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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.
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Professional Line Service Training
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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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Coyne Encourages Member Participation At Next Week’s 14th Annual Day On The Hill
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| Last week, just prior to meeting with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, NATA President James K. Coyne encouraged members to attend next week’s 14th Annual Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C. During his latest video briefing, Coyne encouraged members to take advantage of the opportunity to meet with Members of Congress and staff to highlight how important the services are that NATA member companies provide to the nation’s air transportation system.
To view Coyne’s latest video briefing, please click here.
Coyne also provided a free webinar to members about next week’s Day on the Hill, in which he reviewed the association’s policy agenda and described the many local issues that are essential for constituents of each Member of Congress to hear about from general aviation businesses. Coyne also described the Industry Excellence Awards Dinner being held the evening of April 21st at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
To view the webinar, please click here.
To learn more about NATA’s 14th Annual Day on the Hill, please click here.
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| NATA Announces Industry Excellence Award Recipients To Be Honored On April 21st |
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| NATA annually recognizes individuals, offices, and organizations demonstrating excellence in their field and the highest level of customer service. NATA’s Industry Excellence Awards are given to exceptional individuals and organizations that have helped improve the general aviation community. This year’s winners will be honored during the NATA Industry Excellence Awards Dinner on April 21 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. The dinner will be held in conjunction with the association’s Day on the Hill, Annual Meeting and Election of Officers, and Spring Committee Meetings.
“The NATA Industry Excellence Awards Dinner on April 21 will surely be an evening to remember for these outstanding awardees,” stated NATA President James K. Coyne. “With the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as the backdrop and Tom Donohue, the Chamber’s president and CEO, addressing many issues vital to our members, we are looking forward to a fantastic dinner.”
To view the association’s entire press release on the NATA Industry Excellence Awards Dinner, please click here.
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| NATA Comments On FAA Questions Regarding Part 61 Training For Air Carrier Operations |
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Last week, NATA submitted its formal comments on the FAA-issued Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), New Pilot Certification Requirements for Air Carrier Operations. This ANPRM addressed whether “the existing flightcrew eligibility, training, and qualification requirements should be increased for commercial pilots engaged in Part 121 operations.” The FAA stressed that its approach to this rulemaking involved evaluating changes in basic pilot certification regulation (Part 61) to address concerns “highlighted in the … DHC–8 accident that occurred on February 12, 2009, outside of Buffalo, New York … specifically, does a copilot’s training include enough hours of training in various weather conditions to be able to recognize a potentially dangerous situation and respond in a safe and timely manner.” The FAA requested comments on five questions relating to Part 61 pilot certification.
- Should all pilots employed in Part 121 air carrier operations be required to hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate?
- Should academic training be allowed as a substitute for a portion of flight hour experience requirements?
- Should the FAA create a new commercial pilot endorsement for Part 121 operations?
- Should the FAA create an authorization on a commercial pilot’s certificate for Part 121 operations?
- Should existing monitoring, evaluation, information collection requirements, and enforcement associated with current pilot performance be modified to achieve improved pilot performance?
In addition to addressing the specific questions from FAA, NATA expressed its concern with the approach taken by this rulemaking to address issues with airline safety.
“NATA is… at a loss as to why the FAA has begun the process of rectifying [airline safety issues] with possible regulatory changes to Part 61. This approach will lead to the shifting of the training and evaluation burden from the air carrier to the individual pilot and likely will only exacerbate any existing issues with Part 121 pilot proficiency and professionalism. “
NATA went on to recommend that the FAA address the concerns expressed in the ANPRM with a comprehensive rulemaking package that addressed Part 121 airline training and operations in coordination with possible changes to Part 61. NATA’s full comments are available here.
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| FAA Extends Compliance Date For CVR And DFDR Regulations |
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| Last week, the FAA issued a final rule that provides for the extension of compliance dates for certain regulations affecting cockpit voice recorders (CVRs) and digital flight data recorders (DFDRs).The FAA proposed certain extensions in a NPRM published on January 7, 2010 (75 FR 943). After receiving industry comments, the FAA issued a final rule on April 5, 2010, incorporating the adjusted compliance dates.
NATA is pleased with the extended dates provided by the FAA. NATA is disappointed, however, that comments on technical issues for DFDR sampling rates and data link recordings for certain aircraft dual operating under both Part 135 and Part 91 were not incorporated in the final rule.
