 |
Top News
State Advocacy Network News
Events
Member News
 Congress Moving To Final Conclusion On Highway Bill: Act Today On Fuel Fraud Tax Repeal By Contacting Key Members Of Congress |
NATA is requesting its members to contact Members of Congress serving on the conference committee established to resolve differences between the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate versions of the Highway Bill and urge them to support repeal of the onerous fuel fraud tax. The conference committee is one of the last steps in the legislative process before an agreement is finalized on the Highway Bill and it is approved by both the House and Senate and then signed into law by the President.
NATA strongly encourages all member companies to utilize the association’s recent Action Call to reach out to these conference committee members today and encourage them to support a repeal of the onerous fuel fraud tax. To view NATA’s Action Call, please click here.
To read the Inside Washington Blog titled “Fuel Fraud Tax: To Repeal or Not to Repeal,” please click here.
To view NATA’s comprehensive issues Web page on the fuel fraud tax, please click here.
Back to Top
The 2012 Air Charter Summit begins Monday with the optional tour of the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and evening welcome reception.
Tuesday's and Wednesday's summit sessions will include a number of topics related to new training offerings, business issues, and tax-related quandaries. Don't miss Tuesday night's event featuring BBQ, beer, margaritas and a raffle in support of the Veterans Airlift Command.
The following speakers have been recently added:
- Walt Fricke, chairman, CEO and founder, Veterans Airlift Command, will speak during the Opening Session
- Keith Swirsky, president, GKG Law, P.C., and Anthony Gasaway, principal, Gasaway Tax Law, will join Kent Jackson, managing partner, Jackson & Wade, LLC, for the Expansion of Excise Taxes on Aircraft Management Fees session
Click here to view the final agenda.
Register onsite at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles. Full event or one-day passes are available.
NATA And VAC Raise Funds For Combat Wounded
NATA has partnered with the Veterans Airlift Command (VAC) to raise funds for combat wounded. The VAC is a charitable organization that provides free air transportation to wounded warriors, veterans, and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes. NATA and VAC have established a special fund, NATA Wings for Warriors, for NATA members and friends to contribute to the organization.
What can you do to help?
- Participate in the Summit BBQ raffle. Special items will be raffled at the Summit BBQ Tuesday night, including a brand new 3rd generation iPad! Raffle tickets will be available for purchase on-site during the summit.
- Make a personal or corporate contribution to the NATA Wings for Warriors fund.
- Share the VAC mission with aircraft owners, fractional share owners and card program members. Ask them to donate flight hours to the VAC.
NATA would like to thank the following companies for their generous donations to the raffle:
NATA - 3rd Generation iPad with Cover, 2013 Air Charter Summit Registration
TAC Air - Aviation Headset
Jet Solutions - Bose Headset
Signature Flight Support - Gift Card
SolutionsAir - Kindle Fire
NATA Compliance Services - Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) Package
Atlantic Aviation - GPS Unit
ARAMARK Uniform Services - iPod Nano
Back to Top
| TSA Deputy Administrator To Leave July 1, 2012 |
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator John Pistole announced the retirement of Deputy Administrator Gale Rossides last week effective July 1, 2012.
Rossides has been with the TSA for 10-years and is the longest serving deputy administrator in the agency’s history. According to a memo issued by Pistole to TSA employees:
“Gale was one of the original six persons hired in 2001 to build TSA. During the first years, Gale created TSA’s Model Workplace Program and built the foundation of TSA’s workforce planning strategy. She served as Senior Advisor to the Deputy Secretary of DHS from 2004-2005 to assist in the stand up of DHS, and returned to TSA in September 2005 to transform the agency to its focus on managing to metrics, building dozens of workplace and work life programs that drove down TSA’s employee injury rates and reduced its attrition rate to the industry standard that it is today. Many of these programs built under Gale’s vision have won awards and serve as government best practices.”
According to NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer, “Gale has been the cornerstone of the executive leadership structure within the TSA for some time. NATA greatly appreciates her efforts and wishes her the very best as she retires from government service.”
Back to Top
On June 6, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation held a hearing to examine the European Union (EU) Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and how U.S. commercial and non commercial flights are impacted by the system. Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) emphasized the importance of aviation’s role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The committee heard from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood who agreed with the chairman but stated that the EU needs to focus on a global solution to emissions problems and not one that negatively impacts non-EU flights. That thought was echoed by the other witnesses who argued that the EU-ETS is simply a revenue raiser for Europe, and one that negatively impacts both commercial and general aviation. Imposing a tax on flights that do not originate in Europe kills jobs and puts regulatory burdens on the aviation industry.
A letter that was submitted to U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers highlights concerns that complying with the EU-ETS would be economically detrimental and urges the Senator to reinforce the exemption of U.S. carriers and the general aviation from the EU’s unjust tax.
The concerns of the U.S. House of Representatives have been recognized by the recently passed H.R. 2594, the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act of 2011. The U.S. Senate is considering similar legislation.
Back to Top
| NATA Signs Onto Letter Opposing Anti-Private Provisions In Highway Bill |
On June 7, 2012, a letter was sent to U.S. Representatives John Mica (R-FL) and Nick Rahall (D-WV) and U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK), members of the conference committee to review the Highway Reauthorization Bill (H.R. 4348 and S. 1813), opposing amendments that aim to reduce funding levels for states that utilize public-private partnerships (P3s).
