IFPTE Mourns for Those Lost on Flight 5342

The IFPTE family is mourning the loss of the 67 passengers, crew, and military personnel who perished in the tragic collision of Flight 5342 and a Blackhawk helicopter on Wednesday night at the Reagan Washington National Airport.  The devasting accident impacted families and communities across the globe, including Wichita, Kansas, and Washington, DC where IFPTE members live and work. 

IFPTE SPEEA Area Vice President/SPEEA Council Chair, Matthew Joyce, a lifetime resident of Wichita and an engineer with Spirit Aerosystems, provided the following condolences:  “Our SPEEA and IFPTE community here in Wichita sends our deepest condolences to the families of all of those who lost life in this tragic accident.  As a Union, IFPTE and SPEEA are proud that our members play a key role in the manufacturing of aircraft and understand that those who perished on this flight are our Union Siblings who work in our same industry, whether they be the pilots, the flight attendants, athletes, the flying public and our fellow citizens.  We offer our deepest condolences to all of their families.” 

SPEEA President/IFPTE SPEEA Area Vice President, John Dimas, also commented:  “This is a tragic loss of life for the families, and for our Union and aviation communities.  SPEEA and IFPTE grieve for those who perished, honor their lives, and offer our deepest sympathies to their families.”