and Awards

• United Airlines ALPA UAL-MEC D.B. Robinson Air Safety Award for Outstanding Achievement in Air Safety


• Air Line Pilots’ Association Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service in July 1999 Air Safety

Published Articles

• SOIA: Boon or Bust?, Air Line Pilot Magazine - April 2000


• TCAS in TA-Only Mode? No Way! - January 2023


• Are We Really Cleared to Cross? - January 2023


• ALPA Safety Alert Bulletins – various dates between 1995-2001