NATA News

• Hearing Today On California Avgas Issue
• Mayors From 44 Different States Send Joint Letter To President Obama Denouncing Attacks On General Aviation
• Government Funding Extended Through Next Week
• House Introduces TSA Reauthorization Legislation
• NATA President Coyne To Receive NAA Award
• FltPlan.com Talks About What Makes FBO Seminar Such a Success
• NATA Maintenance Committee Offers Best Practices Paper Titled “In Performing A Pre-purchase Evaluation (Pre-buy), What Is Considered “Airworthy?”
• Come To Atlanta For NATA’s LSST November 7-8 – Just Dewett
• New – Teterboro Flight Crew Briefing Procedure 

The California Avgas Coalition will have its first day in court today as a federal judge in Fresno, California, hears arguments on a motion to dismiss the group’s request for an injunction prohibiting the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) from filing suit over the sale of leaded Avgas. Additionally, once having ruled on the motion to dismiss, the Judge will then hear arguments over whether a preliminary injunction should be issued at this time.

On May 9, 2011, the CEH issued Notices of Violation (NOVs) to numerous California FBOs, aviation fuel distributers and producers alleging that the sale of leaded aviation gasoline by these companies violates a California state law known as Proposition 65. The NOVs issued by the CEH are the first step in the Proposition 65 enforcement process that allows a private party to sue for enforcement in state court. The CEH is demanding that the named companies either cease the sale of leaded avgas or publish warnings around their airports stating that lead emitted from aircraft may cause cancer or reproductive harm. As allowed by Proposition 65, the CEH is also demanding that the companies pay the CEH’s legal fees and a significant civil penalty. According to the CEH’s calculations, each company named in the NOVs could face a penalty of up to $1.3 billion ($1,300,000,000). Under Proposition 65, the CEH would be allowed to keep 25% of any penalty assessed with the remaining 75% going to the state.

The California Avgas Coalition is a group of FBOs and aviation fuel distributers that has formed a joint defense coalition to defend against this attack by the CEH. NATA is assisting the group in an advisory and administrative function. The coalition has asked a federal judge to issue an injunction preventing the CEH from moving forward with its proposed Proposition 65 suit on grounds that applying Proposition 65 to aviation fuel is preempted by federal law. Both the CEH and the Attorney General of California have asked the judge to dismiss the coalition’s request.

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The Alliance for Aviation Across America released a letter from 77 mayors in 44 different states to President Obama expressing concern about recent mischaracterizations of general aviation, as well as new, proposed tax burdens that would decimate small businesses and organizations around the country that depend on aviation. Mayors from Ohio, Kansas and Virginia have publicly highlighted the critical importance of the industry as a whole to the economy. General aviation supports over 1.2 million jobs and is responsible for $150 billion in economic impact. Participants also highlighted the role of general aviation and small airports in supporting local employers and jobs and providing access to a host of important services and resources, including medical care, law enforcement, disaster relief, mail delivery, fire fighting and flight training.

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On September 29, the U.S. House of Representatives swiftly passed a continuing resolution to extend funding to the government through October 4. The passage came despite a week-long recess in both chambers. On Tuesday, a full House will once again vote on a Senate-passed longer measure to keep the government running, this time through mid-November.

However, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) stated that passage of Tuesday’s continuing resolution may not be as easy, and that any hurdles could threaten another government shutdown. There are disagreements on percentage cuts to agency budgets that could prompt feuding from House conservatives, who want steeper cutbacks than the agreed-upon nearly 2 percent.

Both Senate-passed resolutions come just as government funding was set to stall on last Friday’s close of the fiscal year, with no budget for 2012 in place.

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U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, and four other members of the committee joined Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security, in introducing legislation to authorize the functions and responsibilities of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for fiscal years 2012 and 2013. This is the committee’s second attempt to reauthorize the TSA separately from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The bill, the “Transportation Security Administration Authorization Act of 2011,” H.R. 3011, authorizes the TSA to continue its duties of securing the nation’s transportation systems from attack, while specifically aiming to streamline operations, eliminate redundancy, lower costs, and promote accountability. The legislation passed the Subcommittee on Transportation Security last week.

H.R. 3011 addresses all modes of transportation under the TSA − passenger travel and commerce on planes, freight trains, trucks, mass transit, buses, and pipelines. Key provisions of the legislation include a provision to ensure that the TSA doesn’t offer security directives in place of the federal regulatory processes without the presence of an imminent threat.

Other key provisions in the bill include:

• A risk-based program at airport checkpoints that would allow for expedited screening of trusted passengers, such as members of the military.

• Parameters for the screening of children at passenger screening checkpoints, to ensure that children are not subject to a pat-down unless there is express consent of a parent or guardian in the event that a screening anomaly cannot be resolved by checkpoint technology.

