NATA News

The report unfortunately misses the mark in that it fails to provide meaningful information on the root cause and scope of the FAA regulatory interpretation inconsistencies and lacks an insightful analysis on how aviation businesses are impacted by those inconsistencies every day. Consequently, the report serves only to highlight, again, that there is a problem. The following key failures in the report prevent it from being a useful tool in identifying a path to a long-term solution:

• The GAO report does not provide any empirical data on the scope of inconsistent regulatory interpretation.
• The report falls short in its attempt to categorize the types of circumstances in which inconsistent regulatory interpretations occur.
• The report does not explore or evaluate the impact on certificate holders of a local inspector’s preference or opinion on how to meet regulatory requirements when previously the certificate holders’ current process was approved by another inspector.
• The analysis omits the key causes of problems in certification and approval processes in flight standards. Those were identified by an expert panel as FAA culture, lack of accountability, rulemaking and guidance development process.
• Implementation of the top two recommended solutions to the issues involved with the certification and approval process – a change in FAA culture (increased accountability) and universal acceptance – was not explored.
• The GAO’s recommended actions are so vague and non-specific as to be only marginally effective in addressing the core problem.
  

The report does highlight, as has been known, that industry believes there are problems in the FAA’s processes related to certification and approvals. Before these problems can be addressed, a comprehensive evaluation to determine the full extent of this problem, including sufficient data to categorize variations by identifiable events within the certification and approval process, is necessary.

“When the association conducted its review on the impact the lack of FAA standardization is having on the aviation industry, it was clear that respondents were spending an inordinate amount of time and resources complying with varying regional and local regulatory interpretations,” NATA President James K. Coyne stated. “The GAO report does not address these issues as we hoped it would.”

“Make no mistake about it, the lack of standardization on regulatory interpretations is a continuing and mounting challenge for the aviation industry,” Coyne concluded. “While this report does not address this ongoing concern, NATA will continue to make this issue one of the association’s top priorities in 2011 and beyond to ensure that standardization becomes a reality for our industry.”

In this week’s Capitol View Blog, NATA President James K. Coyne discusses the impact of Tuesday’s mid-term elections on the aviation community.

To read Coyne’s Capitol View Blog, please click here.

Two days and counting until Election Day! While Republicans appear set for major gains in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, as well as in governorships, NATA has been keeping track of who’s leading in the polls with its Mid-Term Election Web Page.

Americans are concerned with many issues facing our country such as the economy, record federal deficit, and the high unemployment rate. However, recent polls indicated that just over half of Americans likely to vote in next week’s midterm election want the next Congress to repeal the health care overhaul if Republicans gain power on Capitol Hill. While stripping the entire health care statute appears unlikely, because Obama would veto such a move, Republicans have said they would like to strike certain provisions of the law, such as the mandates that individuals procure coverage and that employers must provide it. Currently, twenty states have filed federal lawsuit aimed at declaring the law unconstitutional because of the mandate on individuals and the Medicaid expansion’s burden on states to increase their own programs. How do you feel about the current and future policy facing our country?

Exercise your right to VOTE on November 2!

NATA’s Safety 1st has released an online De/Anti-icing Training Module to complement its Professional Line Service Training (PLST) Online Training. NATA’s Safety 1st De/Anti-icing module is designed specifically for the general aviation industry to familiarize line service specialists with the responsibilities of their job and give an overview of the skills necessary for safe aircraft departures in winter weather.

Included in the training are de/anti-icing best practices and procedures, vivid videos and photos to help shape understanding, resources such as current FAA holdover tables, quizzes throughout to reinforce major concepts and a final exam to ensure comprehension – all combined in a thorough online package for consistent training of the de-icing crew.

What’s covered in the de/anti-icing training module?

• Introduction: reviews the crucial reasons for de-icing and the effects of icing on aircraft flight.
• De-icing and Anti-icing Fluids: covers the different types of fluids, their characteristics and their primary usage.
De-icing and Anti-icing Application: covers specifics on when and how to apply the different fluid types.
• De-icing and Anti-icing Safety: discusses personal protective equipment requirements and procedures for the safe operation of your de-icing equipment.
• De-icing Procedures: discusses techniques to de-ice aircraft effectively and best practices to follow.
• Anti-icing Fluid Application: stresses what to do and what NOT to do when applying anti-icing fluids.
• Final Preparations For Departure: covers your responsibilities as well as what to expect from the flight crew after de/anti-icing and prior to aircraft departure.
  

