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September 26, 2016 — Volume 15, Issue 39 |
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| This Week's Top Stories |
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NATA Requests Swift Action on Atlantic Aviation Part 16 Santa Monica Complaint
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In a September 20th letter to the FAA, NATA President Martin Hiller called upon the agency to act immediately on the complaint filed by Atlantic Aviation over the City of Santa Monica’s proposal to replace Atlantic with a proprietary Fixed Base Operation (FBO). The City served Atlantic with a 30-day eviction notice on September 15, 2016. Stated Hiller, “Despite the significant investment and job creation of Atlantic at Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO), our member company finds itself being used as a catspaw in the City’s ongoing effort to close the airport in advance of the 2023 expiration of the current Grant Assurance.” Hiller continued, “it is economically viable for private enterprise to provide FBO services at SMO. Rather, the City’s intention to replace Atlantic with a proprietary FBO offering only ‘environmentally friendly’ fuels that are not commercially viable is simply an under-handed attempt to further strangle the airport.” Hiller also pointed out that the City’s actions are in violation of the “fair and reasonableness” requirement of FAA Grant Assurances and that safety at SMO will be compromised. Hiller concluded, “The appropriate treatment of aeronautical service providers by landlords is an important one to the entire aviation community and the agency’s actions in this matter will no doubt be closely watched.” Read more.
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EASA Clarifies SMS Requirements
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Following NATA requests to the EASA and FAA for further information, details clarifying SMS requirements for U.S. operators in EASA member states are available here. Current TCO authorization holders, and any new applicants, should implement a SMS program that follows the ICAO framework and provide accurate SMS information in the TCO web portal. The EASA has sole discretion as to whether the SMS program compliance information provided by a carrier is sufficient to issue TCO authorization. The FAA’s voluntary SMS program is one acceptable program, but many operators using other third-party SMS programs have been approved by EASA and received their TCO authorization. The TCO regulations were published in 2014 and provided a 30-month transition period that concludes on November 26, 2016. After that date, all carriers operating to EASA territories must have an TCO authorization. Implementation of SMS is required by the EASA TCO rules and the regulation generally presumes that SMS programs are required by States in accordance with ICAO Annex 19. However not all countries require SMS programs. Therefore, EASA reserves the right to accept an alternate means of compliance for those carriers.
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NATA Mourns Passing of Arnold Palmer, Golfing Great and Aviation Enthusiast
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Last night, golfing great and aviation enthusiast Arnold Palmer has passed away at the age of 87. “The aviation community has lost a friend and great ambassador,” stated NATA President Martin Hiller. “Mr. Palmer loved every aspect of flying, including all the people in the aviation business community critical to ensuring every flight begins with a safe airplane.” Former NATA Board Member and friend of Mr. Palmer, Ed Kilkeary, Sr. (L.J. Aviation, Latrobe, PA) concurred adding, “I had the opportunity to fly Mr. Palmer last week and there was no doubt where he would be sitting, up front helping me pilot the aircraft. There was not a nicer, more inclusive person in the world than Arnold Palmer. Although he had accomplished so much, he was always himself. He didn’t even realize he’s Arnold Palmer.” Read more.
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NATA Aviation Business Roundtable | Limited Hotel Rooms and New Sponsorship Opportunities
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The Aviation Business Roundtable, held in Washington, D.C. on November 9th and 10th, is the premier event focused on senior aviation leaders — featuring opportunities for executives to tap into a wealth of industry knowledge from business and government policy experts. Confirmed Roundtable speakers include FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta, NTSB Chairman Christopher A. Hart, top aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia and political commentator Matt K. Lewis. Hotel reservations must be made by Monday, October 17, 2016. Sponsorship opportunities are available for the first time — starting at $300. For more information or to register, please visit www.nata.aero/abr.
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| Committee Updates |
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NATA Hosts Air Charter and Maintenance Committee Meetings at Headquarters
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NATA Air Charter Committee
The NATA Air Charter Committee met on September 13th and 14th at NATA Headquarters. The Committee discussed the launch of an on-demand air charter operators forum that would address key issues impacting the industry. Committee members reviewed FAA guidance for obtaining resource specialists for the completion of pilot checks and — at the request of the FAA — members agreed to provide examples where problems are still occurring. All operators pursuing FAA resources from the Flight Standards Inspector Resource Program (FSIRP) are encouraged to review Notice 8900.328. During the meeting, Matthew Kinney, COO at Georgia Jet, was introduced as a new committee member.
NATA Aircraft Maintenance and Systems Technology Committee
On September 14th, the NATA Aircraft Maintenance and Systems Technology Committee held its fall meeting at NATA Headquarters. The Committee developed new legislative inputs for the next FAA reauthorization bill, revised its performance plan and outlined 2017 maintenance seminar topics. During the meeting, Committee members received updates from the FAA’s Aircraft Maintenance Division AFS-300 on the “Future of Flight Standards.” NATA’s Maintenance Committee also met with the FAA’s Regulatory Consistency Communication Board (RCCB), which is working to achieve consistency in the application of policy and regulations. The RCCB responded to an issue that was submitted by the Committee regarding whether the Type Data Certificate Sheets (TCDS) were regulatory and included as part of the Type Design. The FAA’s full response to NATA’s comments is available here. The Aviation Technician Education Council (ATEC) also briefed meeting attendees on the status of comments that were submitted to the Bureau of Labor Statistics - Standard Occupational Classification Policy Committee (SOC). NATA supported the first round of submitted comments, and once again joins ATEC and industry by signing another letter to the SOC requesting that the current detailed occupation for Aircraft Mechanics and Technicians (49-3011) be replaced with three distinct detailed occupations: Certificated Maintenance Technicians – Mechanics (49-3011), Certificated Maintenance Technicians – Repairmen (49-3012), and Non-Certificated Maintenance Technicians (49-3013).
