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NATA Airline Services Council
NATA formed the Airline Services Council (NATA ASC) to further the interests of companies that provide services to scheduled air carriers as their primary business. The primary goal of the NATA ASC is to provide a voice within the public policy arena, especially in terms of issues that impact their viability and profitability.. |
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PLST Online provides the most up-to-date training available for line service specialists – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Line service supervisors can conduct the new PLST Online training anytime and from anywhere there is access to the Web. continued |
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| NATA ASC Holds May Meeting With TSA Officials To Discuss Airport And Cargo Security Issues |
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| The NATA Airline Services Council met on May 12 in Alexandria, VA, to discuss a variety of legislative, regulatory, security and business issues affecting member companies. Doug Hofsasss, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) general manager of the Commercial Aviation and Airports Branch, and Ed Kelly, TSA general manager of Air Cargo, visited with NATA ASC members to review airport security and cargo screening issues affecting the ground handling industry.
Other issues discussed during the May meeting include:
- FAA Reauthorization Update
- Employee Free Choice Act Update
- Labor Issues Affecting ASC Member Companies
- Development of a long-range issue paper for the NATA ASC
- Training opportunities for NATA ASC members
Minutes from the May NATA ASC meeting will be available for review in early June via the NATA ASC meeting web page.
For more information on this meeting, please contact Eric Byer. | |
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| Employee Free Choice Act White Paper, Environmental Fact Sheet Now Available For Member Download |
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| NATA recently updated its white paper on the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation that is currently being considered by Congress. The association has also updated its popular Environmental Fact Sheet. Both documents are available for member review at the links below:
Employee Free Choice Act White Paper
NATA Environmental Fact Sheet | |
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| Coyne Applauds House On Long-Term FAA Reauthorization Bill; Expresses Concerns On Foreign Repair Station Provision |
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| NATA President James K. Coyne last week praised the United States House of Representatives for approving H.R. 915, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2009. The bill is nearly identical to H.R. 2881, introduced in 2007, which passed the House but stalled in the Senate. The bill expired in 2008 at the end of the 110th Congress. Although the FAA's previous authorization was set to expire at the end of September 2007, the agency's taxing and operating authority has been preserved through a series of extensions since that time. The current extension expires on September 30, 2009.
"I applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for approving a long-term FAA reauthorization bill that is void of user fees and that provides a fair jet fuel tax increase and the required funding to implement NextGen," stated Coyne. "I especially want to thank Chairmen Oberstar and Costello, as well as Ranking Members Mica and Petri, for their outstanding leadership in shepherding this bill through the legislative process in the House."
"The only concern I share on H.R. 915 is the provision requiring two annual inspections of foreign Part 145 certificated repair facilities by FAA representatives," Coyne concluded. "NATA believes that this provision jeopardizes the bilateral aviation safety agreement with Europe and could limit the competitive advantage U.S. repair facilities have in performing maintenance on foreign-registered aircraft."
To view NATA's Legislative Report on H.R. 915, please click here. | |
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| Coyne Looks Forward To Working With Newly Senate-Confirmed FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt |
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| NATA President James K. Coyne last week praised the United States Senate for confirming Randy Babbitt as the next FAA administrator. Babbitt is slated to serve a five-year term and takes over immediately for acting FAA Administrator Lynn Osmus.
Babbitt, former president and chief executive officer of the Air Line Pilots Association, has more than 40 years of aviation experience. Last year, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters named Babbitt to the independent review team tasked with evaluating and crafting recommendations to improve the FAA's implementation of the aviation safety system and its culture of safety.
"I applaud the Senate leadership for approving Randy Babbitt's confirmation as the next FAA administrator," stated Coyne. "Administrator Babbitt has a lengthy priority list to tackle over the next five years, including modernizing our nation's air traffic control system, and NATA and its members stand ready to work with him and his staff."
Commenting on the importance for the new FAA administrator to work immediately with Congress to approve a long-term FAA reauthorization bill, Coyne stated, "It is clear that as the House approves its bill there is now momentum to pass FAA reauthorization legislation finally. I am hopeful that Administrator Babbitt's confirmation will carry us over the hump towards passage of a bill that modernizes our air traffic control system, rejects user fees, and invests in airport infrastructure." | |
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| Details Of President Obama's Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Released |
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| On May 7, 2009, the Office of Management and Budget released the Budget Appendix for fiscal year 2010 (FY10), one week after Congress approved a $3.4 trillion budget. The budget contains all of the funding details for each agency and program within the federal government. In addition, the budget contains $17 billion in funding cuts across approximately 120 federal programs, which accounts for a savings of less than 1% that Obama claims will help reduce the deficit during his term as president. He also called on Congress to reinstate pay/go rules requiring spending increases to be offset by equal spending cuts.
Agencies important to NATA members such as the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) both received an increase in budgetary resources for FY10. Specifically, the DOT will receive an increase in total budgetary resources, from $71.4 billion in FY09 to $73.25 billion in FY10. Of the nearly $16 billion provided for the FAA, $865 million is set aside for the NextGen air traffic control system. The budget also includes $180 million, a $9 million increase, for research and development to improve safety and expand capacity, which NextGen is intended to accomplish. The obligation limitation on Airport Improvement Program grants remains the same at $3.515 billion. Other provisions of note in the budget are:
- Continuation of War Risk Insurance coverage is extended through the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2009, which extended the requirement to provide insurance coverage through September 30, 2009. The budget contains no policy recommendation for the aviation insurance program and displays baseline funding for the program in 2010. The secretary of transportation is authorized to limit an air carrier's third-party liability to $100 million, when the secretary of transportation certifies that the loss was from an act of terrorism.
The DHS's budget includes $42.7 billion in discretionary spending, compared to $40.1 billion Congress enacted for FY09. $5.3 billion is provided for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in FY10, $4.75 billion was appropriated for FY09.
The budget proposes $5.3 billion in discretionary and mandatory resources for the TSA's aviation security activities. Of this amount, an estimated $2.3 billion is financed by offsetting collections from passenger security fees, air carrier security fees, and user fees supporting civil aviation security services. Included in the offsetting collections amount is $20 million in user fees for air cargo, general aviation at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Secure Identification Display Area checks, and the Certified Cargo Screening and Large Aircraft Security programs.
NATA's Legislative Report on the FY 2010 Budget can be viewed by clicking here. | |
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| Download NATA's New Fact Book Today! |
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| NATA has updated its popular fact book titled General Aviation in the United States. This publication was produced by the association for its members, including airline service companies, as a tool to help illustrate the importance of aviation businesses to the U.S. transportation system and economy.
General Aviation in the United States provides an in-depth review of the NATA membership segments as well as other important components of the general aviation and airline services industry. This handy reference also contains information on a number of U.S. government agencies that affect the day-to-day operation of aviation businesses, and features several charts containing vital general aviation and business aviation statistics on fuel consumption, fractional ownership companies, active pilots, airports, and much more.
"NATA's fact book is one of the many helpful resources available to aid our members in educating community and government leaders about the value of our industry as a critical component to the American economy," NATA President James K. Coyne stated.
Click here to download your free copy of General Aviation in the United States now!
Members who have questions regarding this publication may contact Linda Pylant or Shannon Chambers. | |
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| New NATA Airline ASC Logo Available For Member Use |
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| NATA has created a new NATA ASC 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 utilize as appropriate. Members wishing to secure the new NATA ASC logo may do so by contacting Eric Byer.
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