NATA News

"On behalf of NATA and its member companies, I would like to congratulate all candidates on their election to Congress and commend them for well-deserved victories Tuesday night,” Coyne stated. “NATA looks forward to strengthening relationships with new members of the U. S. House of Representatives and Senate, and will continue our efforts to ensure that the interests of our 2,000 members are represented on Capitol Hill."

In addition to congratulating new members, Coyne stated, "I would also like to take this opportunity to thank those elected officials not returning for the 112th Congress who have steadfastly supported general aviation and the association. We will miss the support of Representatives James Oberstar (D-MN), Vernon Ehlers (R-MI), Allen Boyd (D-FL), Mark Schauer (D-MI), and John Boccieri (D-OH), all of whom have been ardent supporters of the general aviation industry and fought for issues important to NATA members."

"NATA will continue to be engaged actively on long-term legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, while continuing to educate Members of Congress on important issues affecting our members, including air traffic control modernization, onerous fuel tax collection procedures, the Large Aircraft Security Program and the lack of standardization of regulatory interpretations at the FAA," Coyne concluded.

Last week, NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer discussed how Tuesday’s 2010 mid-term elections could affect congressional aviation leadership positions in 2011.    

To read Byer’s blog, please click here.

Last week’s 2010 mid-term elections also resulted in a number of House and Senate General Aviation Caucus members losing their seats, retiring or seeking other political office.  Specifically, the House General Aviation Caucus lost 21 members, with races involving Representatives Gerald Connolly (D-VA) and Dan Maffei (D-NY) still being undecided. Fourteen members either retired or ran for other political offices. In the Senate, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) lost re-election and Senator Lisa Murkowski’s (R-AK) seat remains undecided.  This leaves 85 House members and 28 Senate members remaining within the two congressional General Aviation Caucuses.  To view NATA’s latest list of congressional General Aviation Caucus members, please click here.

NATA is currently compiling a list of the new Members of Congress elected last week who will take office in early January 2011, and will soon be asking its membership to encourage these new legislators to join the House and Senate General Aviation Caucuses.

Today marks the start of the association’s popular Aviation Business Roundtable. More than 70 industry leaders will attend to discuss a wide array of issues including the economy, and the impact the 2010 mid-term elections will have on the industry, as well as aviation safety and security.

Speakers attending the two-day meeting include:

• David L. Sokol, Chairman & CEO, NetJets, Inc.
• Stuart Rothenberg, Editor and Publisher, The Rothenberg Political Report
• The Honorable John S. Pistole, Administrator, Transportation Security Administration
• W. W.(Bill) Boisture, Jr., Chairman & CEO, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation           
• The Honorable Sam Graves (R-MO), Ranking Member, House Committee on Small Business
• The Honorable Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety & Security
• John Castellani, President & CEO, Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (PhRMA)

“We are looking forward to another great event,” stated NATA President James K. Coyne. “We have an outstanding slate of speakers and a who’s who of industry participants. This year’s Roundtable will provide an outstanding opportunity to preview what our industry can expect in 2011 and beyond.”

In addition to communicating the mission, vision, and values of an aviation business (as they relate 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 of “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 – 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

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

Click here to register.

Included in the training are de/anti-icing best practices and procedures, vivid videos and photos to help shape understanding, resources such as current Federal Aviation Administration 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.

Since its inception, the plan has annually distributed a good experience return to participating members. Historically, plan participants have received returns equal to or often exceeding their annual NATA membership dues. The number of participants has continued to grow – from 76 original members in 1975 to more than 800 in 2010. 

The NATA Workers’ Compensation Program was created for the association in April 1975 with three specific goals in mind:

• Provide NATA members with a dependable long-term market for workers compensation insurance;
• Structure the plan in such a way that if the overall loss experience of the participating members is favorable, participants would share in the return of a portion of the premium at the end of the policy year (good experience return); and
• Provide world class claims and safety management services. 

Today, after 35 years of continuous partnership with USAIG and their service provider, Liberty Mutual, the plan has attained or exceeded every goal established by its founders.  

The NATA Workers’ Compensation Program is not only the single most effective plan of its kind available today, it also has proven to be one of NATA’s most valuable benefits to members.

For information on the program, you or your broker may contact USAIG at 1-212-859-3988 or at www.usau.com.

NATA’s 2011 FBO Leadership Conference will be in Savannah, Georgia, February 7-8, co-located with the NBAA 22nd Annual Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference. We hope you will join us there.

The FBO Leadership Conference is uniquely designed from the ground up for the leaders of FBOs of all sizes to gather, share best practices and have a little fun along the way. The 2011 FBO Leadership Conference will be held at the Savannah Convention Center immediately preceding NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference. This gives attendees an optimal opportunity to meet with their customers and learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry.

For more information or to register to attend the event, visit www.nata.aero/fbolc or contact Diane Gleason at dgleason@nata.aero. 

Burt Rutan, legendary aerospace engineer and CEO of Scaled Composites LLC, has announced his retirement from the company he founded 28 years ago. Rutan (67) has suffered from health issues and plans to step down next year. Rutan, a true pioneer in the aviation industry, has been heavily involved in the development of many groundbreaking aircraft such as Voyager SpaceShipOne, White Knight Two, and the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer (the first aircraft to go around the world without refueling, piloted by the late Steve Fosset). Known for their unusual designs, Rutan’s aircraft employ the latest in design and construction technology, and have won several Ansari X awards. Rutan worked closely with Virgin Group’s CEO Richard Branson and the company’s subsidiary Virgin Galactic in their quest to produce the world’s first commercial spacecraft.  After the success of Spaceship One, development started on its successor Spaceship Two, which made its first successful unmanned flight earlier this year.

NATA extends its gratitude for the impact Rutan has had on this industry, and for keeping the dream of flight alive. We wish him all the best in his retirement and hope he will continue to be involved in our industry.

Do you believe Congress will finally approve a long-term FAA reauthorization bill as a result of the changes generated by last week’s mid-term elections?

Participate in survey.