NATA, along with the Business Coalition for Fair Competition (BCFC) and stakeholders including the transportation, contractors, small business and tax reform industries, signed the letter expressing disagreement with the Senate-passed amendment that removes privatized highway-oriented businesses from the allocation of highway funding. Instead of eliminating such opportunity, the letter states, Congress should be encouraging, incentivizing and removing barriers to such innovative financing arrangements by the states.
“It is important for Congress to understand that P3s ease the costs to the public sector and contribute to financing state projects and the local economy,” stated NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer. “NATA will continue to work with BCFC to inform Congress of the importance of the private sector to state and national economies, jobs and businesses.”
Back to Top
| Weekly Regulatory Review |
In this weekly feature, NATA provides its members with an overview of the week’s regulatory activity as published in the Federal Register.
Click here to view the Weekly Regulatory Review for June 1–7
Back to Top
| South Dakota Governor Urges President Obama To Protect General Aviation |
On June 1, 2012, the Alliance for Aviation Across America released a letter written by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard to President Obama insisting that he recognize the importance of general aviation to the economic and job stability throughout South Dakota. The letter focused on the unnecessary and detrimental taxes that the general aviation community is facing, including the impending user fee tax.
Governor Daugaard joins other governors who have expressed their concerns over the President’s lack of support in protecting the general aviation community. Most recently, Idaho Governor C.L. Butch Otter highlighted the need to protect an industry that positively impacts state and national economies and supports thousands of jobs around the country.
To view the Alliance’s press release on Governor Daugaard’s letter, and to view other support letters, click here.
Back to Top
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) Aeronautic Division released a video highlighting aviation’s contributions to the state’s economy, national and worldwide connectivity, and quality of life. The video, Massachusetts Aviation: Our Link to Economic Prosperity, aims to educate state legislators and Massachusetts residents on the positive economic impact and useful services for productive living that general aviation provides.
Richard Davey, MassDOT secretary and chief executive officer, discusses general aviation airports as economic engines for some of the state’s eight gateway cities that are critical for tourism and open the door to more jobs and capital investment projects throughout Massachusetts. State Representative Donald Humason, co-chair of the Massachusetts Legislative Aviation Caucus, focused on the business that general aviation brings to the smaller communities of Massachusetts, stating that “without businesses, there go the jobs, there goes the factory, there go the other benefits of having an airport.”
Back to Top
| June Webinars, Register Today! |
On June 28, find out the most important question to ask a customer, and get your questions about the Commercial Operators Tax Seminar answered in back-to-back webinars.
The Most Important Question To Ask A Customer
During this webinar, we'll discuss ways to determine your SQ (Service Quotient) score. Similar to what an IQ score reveals about a person, an SQ score can reveal a lot about your FBO and how well you are meeting the needs of your customers. We'll discuss ways to benchmark your customer service efforts and reveal to you the secret question you should always ask a customer.
Speakers: Ron Jackson, The Jackson Group
John Enticknap, Aviation Business Strategies Group
Date/Time: June 28, 2012, at 12:00 noon EDT
Click here to register. Registration for this webinar is $49.95 per location and includes a copy of presentation materials and link to a recording of the webinar.
Tax Seminar Preview Webinar - Free
During this webinar, we'll discuss the Commercial Operators Tax Seminar (August 7-8, 2012, at Scottsdale Plaza Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona), which covers taxes that commercial operators face every day in their operations, such as federal excise taxes, fuel taxes, sales and use taxes, personal property taxes, income taxes, international fees and more. For a closer look at this popular seminar, NATA's Jacqueline Rosser and Conklin & de Decker's Nel Stubbs will host a preview one-hour webinar on June 28 to go over the benefits and give the audience a chance to ask questions about the agenda and speakers.
Speakers: Jacqueline Rosser, NATA
Nel Stubbs, Conklin & de Decker
Eileen Gleimer, Crowell & Moring, LLP
Date/Time: June 28, 2012 at 1:00pm EDT
Click here to register.
Back to Top
| Somerset Air Service Celebrates 65 Years |
NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric Byer recently visited Somerset Air Service to commemorate their 65th year of service. Somerset Air Service is located at George Walker Field in Bedminster, New Jersey, and has also been a member of NATA for 65 years.
Somerset Air Service was founded in 1946 by George Walker, John Beekman and Sam Freeman. The Walker family remains the sole owners today of what started as a cinderblock hanger and barracks and became a thriving airport with 8 hangers and more than 120 aircraft housed. Byer presented the Walker family with a plaque in honor of their significant milestone. For more information on Somerset Air Service and George Walker Field, click here.
Somerset Air Service (Somerset Airport SMQ) ownership family, pictured left to right: Chris Walker, Ellen Parker, Steve Parker and Dan Walker with NATA Vice President Eric Byer.
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
NATA E-Learn Webinars
Click here to view a listing of archived webinar recordings.
NATA is the National Air Transportation Association
Founded in 1940, NATA aggressively promotes safety and the success of aviation service businesses through its advocacy efforts before government, the media and the public as well as by providing valuable programs and forums to further its members' prosperity.
National Air Transportation Association
4226 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22302
Phone: 800-808-6282
Fax: 703-845-8176
|
|