Last week, NATA issued a regulatory report that details all the date requirements in the final rule. That report may be viewed by NATA members by clicking here.
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| EPA To Release ANPRM On Lead Emissions From Aircraft |
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to release an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM) relating to lead emissions from general aviation aircraft in the next several weeks. According to the EPA Web site, the notice is being issued “to further respond to a petition submitted by Friends of the Earth (FOE) in 2006.” In that rulemaking petition, FOE asked that the EPA begin the process of regulating lead emissions from aircraft under the Clean Air Act by determining that those lead emissions “may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare.” The expected ANPRM will be the first step in that process.
NATA is currently engaged with other members of the general aviation community to develop a plan that will allow a future transition to an unleaded aviation gasoline. NATA and other members of the industry will also be working closely with the EPA to ensure that any plan and regulation considers the unique nature and operational requirements of general aviation aircraft.
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| NTSB Cites Poor Maintenance In Columbia, SC Accident |
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| The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has been following the investigation into the September 19, 2008 Bombardier Learjet crash in Columbia, SC. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) this week determined that the probable cause of the accident was the operator’s inadequate maintenance of the aircraft’s tires and the captain’s decision to carry out a rejected takeoff after V-1. The Learjet Model 60, a Part 135 charter flight operated by Global Exec Aviation, overran the runway during a rejected takeoff at Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The captain, first officer, and two passengers were fatally injured.
The NTSB investigation revealed that the aircraft’s tires were severely underinflated due to the lack of proper maintenance by the operator, which compromised their integrity and resulted in the failure of all four main landing gear tires during the takeoff roll.
The first tire failed approximately1.5 seconds after the airplane passed V-1, the maximum speed at which the takeoff could be safely aborted. The captain then made the decision to reject the takeoff, an action that went against standard operating procedures and training. “Pilots are trained to avoid attempting to reject a takeoff at high-speed unless the pilot concludes that the airplane is unable to fly; the investigation found no evidence that the accident airplane was uncontrollable or unable to become airborne,” said the NTSB.
During the captain’s attempt to stop the airplane by using reverse thrust, forward thrust was being supplied at near-takeoff power because the thrust reversers were stowed. The tire failures during the takeoff roll damaged a sensor, which caused the thrust reversers to return to the stowed position. This inadvertent thrust contributed to the severity of the accident.
"This entirely avoidable crash should reinforce to everyone in the aviation community that there are no small maintenance items because every time a plane takes off, lives are on the line," said NTSB Chair Deborah Hersman.
A summary of the report is available on the NTSB’s Web site: http://www.ntsb.gov/Publictn/2010/AAR1002.htm
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| ACSF Announces New Executive Committee Members |
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| The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is pleased to announce the selection of John Grillo, president of Executive Fliteways (EFI), and Jim Segrave, president of Segrave Aviation Inc., to the ACSF Executive Committee.
Grillo is a 36-year veteran of the aviation community. He holds a B.A. degree from Syracuse University. He retired from the United States Air Force as a Major, having flown the C-130 extensively throughout Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He is the recipient of more than 30 military awards and commendations, including six Air Medals for Valor, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star and the Silver Star. Grillo's experience also includes extensive flying throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East as captain of the C-5A, and a 21-year career as a captain for American Airlines, flying Boeing 707 and 727 aircraft.
As a member of NATA's Air Charter Committee, he helped to establish operational and regulatory standards for our industry. Recently, Grillo and EFI were selected as one of four steering committee founders for the newly formed Air Charter Alliance, an organization of 15 premier charter operators strategically located throughout the U.S. To learn more about EFI, please click here.
Segrave founded Segrave Aviation in 1993 with one employee and one aircraft, and has expanded the company to its current fleet of 21 jet aircraft. He attended East Carolina University, where he studied Math and Computer Science. Segrave is a lifelong resident of eastern North Carolina. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, and has extensive experience in Beechjet, Hawker and Gulfstream aircraft, with more than 8,000 flying hours. Segrave is an acknowledged FAR 135 industry leader in the development and application of information technology to capture relevant metrics useful to improve company performance. He developed the first true e-commerce IT system in the industry that can quote flights live, issue contracts and confirm trips, all using the Internet.