“NATA’s Safety 1st developed this online de/anti-icing module in response to our members who have asked for general aviation specific training to fulfill their winter weather needs,” said NATA Director of Safety and Training Amy Koranda. “In the past, our members have turned to de/anti-icing training suited for the airlines and it just doesn’t fit the bill for our industry.”

NATA’s Safety 1st Online training such as this de/anti-icing module is comprehensive – everything needed to train, test and track line specialists is included in convenient online modules. Pricing for the online training is based on a sliding scale. For a limited time, NATA is offering a special discount on orders placed before November 16.

To view a demo of NATA’s Safety 1st De/Anti-icing Training Module and access a link to order, including our special discount offering, visit www.nata.aero/onlinetraining.  

“At NATA, Safety 1st is not just a name, it is a mission. We continue to set the industry standard in safety by developing convenient, cost effective training in best practices and procedures specific to our members’ needs,” added NATA President James K. Coyne.

NATA’s Safety 1st Customer Service, Safety & Security Training Module addresses the service, security and safety needs of every FBO employee. Safety may typically start with line specialists, but it does not end with them. All employees have a stake in ensuring that an FBO is operating in accordance with the highest service, safety and security standards. The customer service, safety and security training module opens up an opportunity to train your entire staff.

Included in the training are customer service, safety and security best practices and procedures, vivid videos and photos to help shape understanding, quizzes throughout to reinforce major concepts and a final exam to ensure comprehension – all combined in a thorough online package for consistent training of your entire staff.

What’s covered in the customer service, safety & security training module?

• Introduction:
  • provides a better understanding of the tasks line specialists perform on the ramp
  • contains terminology used to talk to pilots on the ramp and radio
  • delivers knowledge about parts of an aircraft, providing a better understanding of the industry
  • gives an overview of ramp safety concerns for everyone
• Safety:
  • covers information necessary to cross-train staff members to help on the ramp with tasks such as marshalling
• Customer Service:
  • provides information to help communicate with staff and customers as well as to gain a better understanding of customers
• Security:
  • discusses in-depth processes on operational security from the ramp to the hangars to the office
  • reinforces the importance of conscientious staff support throughout the operation to help protect customers and their clientele

NATA’s Safety 1st online training such as the Customer Service, Safety & Security module is comprehensive – everything needed to train, test and track line specialists is included in convenient online modules. Pricing for the online training is based on a sliding scale. To order, visit www.nata.aero/onlinetraining.

This webinar will feature industry leading SPCC expert George Gamble, owner of 2G Environmental, and NATA Director of Regulatory Affairs Michael France. Together, Gamble and France will walk you through the basics of the SPCC rule and how it affects your business.

By the end of this webinar, you will learn:

• Whether your facility needs an SPCC plan
• When your facility must be in compliance
• What type of containment is needed for your mobile refuelers
• Valuable tips for compliance

This webinar will be held on November 2, at 2:00 p.m. The cost is only $49.95 per location and registration is available now. Please don't miss this opportunity to educate your entire staff on the importance of SPCC compliance.

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

Panelists:
Paul A. Meyers, Aviation Management Consulting Group
Jeff A. Kohlman, Aviation Management Consulting Group

Due to a prior scheduling conflict, this webinar has been rescheduled to November 16 at 1:00 p.m. (EST) and will be offered FREE OF CHARGE.

Click here to register.

The Safety 1st team has updated the eToolkit page of our Web site! Visitors can now view an entire listing of all featured articles dating back to the first eToolkit issue in 2004. This listing also links each article directly to the mentioned eToolkit issue for quicker access.

The featured article this month is Why Generation Y – Retaining Frontline Employees. The article takes a close look at the characteristics of the younger generation, what their expectations are and how you, as the employers, can retain them. You can read this article at www.nata.aero/etoolkit. 

This week, NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer discusses how USA Today is becoming the “fish wrap” of the print media.   

To read Byer’s blog, please click here.

Who do you believe will be in the majority in the U.S. Senate after tomorrow’s mid-term elections?

Participate in survey.