| Topics in this Volume
 Congress Passes 22nd FAA Reauthorization Extension |
On September 15, 2011, the U.S. Senate agreed upon legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week to extend funding for the FAA through January 31, 2012. The legislation initially included back pay for federal workers who were furloughed for two weeks in August when Congress allowed the previous extension to lapse, but the provision was removed prior to House passage of the bill. A stand-alone bill was introduced by Representative Frank Lobiondo (R-NJ) that would pay federal employees for the time they were furloughed. The likelihood of the bill passing under the current budget constraints is unknown.
The FAA extension bill was held up for a day in the Senate due to U.S. Senator Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) opposition to language in the bill, which also includes an extension of funding for the Federal Highway Administration, that would have allowed states to set aside highway funds for “enhancements” to include projects such as bike paths. Congress will hopefully revisit the FAA Reauthorization bill early next year.
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| Continuing Resolution Approved By Congress |
Earlier this week, the U.S. Senate agreed on a continuing resolution (CR) to extend the federal budget, just days before the end of the fiscal year. The Senate was scheduled to be in adjournment this week but disagreement between both parties on how much disaster funding should be included and how it should offset other spending cuts prevented the Senate from reaching an agreement last week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) had requested $3.65 billion in disaster funding that drew a great deal of opposition until the Senate finally reached an agreement on $2.5 billion in disaster aid funding. The CR expires on November 18, 2011.
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| House Subcommittee Approves TSA Reauthorization Legislation |
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, Transportation Security Subcommittee held a hearing on September 14, 2011, to approve legislation reauthorizing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for fiscal years 2012 and 2013.
Subcommittee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL) offered an amendment, which was adopted, modifying language included in the bill to ensure that the TSA doesn’t offer security directives in place of the federal regulatory processes without the presence of an imminent threat. NATA along with other industry groups signed a joint letter in support of Chairman Rogers.
The approved legislation addresses all modes of transportation under the TSA including aircraft. In addition, the legislation mandates a top-to-bottom review of all TSA operations and a reorganization of training to improve productivity of TSA employees. It also provides a mechanism to recoup the cost of some used equipment through foreign sale.
Specifically for commercial air travel, the legislation requires the TSA to implement a commonsense, risk-based approach to passenger screening, which will ensure that low-risk, known travelers, such as U.S. military members, can be expedited through screening so TSA passenger screeners can focus on higher-risk, unknown travelers. In addition, the legislation would require that children not be subject to pat-downs unless an anomaly cannot be resolved through electronic screening methods.
The legislation has been referred to the full committee on homeland security to be addressed by the committee members before the bill is introduced in the House.
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| Congressional Leaders Name Twelve-Member Super Committee |
Recently, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) appointed Democratic Senators Patty Murray (WA), Max Baucus (MT) and John Kerry (MA) to the new bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction or "super committee" tasked with finding $1.2 trillion in additional deficit reductions by November 23, 2011. The super committee was created as part of the agreed upon debt ceiling increase by Congress and the White House on August 1, 2011.
Meanwhile, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) named Republican Senators Jon Kyl (AZ), Patrick Toomey (PA) and Rob Portman (OH) to serve on the deficit reduction super committee. Senator Kyle previously served in the deficit reduction talks led by Vice President Joseph Biden earlier this year.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), has selected Republican Representatives Jeb Hensarling (TX); Dave Camp (MI), House Committee on Ways and Means chairman; and Fred Upton (MI), House Committee on Energy and Commerce chairman, to serve on the super committee. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) chose Democratic Representatives Chris Van Hollen (MD), James Clyburn (SC) and Xavier Becerra (CA) to serve on the bipartisan committee.
The committee consists of six Republicans and six Democrats and will be co-chaired by Senator Murray and Representative Hensarling. The super committee has commenced meetings and is now undertaking the enormous task of finding the additional deficit reductions. In addition, the reductions must be approved by a majority vote within the committee. Any such recommendation would then be fast tracked through Congress by December 23, 2011.
If the panel finds itself deadlocked along partisan lines, across-the-board spending cuts would be triggered, about $1.2 trillion with half of those cuts coming from defense and the rest from discretionary spending. Entitlements would remain largely untouched if the cuts are triggered by inaction.
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Chairman’s Message --
Customer Satisfaction - The Ultimate Question |
Do you know what the ultimate question is in measuring customer satisfaction? Fred Reichheld does, and he wrote a book about it. The Ultimate Question: Driving Good Profits and True Growth is an excellent book and really helped us in measuring the level of satisfaction our customers have with our services.
In his book, Mr. Reichheld tackles a few key issues in measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. First, what scale do you use? He recommends 0 to 10. If you use 1 to 10, some people may “assume” that #1 is best and score it improperly. No one ever says that they want to be zero.
Then the question is, Would someone recommend your services to a colleague or friend? To a colleague or friend, I’m not going to recommend anyone if I don’t have complete confidence that the company or service will be exactly what my colleague or friend is looking for. After all, my name, reputation, and even friendship could be at stake if I recommend someone to them and that company fails to deliver.
The way that Mr. Reichheld breaks down the scoring is also interesting. Anyone who scores your services as a 9 or 10 is a promoter. They will tend to stick with you even if someone else comes along and offers them a choice. Promoters may actually help you get business because they recommend you to their colleagues and friends. A score of 7 or 8 is neutral, and a score of 6 and below is a detractor. Detractors may use you because they have to, but they could actually be driving potential business away from using your services.
