NATA News

The appointment comes at a sensitive time for the TSA as procedures come under review following the near escape of the suspected Times Square attempted bomber. The man being hunted by the authorities was able to buy a ticket to Dubai with cash at the last minute and board a plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport even though his name had been flagged by the FBI. Authorities discovered that he was on the plane and removed him from it just minutes before it was supposed to take off.

"Mr. Pistole exemplifies the talent and knowledge acquired from more than two decades of service with the FBI. His background and experience make him an excellent choice to lead the TSA and to continue to enhance our nation's aviation security," NATA President James K. Coyne stated.

Pistole's likely support for confirmation from both sides of the aisle was reflected in statements issued by lawmakers on Capitol Hill. U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, quickly applauded the choice of a career law enforcement official to head the agency saying, "Since the attacks of September 11, 2001, he has been on the forefront of our nation's fight against terrorism. While I will withhold my final judgment on this nomination until the committee's full examination and vetting processes are completed, I am pleased that the president has chosen an individual with such strong law enforcement experience."

A graduate of Anderson University and the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis, Pistole joined the FBI in 1983 and served in the Minneapolis and New York divisions before joining the organized crime section in Washington. He later worked in Indianapolis and Boston, and in 1999 helped lead the investigative effort following the crash of Egypt Air Flight 990 off the coast of Rhode Island. In addition, Pistole helped lead a working group in 2001 to address security issues raised by the arrest of Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent who worked as a spy for Russia. In 2002, he moved to the counterterrorism division where he held a series of jobs before taking on his current assignment in 2004.

The president's first two choices to lead the TSA withdrew after questions about their past came to light. The first, Erroll G. Southers, also a former FBI agent and counterterrorism supervisor for the Los Angeles airport police, dropped his bid for the job in January after giving conflicting answers about conducting police background checks on a man his estranged wife was seeing. The second, Major General Robert A. Harding, a retired Army intelligence officer, withdrew after his nomination when questions were raised by Congress about his work as a defense contractor.

In early May, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate approved another extension of FAA programs, this time through July 3 to give lawmakers more time to work on a longer authorization.

"We are making progress on a new authorization bill, but we are not there yet," House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) said in a statement. "This extension will give us time to complete the task." There are a number of issues to iron out, including House language making it easier for FedEx workers to unionize, a provision strongly backed by Oberstar and other pro-labor Democrats.

The Senate approved a two-year $34.5 billion bill in March after agreeing to a timeout in a fight over long-range flights to and from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The law first expired at the end of September 2007. Since then, the House and Senate have extended the legislation thirteen times.

To view H.R. 5147, please click here.

NATA joined the aviation industry in a joint letter to U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Ranking Member John Mica (R-FL) as well as U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) urging their opposition to any language in the final version of legislation to reauthorize the FAA that would make changes to the current aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) standards. R. 1586, the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act, which passed the House on March 19, 2009, contained a provision that would force airports of all sizes to comply with controversial National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements that would inevitably increase the cost for airports and airlines and jeopardize commercial air service to small communities.

To comply with NFPA standards, airports of all sizes would be required to increase the number of fire fighters and add additional facilities without any evidence that these changes would improve the safety of those airports. The cost requirement for meeting NFPA standards would force airports to divert their limited funding resources from safety and airport improvement projects.

Aviation industry stakeholders, including airlines, pilot organizations, airports, the FAA and fire fighters, participated in an aviation rulemaking advisory committee (ARAC) on the FAA ARFF standards and have requested that Congress allow the FAA to work with aviation stakeholders through the ARAC process to ensure that proper standards are reached.

To view a copy of the industry letter, please click here.

NATA participated in the event along with industry groups including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).

Ford, a private pilot of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, is one of general aviation's biggest allies. He is currently the spokesman for AOPA's General Aviation Serves America campaign and the Honorary Board Member of the humanitarian aviation organization Wings of Hope. Previously, he served as the chairman of EAA's Young Eagles program.

Click here to view NATA's press release on the event.

The U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representative General Aviation Caucus co-chairman Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Representatives Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Allen Boyd (D-FL) have passed S. Con. Res. 61 and H. Con. Res. 272 in their respective chambers. The concurrent resolutions were introduced on April 29, 2010, recognizing the general aviation industry and its contributions to the relief efforts in Haiti following the January 12 earthquake that ravaged the island nation.

More specifically, the resolutions highlight the specific accomplishments general aviation has made such as 4,500 relief flights in the first 30 days after the earthquake, most of which were fully paid by individual pilots and aircraft owners. General aviation aircraft were vital to the response effort, bringing in cargo and supplies, and transporting passengers. In addition, these aircraft were able to transport medical personnel to areas outside Port-Au-Prince, which larger aircraft could not serve.

To view the Haiti resolution, please click here.

