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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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| California Legislature Provides Relief for Flight Training Facilities |
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| Last week the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 856 (SB 856), a bill containing language providing a delay in compliance for flight training schools with the rules issued earlier this year by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education. The language contained in SB 856, is identical to the language contained in Assembly Bill 1140, an NATA sponsored bill that was killed in the Senate in late August.
The provisions relating to flight training provide a twelve month retroactive delay, beginning in July 2010 and running until July 2011. SB 856 also contains a provision that requires any facility providing flight training to notify the BPPE that it is in operation. The self-notification requirement was added to AB 1140 by legislators while it was heard in committee in early August.
The passage of SB 856 was the culmination of an effort undertaken by the NATA, flight training industry and other aviation groups, including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. SB 856 is now awaiting the signature of Governor Schwarzenegger. Due to its status as an urgency measure SB 856 will take effect immediately upon signature by the governor.
NATA Director of Regulatory Affairs, Michael France stated, “This delay is absolutely necessary to ensure that the flight training community is afforded the opportunity to have its voice heard on regulations affecting the future of the industry. Without this type of opportunity, the impact of the BPPE’s regulations could be disastrous for flight training and the aviation industry in general.”
NATA will now begin the process of working with California legislators, the flight training industry and other aviation associations to find a long term solution to this issue.
Click here to view the full NATA Press Release on SB 856. | |
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| Congress Recognizes NATA’s 70th Anniversary |
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The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing NATA’s seventieth anniversary. House Resolution 1669 highlights the association’s rich history and contributions to improving the safety of general aviation.
Representative John Duncan (R-TN), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation, introduced the resolution that acknowledges the association’s mission in representing the legislative, regulatory and business interests of its members and providing education, services, and benefits to its members to ensure their long-term economic success.
“The resolution recognizes the foresight and resiliency of the association founders, William A. Ong and Leslie H. Bowman, NATA’s first two presidents, as well as the important contributions of George E. Haddaway and John L. Gaylord, who were instrumental in the organization’s formation,” stated NATA President James K. Coyne.
The House Resolution congratulates NATA on its 70 years and states that the U.S. House of Representatives “applauds the National Air Transportation Association for creating programs and resources to enhance the safety of general aviation operators; and commends the National Air Transportation Association for being instrumental in bolstering the general aviation industry during a time of turmoil in the 1940s.”
“It is a true honor for the association and its members to be recognized by the U.S. House of Representatives,” stated Coyne. “I would especially like to thank Congressman John J. Duncan, Jr. for introducing House Resolution 1669. Congressman Duncan has been an active and steadfast supporter of the association and its membership, and continues to be an outstanding leader on general aviation issues in the House of Representatives.”
“We are thrilled that Congress has highlighted the important role NATA plays in the aviation industry, recognizing its members for their steadfast support in ensuring the growth and durability of the general aviation community,” Coyne concluded. “NATA looks forward to the next 70 years as it continues to represent and support the thousands of small businesses that make up the backbone of our national air transportation system.”
To read House Resolution 1669, please click here.
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| NATA Analyzes NTSB Reauthorization Bill |
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The U.S. House of Representatives approved a four-year authorization for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on September 29, 2010. “H.R. 4714, the National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2010 provides the Safety Board with additional tools it needs to accomplish its mission.
The bill authorizes increased funding over the next four years and allows additional staffing to enable the agency to take on more investigations and accomplish detailed examinations of transportation safety issues. In addition, the bill gives the NTSB the authority to issue subpoenas in all investigations and clarifies that the NTSB is not required to determine a single cause or probable cause of a transportation accident, but may determine that there was more than one probable cause.
The bill also requires the NTSB to develop a list of criteria that it will use to determine whether to hold a public hearing in any particular investigation.
To read a detailed analysis of this legislation, please click here.
The bill was forwarded to the Senate for its review. It is unclear if the Senate will take up the bill prior to the end of the year when this session of Congress ends.
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| FAA Publishes Safety Management System NPRM For Part 139 Airports |
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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register seeking to require airports that are certificated under Part 139 to develop and implement safety management systems (SMS). The proposed regulations would require Part 139 certificated airports to submit SMS implementation plans, depending on airport class, within 6 to 9 months of the publication of a final rule. Airports, again depending on class, would be allowed between 18 and 24 months to implement their SMS program.
The FAA envisions an airport SMS program to be a “formalized approach to managing safety by developing an organization-wide safety policy, developing formal methods of identifying hazards, analyzing and mitigating risk, developing methods for ensuring continuous safety improvement, and creating organization-wide safety promotion strategies.”