• A comprehensive, agency-wide review of the TSA to identify areas to improve efficiency and reduce costs to save taxpayer dollars, including the management of Transportation Security Officers (TSOs).

• An air cargo advanced screening pilot program to strengthen cargo security by encouraging cargo carriers to provide shipment level data for air cargo bound for the U.S.

In addition to Rogers and King, original co-sponsors of H.R. 3011 include Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI), Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN), and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL). 

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NATA President and CEO James K. Coyne will receive the National Aeronautics Association Wesley L. McDonald Elder Statesman of Aviation Award during the group’s 2011 Fall Awards Banquet on November 7. Coyne is one of four recipients to receive the award.

“As the Elder Statesman Award is synonymous with lifetime achievement, these four individuals together have contributed immensely to the advancement of our industry, the defense of our nation, and the fabric of sport aviation in the United States,” said Jonathan Gaffney, chairman of the Selection Committee and president of NAA. “It is such a great honor to put their names on this most cherished award.”

According to NAA, “The Wesley L. McDonald Elder Statesman of Aviation Award was established in 1954 to honor outstanding Americans, who, by their efforts over a period of years, have made contributions of significant value to aeronautics, and have reflected credit upon America and themselves. Previous winners have included Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle, Olive Ann Beech, Scott Crossfield, Carol Hallett, and Chuck Yeager. Click here for complete information on the award and a full list of previous winners.”

“On behalf of NATA’s board of directors and its members, I congratulate Jim on this great honor for his outstanding service to the the association and the general aviation industry at-large,” stated NATA Chairman Todd Duncan.

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Visit http://www.nata.aero/Seminars/2011-FBO-Success-Seminar--GA.aspx to find out what long-time NATA supporters, FltPlan.com’s Tina Gillis and Lisa Kessler, have to say about NATA’s FBO Success Seminar. FltPlan.com has been a sponsor of this event from the very beginning and continues its support with the upcoming seminar in Atlanta from November 8-10. NATA Director of Safety and Training Amy Koranda interviews Tina and Lisa about why they feel that this is one of NATA’s most important seminars.

Click here to listen to some of the most important reasons for attending this November.  

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The NATA Aircraft Maintenance & Systems Technology Committee has launched a new series of best practices papers that will be issued every quarter. The first best practices in the series focus on the aircraft pre-buy evaluation process and what is considered “airworthy.”

To view this new best practices paper, please click here.

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NATA’s Line Service Supervisor Training (LSST) seminar has many industry experts to help line supervisors/managers become better at leading and managing. One such expert is Dr. Todd Dewett − one of the most energetic, knowledgeable and popular speakers you’ll meet at the LSST. Take less than a minute to view his video invitation to the LSST in Atlanta, November 7-8 at http://www.nata.aero/Seminars/2011-LSST-GA.aspx.

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Before your pilots fly into Teterboro, they need to view the updated Teterboro Flight Crew Briefing that reviews vital safety information about flying into and out of Teterboro at http://www.airportflightcrewbriefing.com/teterboro/.

Recently, the Runway 19 Dalton Departure was changed and pilots should review the Teterboro briefing again for the latest updates. Experts at Teterboro have pointed out crucial safety issues about the Runway 19 Dalton Departure since Teterboro departures fly directly below and in close proximity to heavy jet aircraft descending on final approach to land at Newark. Additionally, past incident data related to this procedure disclosed that pilots on occasion have exceeded its 1,300 foot altitude restriction and have violated Class B airspace.

Flight Crew Briefings are customized online training tools that give pilots and other flight crew members flying into and out of an airport access to critical safety information about the airport, including its location, layout, operations, regulations, and safety and security procedures. The Briefing allows pilots to hear advice and guidance from airport management, based pilots, and other flight crew members who are familiar with an airport.

A Flight Crew Briefing takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, depending on the pilot’s familiarity with the airport. The informational training includes four main topic areas pertaining to safety, security, noise abatement and ATC procedures specific to the airport. The safety briefing consists of an airport safety overview, runway incursion hot spot review, surface area movement problems and recommended practices for the airport. The security section includes an airport security program overview, identification requirements, escort procedures/vehicle access procedures and overnight securing of aircraft requirements. The noise abatement briefing covers the city/town/local rules and regulations, noise abatement procedures and airport updates. And finally, the Air Traffic Control (ATC) segment covers an overview of ATC procedures, departures and VFR operations applicable to the airport.

NATA Safety 1st also offers a Flight Crew Briefing for Newark Liberty International in addition to the Teterboro briefing.

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11/07/2011 - Atlanta, GA
Line Service Supervisor Training

11/08/2011 - Atlanta, GA
FBO Success Seminar

03/05/2012 - Las Vegas, NV
2012 Spring Training

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Fuel Quality Control Webinar Series - Special package discounts are available.

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