Ask your customers the ultimate question, and find out how many real promoters you have.
Jack Evans
ASC Chairman
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| NATA Fact Of The Week – Aviation Fuel Quality Control |
All aviation quality control systems are composed of many overlapping layers of protection from fuel contamination and degradation. One of those layers is the fuel filter differential pressures test. This test is designed to measure the difference in the pressure of the fuel flowing into and out of a filter vessel. Since fuel flowing across any filter experiences a pressure drop, this test provides an indication of the relative “health” of the filter elements. Gradual increases in the differential pressure across a set of filter elements over time is natural as those elements slowly become clogged with contaminates. A sudden increase in differential pressure provides an indication that a large amount of contaminates have been removed from the fuel by the elements. A sudden drop in differential pressure is an indication that an element seal may be leaking and allowing fuel to bypass the filters altogether. Either of these situations would require further investigation by a trained technician to ensure that fuel quality is maintained.
One of the intricacies of the differential pressure test that is often misunderstood is the relationship between fuel flow rate and pressure drop. The results of the differential pressure test are directly proportional to fuel flow rate (i.e. the higher the flow rate, the higher the pressure drop). This property of the differential pressure test is important to understand so an accurate record of differential pressure can be maintained.
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NATA Safety 1st Updated Online Module – De/Anti-icing
See What is New |
Winter weather training programs like NATA’s Safety 1st De/Anti-Icing module are designed to familiarize your line service specialists with the responsibilities of their job and give an overview of the skills necessary for safe aircraft departures. The De/Anti-icing training module was first released in 2010 and viewed by nearly 120 students in preparation for the icy season. NATA Safety 1st recently rolled out updates for the season. If you are not familiar with the online module, click here for an information sheet with screen captures that will give you an idea of what the training looks like and what is covered. To see a demonstration video of the training, please click here.
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Check Out NATA’s Archived E-learn Webinars
Special Offers Available On Some Titles |
NATA E-learn webinars are recorded and available for purchase. A link to the recording as well as a pdf of accompanying presentation slides will be provided once your order has been processed. The following webinar titles are now available for purchase in the store.
- Social Media Strategies: Tools & Tactics for Success
- PLST Online Best Practices For Trainers/Administrators
- Hiring & Screening In Today's Market
- New or Amended Minimum Standards
- Success with Social Media
- Strategies for Negotiating with Airport Authorities
- Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures
- FET Overview for Air Charter Operators
- Commercial Operators Tax Webinar
- QC1 Fuel Receipt Procedures And Record Keeping Webinar
- 2011 QC2 If You Didn't Write It Down, Did You Actually Do It Webinar
- 2011 QC3 The Straight Scoop On Additives Webinar
- 2011 QC4 An Aircraft Operator's View Of Fuel QC Webinar
- NATA/USAIG Workers Comp - Back Strain Webinar
- 2011 SPCC Compliance Webinar
NATA is running a special offer on the Fuel QC recorded webinars, purchase the Refueling and Quality Control Procedures for Airport Service and Support Operations manual and receive all four of the recorded QC webinars for FREE. Visit the NATA store to purchase the manual and you will receive a link to the recorded webinars by email.
Most E-learn webinars are $49.95, but a few are available free of charge. Visit http://www.nata.aero/Webinars/Archived-Webinars.aspx for more information on the archived webinars and to place an order today.
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Support Congressional Candidates Essential To Airline Services Companies
Join NATAPAC Today! |
In the past, NATA has successfully contributed to Members of Congress who have proven their leadership in supporting general aviation. NATAPAC supports congressional campaigns of Members who look out for the interests of aviation businesses, regardless of party affiliation. With political fundraising and campaign activity at an all time high, we cannot afford to allow other interest groups to define the issues that will impact our members.
To stay informed about NATAPAC, fill out the authorization form located in the NATAPAC brochure today. NATA must ask for permission to solicit its members, as required by law. Because NATA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization, we must obtain written approval from NATA’s member companies before soliciting contributions for NATAPAC. Completing and returning the form in no way requires you to make a contribution; however, signing the authorization form allows you to stay informed of congressional candidates NATAPAC supports and contribute to NATAPAC if you choose.
To view the NATAPAC brochure, including authorization form, please click here.
Additional information regarding NATAPAC can be found at www.nata.aero/natapac.
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| Sign-Up To Receive NATA’s Weekly Political Update |
NATA offers its members a political update on specific items that the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate and the White House are working on each week. This weekly update provides detailed information on hearings, legislation that was introduced or debated in committee, and any issue that NATA is following within Congress or the White House. The update’s purpose is to provide members a more comprehensive view of the legislative matters on which the association is working. The Weekly Political Update is sent out via email only to NATA members who request to receive it. To view past weekly updates, please click here. If you wish to receive these updates, please click here.
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| 2011 NATA Airline Services Council Brochure Now Available For Member Use |
The NATA Airline Services Council brochure provides information on the latest activities that the council is undertaking, including issues, meeting schedule and member listing.
Members interested in receiving professionally printed hard copies of this brochure may contact NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric Byer.
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| New NATA ASC Logo Available For Member Use |
NATA has created a new NATA Airline Services Council logo that members can use on company stationery, publications and their Web site. The association recently provided members with two types of logos that members can use as appropriate. Members wishing to secure the new logo may do so by contacting Eric Byer.
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