Segrave Aviation was recently acquired by Delta Air Elite, a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, to expand their private jet operations. Segrave has been named president of the combined companies. The new partnership unites Delta's reputation for service with Segrave's record as a leader in private jet operations. To learn more about Segrave Aviation and Delta Air Elite, please click here.
"I am delighted to see both John and Jim joining the Foundation's Executive Committee," stated ACSF Chairman Charlie Priester. "Both gentlemen are knowledgeable, experienced leaders in the charter safety world and will clearly bolster the Foundation's ongoing and future activities."
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| EJM Plus Three More Operators Make ACSF Industry Audit Standard Registry |
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The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) last week announced the addition of Executive Jet Management (EJM) of Cincinnati, OH, along with Aviation Consultants Inc., of San Luis Obispo, CA; International Group, LLC, of Penn Yan, NY; and Pinnacle Air Charter, of Scottsdale, AZ, to the ACSF Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. They join seven operators that have completed the IAS audit and achieved Registered status with the ACSF.
The ACSF has worked closely with the FAA and international interests to ensure that the audit accomplishes two key functions - first, to verify an operator's compliance with regulatory requirements, and, secondly, to evaluate the level of compliance with recognized Safety Management System standards.
The overall objective of the IAS program is to eliminate the need for the multiple audits that Part 135 and 91K operators presently undergo and replace them with a single, universally accepted audit standard.
"We are pleased to be among the operators that have successfully completed the ACSF audit program," said Robert Garrymore, president, Executive Jet Management. "We appreciate all the hard work the EJM staff has put into completing this comprehensive audit process, and we look forward to continuing our work with the ACSF."
“International Group is proud to have become a part of the ACSF audit registry along with other industry leaders. This rating complements our ongoing commitment to quality and safety. We’d like to thank all those who were involved in this process,” said Steve Marchionda, president and CEO of International Group, LLC.
Aviation Consultants Inc. President William R. Borgsmiller noted, “We are pleased with the new ACSF standard and are very excited to be part of a proactive group that is implementing worthwhile changes ahead of regulatory requirements."
“Pinnacle Aviation is proud to be added to the ACSF Registry. We have been working for several years to build the best aviation company in Arizona,” said Curt Pavlicek, president of Pinnacle Aviation. “Meeting the high standards of this audit reinforces our commitment to safety and quality as a foundation on which to continue a proactive building process. I am proud of our employees for all the hard work and dedication that it took to meet these high standards.”
Customers should look for the ACSF IAS registered logo and encourage their preferred charter provider to participate in the program. The ACSF makes its operator registry and key company details available at no charge, so verification of IAS registration is quick and easy. Charter consumers can view the registry at www.acsf.aero/registry.
Supporting materials are available at www.acsf.aero/audit. Operators wishing to initiate the audit process should contact Russ Lawton at 1-888-SAFE-135 (888-723-3135).
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| Advanced Program For 2010 NATA Air Charter Summit Now Available |
| Register Now for the Most Comprehensive Part 135 Regulatory Event of the Year |
| NATA’s 2010 Air Charter Summit will take place on June 7-9 at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, Virginia. The summit provides an important opportunity to learn about the Part 135 regulatory landscape straight from government officials. Industry leaders will also get the latest intelligence, tactics and strategies from nationally recognized experts, be inspired, find new solutions to current business and economic challenges, and network one-on-one with their peers.
Additional Agenda Topics:
- FAA Regulatory Review
- Charter Brokering Update
- Fractional Ownership Leadership Session
- Transportation Security Administration Update
- Dinner with Special Guest Speaker: Bruce Jenner, Olympic Hall of Famer
- State Taxes and Applicability to Part 135 and 91k Operations
- Federal Excise Taxes – What Is A Charter Operator’s Liability If The Broker Fails to Collect/Remit
- Flight, Duty & Rest – What New Rules Will Mean to the Charter Community
Click here to view a pdf of the advance program brochure. The brochure will arrive in your mailbox in a few weeks. If you know someone who should get one, please send their information to lpylant@nata.aero. Visit www.nata.aero/acs for event details and to register today!
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| Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar – Energize Your Line Team |
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| Energetic, awesome, interesting, engaging, enjoyable, useful, realistic, applicable are just some of the adjectives used to describe the Line Service Supervisor Training in recent seminar evaluations. Attendees particularly enjoy winning speakers including Dr. Todd Dewett, Dr. Mario Martinez, Reed Fuller and Walter Chartrand.
