NATA News

Everyone at the National Air Transportation Association wishes you a safe and happy Holiday Season! Thanks to the support of members like you, we are able to provide education programs, events and advocacy that connects people and improves our industry. May the holidays be joyful and the coming year be prosperous. 

NATA Headquarters will be closed on Monday, December 25, 2017 and Monday, January 1, 2018. During this time, NATA News will be sent Tuesday, December 26, 2017 and will return Monday, January 8, 2018. 

The FAA has announced the 2018 random drug and alcohol testing percentage rates for aviation employees covered by federal drug and alcohol testing regulations.

For the period of January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, the random drug testing rates are:

- Drug testing = 25% of safety sensitive employees

- Alcohol testing = 10% of safety sensitive employees

These rates remain unchanged from 2017 and reflect the lowest rates permitted under the law.

The FAA recently released InFO 17019, announcing the agency is making progress toward implementing the Pilot Records Database (PRD). When hiring pilots, air carriers are required to check the pilot’s background. The PRD system was developed after Congress mandated that the FAA develop and manage an electronic database to house and supply the required records so operators are able to more easily obtain the records.

Social media is a cost-effective and easy-to-use tool regardless of business size and should be an active part of an NATA member company’s marketing strategy. In the second podcast in a series about social media, Karissa Uko, NATA’s Events and Communications Manager discusses best practices and trends to increase audience engagement. Listen here.

The National Air Transportation Foundation (NATF) is currently accepting applications for: The Pioneers of Flight Scholarship and The NATA Business Scholarship. Multiple awards are available from $1,000 to $2,500 and the deadline to apply is Friday, December 29^th. For more information or to complete your application, click here.

In a recent blog post, Aviation Business Strategies Group (ABSG) Principals, John Enticknap and Ron Jackson offer FBOs guidance on developing an engaging team culture. In the NATA Certified Customer Service Representative (CSR) Program, instructed by ABSG, Enticknap and Jackson delve into the internal culture of an FBO — largely represented by the employees who provide the various services and thus engage the customer at numerous points throughout the transaction. The blog post describes five key factors of human motivation that result in the desire to accomplish something meaningful. Learn more about developing your FBO’s internal culture by registering for an upcoming NATA Certified CSR Program seminar!

A new project at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, funded by a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce through its Economic Development Administration (EDA), is expected to create 387 jobs and spur $1.6 million in private investment. The facility will serve as the new home for Embry-Riddle’s Eagle Flight Research Center, a hub for engineering research and development. “Embry-Riddle has a 90-year legacy of innovation, and our research is shaping the future of human mobility,” said University President Dr. P. Barry Butler. “We are pleased and honored to receive this research award to advance innovation, economic development and job growth in Florida.” Read more.

Register now for the 2018 Air Charter Safety Foundation Safety Symposium at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, VA. The event takes place March 13-14, 2018. The Symposium is the annual gathering of the air charter and business aviation industry where current and emerging safety challenges are reviewed and discussed. This year’s theme is "Promoting the Highest Levels of Aviation Safety.” For more information, please click here.