NATA staff is currently examining the NPRM and will be publishing a regulatory report providing association members with more details on these proposed rules.
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| Aircraft Re-registration Process Underway |
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The FAA’s effort to re-register all aircraft has begun. Regulations altering the registration process and requiring registration renewal every three years took effect on October 1.
In accordance with the mandatory re-registration of all aircraft currently on the registry, the FAA has begun mailing notices to the first group of aircraft targeted for re-registration.
Aircraft that were originally registered in the month of March, regardless of year, will have their registration expire on March 31, 2011. The owner should receive a notice in the mail explaining the need to re-register and that the re-registration process needs to be completed prior to January 31, 2011, to ensure delivery of a new certificate prior to the expiration of the old certificate.
NATA has partnered with AIC Title Service to provide our members, particularly those with managed aircraft, with a streamlined system to complete and track registrations and renewals. More information about the registration and renewal requirements as well as the AIC partnership is available at www.nata.aero/aic.
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| Proposed Rules Target Helicopter Air Ambulance, Include Changes For All Part 135 |
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| In a NRPM announced last week, the FAA is proposing significant changes for equipment, staffing, training and weather minimums for all helicopter air ambulance operations. Also included in the rulemaking are changes affecting all Part 135 helicopters as well as proposals to alter load manifest requirements for every Part 135 operation (whether the aircraft is fixed-wing or helicopter).
The rule would change the existing load manifest requirements in §135.63 for all operators. Under the proposed change, a manifest will be required for every flight. Today, the rule applies only to multi-engine aircraft. The FAA also intends to permit electronic or paper versions of the manifest to be carried on-board the aircraft and to permit an electronic version to be sent to the operator’s base in lieu of preparing a duplicate copy.
For all Part 135 helicopters, the FAA is seeking to require installation of a radar altimeter and enhancements to over-water equipment requirements within three years after a final rule. Changes to helicopter pilot training, to include recovery from inadvertent VFR flight into IMC conditions, and increasing the minimums applicable to IFR alternate airports would take effect at the time a final rule is published.
The most significant proposed changes impact Part 135 helicopter air ambulance operations. The FAA is seeking to:
- Eliminate the operation of positioning flights under Part 91 when medical personnel are on-board and require a pre-flight briefing for those persons
- Count all flight hours flown with only medical personnel on-board toward the pilot’s daily flight time limits
- Require all helicopter air ambulance pilots to have an instrument rating
- Mandate establishment of operations control centers for all operators with 10 or more helicopters conducting air ambulance operations
- Change VFR minimums and make enhancements to VFR flight planning
- Permit IFR operations to locations without weather reporting
- Require completion of a pre-flight risk assessment
- Require installation of severe weather detection equipment, HTAWS and a flight performance and operational data collection and storage system (similar in purpose to an FDR) known as a light-weight aircraft recording system
NATA is currently reviewing the NPRM and will submit comments to the FAA. A preliminary version of the NPRM is available for download. The official NPRM will be published in the Federal Register today, October 11. | |
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| NATA President’s Capitol View Blog – When Airports Change Sides, Is There An Antidote? |
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| In this week’s Capitol View Blog, NATA President James K. Coyne discusses how economic constraints can change some airports from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.
To read Coyne’s Capitol View Blog, please click here. | |
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| The Strategic Business Plan - a critical tool for developing, operating, managing, and marketing an aviation business |
| E-Learn Webinar on October 13, 2010 – 1300 EDT |
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In addition to communicating the mission, vision, and values of an aviation business (as it relates to the development, operation and management, and marketing of the aviation business), the Strategic Business Plan (SBP) conveys the specific goals and objectives that need to be met to position the aviation business for the future and/or take it to the next level. In essence, the SBP provides a systematic approach for making decisions today that will have a direct impact on the aviation business. Beyond answering the key questions, Where is the aviation business today (Point A) and Where do you want the aviation business to be tomorrow (Point B), the SBP answers the question, How is the aviation business going to get there, and what needs to happen to get from Point A to Point B?
This webinar will provide attendees a deeper insight into:
- The role, purpose, and importance of the SBP
- The key elements and essential components of the SBP
- A best practices approach for developing the SBP
Featured Presenters – Paul A. Meyers and Jeff A. Kohlman, Aviation Management Consulting Group
Paul A. Meyers, Principal in Charge
Paul Meyers, a principal of Aviation Management Consulting Group, has eighteen years of aviation and management experience, including FBO operations, air carrier operations, integrated freight operations, employee training and development programs, and aviation management consulting.