Reed Fuller, Ascent Aviation, captures attendees with his quick wit and entertaining stories when he teaches the countless technical review session. Dr. Todd Dewett is a distinguished speaker on leadership, change management, motivation and conflict management. Dr Dewitt’s content is inspiring, completely original, wrapped in compelling personal stories and rooted in a deep understanding of life inside organizations. Dr. Mario Martinez energizes the group to problem solve together and come up with winning manager styles while challenging the group to START doing something new and STOP doing something they know they must. Walter Chartrand, Air BP Aviation Services, brings a huge dose of invaluable tools with witty stories that prepare supervisors and their teams to be the BEST and SAFEST ever.
What are you waiting for? Come build career knowledge, confidence and success with NATA's Line Service Supervisor Training (LSST) Seminar in Windsor Locks. The LSST contains the most comprehensive technical line service and supervisory skills training in one place - at one time. This course also satisfies 14 CFR Part 139 Section 321 for fire safety training certification – an FAA requirement of line service supervisors to be completed every 24 calendar months.
Seminar Benefits:
- Discover your strengths and weaknesses through self-assessments
- Learn to promote safety and synergy through teamwork
- Instill a culture based on trust, partnership and respect
- Analyze the technical information crucial to performing your job
- Make your FBO more efficient by learning how to engage and motivate your staff
Click here for more details and to register for NATA’s Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar (LSST) in Windsor Locks, CT.
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| PCI Compliance 101 |
| For merchants doing business with Multi Service Aviation |
| Are you having trouble validating your compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS)? You are not alone. Many organizations, especially small merchants, struggle to understand and meet the requirements of PCI-DSS.
In today’s environment, security is a primary consideration for every type of business that accepts credit and debit cards. The card networks require all merchants to comply with the PCI-DSS and all payment applications to be certified and validated in accordance with the Payment Application Data Security Standard (PA-DSS).
During the PCI Compliance 101 webinar, held April 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. (CDT), a Trustwave expert will review the PCI-DSS requirements, outline the common barriers to compliance and provide best practices for overcoming these obstacles to protect your business.
As your merchant services provider, we are committed to helping you meet your data security and compliance obligations. Please join Multi Service Aviation and Trustwave by registering for this free event.
Event address for attendees: https://trustwave.webex.com/trustwave/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=357011522
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
10:00 am Central Daylight Time (GMT-05:00)
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| Operators Encouraged To Complete Safety Survey |
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| The Turbine Aircraft Operations Subgroup (TAOS), part of the FAA’s General Aviation Joint Steering Committee, was formed in 2005 to study and make practical recommendations to the FAA regarding safety practices for turbine aircraft operations. As part of that effort, TAOS has created a short on-line safety survey seeking input from pilots and operators about safety-related practices and programs.
The survey is available by clicking here. The deadline to complete the survey is April 30, 2010.
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| Byer’s Weekly Blog |
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| This week, NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer discusses the NTSB’s recent release of its 2009 aviation accident statistics and how the charter community’s safety record is the best it has been in 20 years. To read Byer’s blog, please click here.
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| Weekly Web Survey |
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| Should air charter brokers be regulated by the Department of Transportation?
Participate in survey.
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| Fact Of The Week |
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| Along with many other industry stakeholder groups, NATA participates in the General Aviation Awards Program. In each of the past 47 years, the General Aviation Awards program and the FAA have recognized a small group of aviation professionals in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance, avionics, and safety for their contributions to aviation, education, and flight safety.
This awards program is a cooperative effort between the FAA and more than a dozen industry sponsors. The selection process begins with local FAA Safety Team managers at Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) and then moves on to the eight regional FAA offices. Panels of aviation professionals from within those four fields select national winners from the pool of regional winners.
This week, NATA is pleased to introduce Thomas Paul "Tom" Turner, 2010 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year.
A resident of Rose Hill, Kansas, Tom is the executive director of the American Bonanza Society in Wichita. He is also a prolific author and speaker on aviation safety topics as part of his own business, Mastery Flight Training. A dedicated student of aircraft accidents and aviation safety issues, he strives to make general aviation a safer place. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Tom is a Master CFI, has achieved the Master WINGS level, and serves as a FAASTeam representative on the FAA's Safety Team. He represented the Wichita FSDO area and the FAA's Central Region.
Congratulations, Tom!
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