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| Association Highlights |
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NATA Staff Participate in UAS Safety Meeting
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Last week, NATA staff attended a 26 Coalition for UAS Safety meeting in Alexandria, VA. The Coalition was recently formed to ensure coordination among associations and organizations that have significant, long-term interest and experience with the operational and regulatory environment of the National Airspace System. Meeting participants received updates from the Drone Advisory Committee and FAA UAS Integration Office including the complexities of Part 107, the upcoming airspace waivers, and the continuing need for industry outreach and education for the UAS community. The next meeting will occur on November 9th in conjunction with the 2016 UAS Issues and Integration Conference.
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NATA Certified CSR Program to Take Place This Week
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The NATA Certified CSR Program is taking place tomorrow and Wednesday at AirFlite in Long Beach, California. Workshop attendees will gain valuable knowledge and customer service skills to help set the tone for a successful customer service experience. NATA would like to thank our program sponsors for their support and we look forward to welcoming our attendees in Long Beach this week.
2016 NATA Certified CSR Program Sponsors:
Air Culinaire
Enterprise National
Ross Aviation
Southern California Aviation Association
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| Member Spotlight |
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Ross Aviation Purchases AirFlite
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Reported by AIN, Ross Aviation will complete its purchase of AirFlite — a Toyota-owned FBO at Long Beach Airport/Daugherty Field — this November. In 2014, Toyota announced it was relocating its North American headquarters from the Los Angeles area to Plano, Texas. The automaker’s North American flight department was one of the major tenants at the FBO. The location will be renamed Ross Aviation-Long Beach, as Toyota will retain the AirFlite name. Read more.
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Jet Linx to Commence Flight Services to Cuba
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Jet Linx Aviation recently announced new flights from any gateway airport in the United States to 12 airports throughout Cuba, including Havana. Answering client demands, Jet Linx now offers this service to Jet Card clients and aircraft owners — expanding their existing international destination options. Read more.
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Meridian Selects EPIC Fuels to Supply West Coast Expansion
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Earlier this month, EPIC Fuels announced a partnership with Meridian as the branded fuel supplier for Meridian’s new fixed-base operations (FBO) at Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) in Hayward, California. The FBO features a newly constructed 6,300-sq-ft FBO terminal and offices, a 30,000-sq-ft hangar, and a 3.5-acre ramp. Additionally, Meridian will provide charter and management services, and eventually a Part 145 repair station and aircraft detailing at Hayward. Jet and avgas will be supplied by EPIC Fuels and the FBO will also accept the EPIC Card. “After an extensive review of fuel suppliers, we chose EPIC Fuels as our partner because of their outstanding reputation in the industry; especially in terms of safety record, cost-effectiveness and excellent customer service,” said Ken Forester, Meridian CEO. Read more.
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NATA Members Add Hangar Space in Texas
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Houston Southwest Airport
In August, Houston Southwest Airport (AXH) completed construction of a brand new hangar available for lease. The 7,700 square foot facility includes storage space, one office suite with room for two custom built offices, a new HydroSwing door, and a private, gated entrance. The building will be marketed to aviation companies and private flyers and provide much-needed aircraft storage space for the region. “As the Houston economy continues to grow, so does the demand for hangar space,“ said Len Franklin, Houston Southwest Airport Manager. “Private, corporate, and commercial airplane operators are attracted to this airport because we are located in a less-congested area, yet we’re still only a short drive from Houston’s major commercial centers. We felt this addition was imperative to better serve the Houston community.” Read more.
McKinney Air Center
McKinney Air Center, a metro Dallas area FBO, opened its new 15,000 square foot hangar last month. “The reception to our expansion has been incredible,” said Mark Jaraczewski, McKinney Air Center General Manager. “Though there is room for transients, we completely leased out the space months in advance, a testament to McKinney’s growth and vitality, and our FBO’s reputation for exceptional service.” Serving the cities of Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney, McKinney Air Center will be able to keep up with the increase of traffic to the North Dallas area due to flourishing business and the convenience of McKinney as a central tech stop between California and Florida. “This hangar is only the beginning,” said Jaraczewski. “We plan to build additional hangars over the next three years to accommodate aircraft of all sizes.” Read more.
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| Events |
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Protect Your Aviation Business During an Emergency | ERP Workshop December 5-6 at NTSB Training Center
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As a leader in your organization, it is important to protect your business by learning when and how to respond to an emergency event. While taking care of people, managing perception (communicating effectively internally and externally), and participating in the investigation are key objectives, there is often little guidance for management and staff on how to be most effective in these areas. The Back to Basics: ERP Workshop for Aviation Businesses will help you and your team develop a fundamental understanding of how to develop and manage an effective Emergency Response Program (ERP). View the full agenda here. To register or for more information, click here.
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| ACSF News |
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Joe Gibbs Racing Joins the Air Charter Safety Foundation
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The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce that Joe Gibbs Racing, Inc. has joined as a member of the foundation. Along with 140 other companies, Joe Gibbs Racing supports the ACSF’s vision to promote and enable the highest levels of safety in personal and business aviation through the promotion and facilitation of risk management programs. Click here to learn more.
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