Jeff A. Kohlman, Principal
Jeff Kohlman, a principal of Aviation Management Consulting Group, has over fifteen years of general aviation management and operations experience, including FBO operations, facility management, flight department operations, employee training and safety program development and implementation, and aviation management consulting.
Visit www.nata.aero/webinars to register today!
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| Archived E-Learn Webinars - A Wealth Of Aviation Business Resources |
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NATA E-learn webinars are recorded and available for purchase. A link to the recording as well as a copy of accompanying presentation slides will be provided once your order has been processed. Click here to access more information on each of the webinars below or select the corresponding link to place your order now.
Strategies for Negotiating with Airport Authorities: Utilizing the Sponsor Assurance to Ensure Fair Treatment Among FBOs Place Order - $49.95
New or Amended Minimum Standards: How to Ensure that Minimum Standards Help Not Hinder Your Business Place Order - $49.95
Hiring & Screening In Today’s Market Place Order - $49.95
Success with Social Media Place Order - $49.95
Social Media Strategies: Tools & Tactics for Success Place Order - $49.95
PLST Online Best Practices For Trainers/Administrators Place Order – FREE
Upcoming Live Webinars:
10/13/2010 - The Strategic Business Plan - A Critical Tool for Developing, Operating, Managing, and Marketing an Aviation Business ($49.95), 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. EDT Register Now
11/2/2010 - Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasures ($49.95), 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EDT Register Now
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| Flight Crew Briefings Are Free Training Invaluable To Pilots |
| View Briefings For TEB And EWR At www.nata.aero/flightcrewbriefings |
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NATA Safety 1st flight crew briefings are customized online training tools that give pilots and other flight crew members flying into and out of an airport access to critical safety information about the airport, including its location, layout, operations, regulations, and safety and security procedures. The briefings allow pilots to hear advice and guidance from airport management, based pilots, and other flight crew members who are familiar with an airport. Since 2008, flight crew briefings for Teterboro and Newark Liberty International airports have been launched with more than 360,000 total visits recorded to date.
The informational training includes four main topic areas pertaining to safety, security, noise abatement and ATC procedures specific to the airport:
Safety - The safety briefing consists of an airport safety overview, runway incursion hot spot review, surface area movement problems and recommended practices for the airport.
Security - The security section includes an airport security program overview, identification requirements, escort procedures/vehicle access procedures and overnight securing of aircraft requirements.
Noise Abatement - The noise abatement briefing covers the city/town/local rules and regulations, noise abatement procedures and airport updates.
ATC - The Air Traffic Control (ATC) segment covers an overview of ATC procedures, departures and VFR operations applicable to the airport.
Each flight crew briefing takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, depending on the pilot’s familiarity with the airport. To review the Teterboro Airport Flight Crew Briefing and the Newark Liberty International Flight Crew Briefing, visit www.nata.aero/flightcrewbriefings. To find out how to invest in a briefing for your airport, contact Amy Koranda at akoranda@nata.aero or 800-808-NATA.
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| Survey Question |
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Who do you believe will be the majority party in the House of Representatives after the mid-term elections on November 2nd?
Participate in survey. | |
| Fact of the Week – Aviation Fuel Quality Control |
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Aviation fuel quality control is one of the few areas in aviation not directly regulated by the FAA. Rather the primary guidance for quality control efforts comes from industry standards and indirect regulation from Federal, state and local governments. One of those industry standards is NFPA 407 – Standard for Aircraft Fuel Servicing, created and published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). NFPA 407 covers requirements related to fire safety in aircraft refueling. One of the most interesting things about NFPA 407 is that it has no authority over your operation unless compliance is required by another group, such as your airport sponsor, fire marshal or local government. These groups are referred to, in NFPA 407, as the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is simply an entity that has authority over your facility and requires compliance with NFPA 407, either in full or in part. It should be noted that the AHJ is free to accept all of NPFA 407, only part of the standard, or even to be more stringent than is required by the standard. In some cases an AHJ can be so much more stringent than NFPA 407 that significant additional, and arguably unneeded, costs are imposed upon a facility. Facilities faced with this situation often fail to understand that the AHJ is acting completely within its power. These types of situations are often remedied through thoughtful presentations that work to educate the AHJ on the reasons why such additional regulation is unneeded.
At NATA we have worked with members to address these types of situations before. Don’t hesitate to give us a call and we may be able to help you devise a solution that allows you to explain to your AHJ why additional regulation is unnecessary. | |
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