On May 12, 2010, U.S. Senators John Kerry (D-MA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, introduced the American Power Act. The bill includes a provision addressing international aviation emissions by requiring that the U.S. actively promote, within the International Civil Aviation Organization, the development of a global strategy for the regulation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from civil aircraft. The bill mandates that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the FAA establish a program to distribute allowances for the GHG emissions of the fuel used for an air carrier or foreign air carrier engaged in foreign air transportation.

The legislation attempts to reform our country's energy economy by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 17 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. The bill imposes a national set of emission standards that would override two state-run cap-and-trade emissions programs already in existence. According to the bill's sponsors, the targeted reductions and investments in alternative fuels and energy efficiencies could reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil up to 40 percent by 2030. The transportation industry was given different terms for their carbon payment. The terms include purchasing allowances beginning in 2013 on a quarterly basis and at the market price allowing the industries to buy only the amount of permits they need instead of speculating their consumption over the course of a year. Allowances will be assessed each quarter for refined products including aviation fuel. The transportation sector is prohibited from trading carbon allowances.

To view NATA's legislative report, please click here.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in April, released an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) relating to lead emissions from piston-engine aircraft. Lead is currently used as an additive in most of the aviation gasoline used in the U.S. as an octane booster and to prevent wear in aircraft engines. NATA has completed and published a regulatory report on the ANPRM. The report notes:

"The ANPRM is a response to a petition from the environmental group Friends of the Earth and signals the agency's intent to investigate lead emissions from general aviation aircraft further under the regulatory processes of the Clean Air Act.  This ANPRM is a first step in a process that may eventually lead to regulations concerning the uses of lead as an additive in avgas."

The issuance of this ANPRM is a key opportunity for the general aviation community to provide comment regarding this possible new environmental standard and the development of a plan for identifying, evaluating, and ultimately transitioning to an unleaded fuel.

The full ANPRM is available here.

NATA's regulatory report on the ANPRM is available here.

Recently, the members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee met with fellow colleagues, mayors, governors and finance executives to discuss proposals to create infrastructure banks, financing mechanisms that may increase or decrease tax revenues and impacts on the federal debt. The message was clear: providing federal assistance for roads, bridges, transit, passenger train, and federal buildings not only improves the American quality of life, but also helps create good jobs and strengthens the national economy. As Subcommittee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) stated, "The best way to have a good idea is to have a lot of ideas." The time is now to explore alternate ways of funding much-needed, transformative transportation projects despite the U.S.'s nearly $2 trillion infrastructure deficit.

H.R. 2521, The National Infrastructure Development Bank Act, introduced by Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and others, would consider these ideas and finance long-term investments that help target resources to the transportation funding system. Representative Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) said that "the need for investment in infrastructure spans far beyond surface transportation projects," and cited aviation as a key sector where infrastructure is needed. "We may even want to consider an infrastructure bank for financing projects such as the acceleration of components of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, which will increase transportation safety and efficiency," he stated.

To view the aviation industry letter sent to congressional leaders last fall on this subject, please click here.

Employees' compensation is broken down by geographic region of the country, by the company's gross sales, by size of the town or city in which the company is located and by the number of employees in the company. In addition to pilots and maintenance technicians, the report includes compensation for inspectors, line service, and customer service representatives, among others.
Association Research Inc., a leading economic research firm based in Rockville, Maryland, conducted the salary study.

The report is provided to NATA members who participated in the survey at no cost. The downloadable pdf is available to non-participating members for $125 and for $299 to non-NATA members. There is an additional $25 charge to receive a hardcopy of the report.

The Compensation Survey report may be purchased on the NATA Web site at www.nata.aero under publications.

NATA's new E-learn webinars are designed to enhance your education from the convenience of your site. E-learn webinars launch in June and include several sessions specially priced at $49.95 as well as free policy and event preview webinars - a continuation of the member benefit webinars that NATA has offered since fall 2009. The registration rate for the five scheduled webinars includes participation for one computer/connection in the live webinar, a pdf copy of the presentations and any additional materials. These 60-minute webinars complement NATA's networking summit, conference and seminars by bringing experts on the hottest topics to you throughout the year.

Upcoming Webinars:

• "Strategies for Negotiating with Airport Authorities: Utilizing the Sponsor Assurance to Ensure Fair Treatment Among FBOs" - June 17, $49.95
• "Success with Social Media" - July 13, $49.95
• "New or Amended Minimum Standards: How to Ensure that Minimum Standards Help Not Hinder Your Business" - July 21, $49.95
• "Hiring & Screening In Today's Market" - August 10, $49.95
• "Social Media Strategies: Tools & Tactics for Success" - August 17, $49.95

Plus, Free June Webinar:
"Health Care Reform Compliance" - June 23, FREE

Click here to see the webinar details and to register. Please send suggestions for future webinar topics to lpylant@nata.aero and forward this article to others in your office who will benefit from any of these educational opportunities. NATA also offers Professional Line Service Training Online, Flight Crew Briefings and SMS webcasts as a part of E-learn - NATA's online learning programs.