NATA News

U.S. Senators Mark Begich (D-AK) and Mike Johanns (R-NE) established the General Aviation Caucus in the U.S. Senate during the previous Congress. Similar to the House General Aviation Caucus, the purpose of the Senate caucus is to work with industry stakeholders, pilots, aircraft owners and related government agencies to ensure a safe and effective environment for the general aviation industry. The caucus is open to all members of the U.S. Senate regardless of party affiliation and committee assignments.

General aviation contributes over $150 billion annually to local economies and is accountable for 1.3 million jobs. General aviation has a presence in every state, complete with over 230,000 general aviation aircraft that service nearly 19,000 small airports and regional hubs across the United States. It is important that Senators are aware of general aviation’s importance in their home states.

To reinvigorate the caucus for the 112th Congress, Senators Begich and Johanns are requesting their fellow senators to get involved with the Senate General Aviation Caucus, which currently has 30 members. To see if your Senator is a member or to call upon your Senator to join the Senate General Aviation Caucus, please click here.

In conjunction with last week’s publication of the interim policy on residential through-the-fence (RTTF) agreements at federally obligated airports, the FAA has released an online toolkit to assist airport sponsors with compliance. The RTTF interim policy prohibits new RTTF agreements at federally obligated airports while allowing existing agreements to continue under closer oversight from the sponsor and the FAA. The online toolkit provides airport sponsors sample documents that can be used to complete RTTF Access Plans for existing RTTF access points as required by the interim policy. In addition to sample documents, the toolkit webpage provides direct links to the interim policy as well as FAA’s Compliance Guidance Letter, which “provides guidance to FAA's Airports personnel responsible for implementing the Interim Policy.”

NATA has long been concerned about the impact to the future expansion and utility of public-use airports from expanded application of RTTF agreements. The association believes that the FAA’s interim policy balances the rights of existing RTTF access users and the future utility of airports.

Click here to view the online FAA RTTF Toolkit.

Last week, the FAA announced, via a news release, that it intends to focus on general aviation safety through a proactive, non-regulatory strategy. The FAA’s goal with this strategy is to “reduce the general aviation fatal accident rate per 100,000 flight hours by 10 percent over a 10-year period (2009-2018).”

While the FAA acknowledges that over the past decade the number of fatal general aviation accidents has declined, the total number of flight hours has also declined, leading to a static accident rate over the past three years. In 2010, the accident rate was “1.14 accidents per 100,000 hours flown, including 268 fatal accidents with 457 fatalities.”

According to the news release, the FAA’s renewed focus on general aviation safety will take the form of a “Safety Standdown”:

“Beginning in April, the FAA Safety Team is launching a safety standdown outreach effort to general aviation pilots and mechanics. A common practice in the military, a standdown focuses on education on a specific safety issue. More than 120 FAA staff plus approximately 3,000 volunteer safety representatives across the country will participate. The kick-off will be on April 2 in conjunction with the [AOPA] Sun 'n Fun Fly-in and Expo in Lakeland, Fla. FAAST team members will also hold more than 98 standdown events across the country during April. The March/April issue of the FAA Safety Briefing features the standdown.”

The FAA has published a notice addressing the status of aircraft that are operated by the civilian contractors of a government entity.

When an aircraft is considered to be a “public aircraft,” it is not subject to civil aircraft operating rules (e.g. FAR Part 91) or to FAA safety oversight.

Under federal law, the status of an aircraft as “public” can be determined on a flight-by-flight basis taking into consideration factors such as ownership, flight purpose, and persons on-board the aircraft.

The new policy states all contracted aircraft will be assumed to be civil aircraft, unless:

• The contracting government entity provides the operator with a written declaration (from the contracting officer or higher-level official) of public aircraft status for designated, qualified flights;
• The contracted operator notifies the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) having oversight of the operator (or the operation, as appropriate) that it has contracted with a government entity to conduct ``eligible'' public aircraft operations;
• The contracted operator submits the written declaration to the FSDO with jurisdiction having oversight;
• The flight(s) in question are determined to be legitimate public aircraft operations under the terms of the statute; and
• The declaration is made in advance of the proposed public aircraft flight.

NATA believes that having clear, detailed policies in place for determining the civilian or public status of an aircraft and of specific flight operations is critical to ensuring compliance with federal laws related to public aircraft.

The FAA is accepting comments on the new policy until April 22, 2011.

Click here to view the FAA’s policy announcement as it appeared in the Federal Register.

2011 Air Charter Summit Topics with Confirmed Speakers:

• FAA Regulatory Review
• Most Frequently Issued FAA Part 135 Violations – Joe Conte, FAA and Paul Lange, Law Offices of Paul A. Lange
• Networking Luncheon
• Open Forum with the FAA Part 135 Branch – John Duncan, FAA; Steve Kane, FAA; and Timothy Beglau, FAA
• TSA Update – Brian Delauter, TSA
• Twelve-Five Standard Security Program Session (TFSSP Operators Only)
• Alleviating Part 135 Audit Confusion – James C. Christiansen, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation and Dennis Keith, Jet Solutions, LLC
• Bankruptcy Has Its Clawbacks
• Guidance for Working with Charter Brokers – Dayton Lehman, U.S. DOT and Kent S. Jackson, Jackson & Wade, LLC
• Dinner with Guest Speaker CBS Sportscaster David Feherty

The Westfields Marriott is the host hotel. NATA summit attendees can take advantage of a discount rate of $159 plus tax. Make your hotel reservations online by Friday, May 13 to receive the NATA discount rate. Visit www.nata.aero/acs for event details, sponsorship opportunities, information on securing a table top display and a link to register today!

Click here to read the NATA/VAC press release.

What can you do to help?

• Make a personal or corporate contribution to the NATA Wings for Warriors fund by visiting www.veteransairlift.org/m/donate.aspx?campaign=NATAWFW2011  
• Share the VAC mission with fractional share owners and card program members. Ask them to donate unused flight hours to the VAC.
• Give a corporate gift of flight hours to the VAC.
• Visit the VAC display at the Air Charter Summit to learn more about the organization.
• Help raise awareness of the VAC with your aircraft owner, pilot friends and colleagues.

Visit www.nata.aero/acs for more details and to register today!

Held Back-To-Back with Popular LSST Seminar in Windsor Locks

Safety & Health Training For Ground Operations Seminar – Only One In 2011
NATA’s Safety & Health Training for Ground Operations (OSHA 10-Hour) will be offered once this year on May 26-27 immediately following NATA’s popular LSST Seminar in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. NATA’s OSHA 10-Hour course has been specifically designed for all employees with safety and health responsibilities. Attendees will be introduced to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and general industry policies, procedures and standards, as well as gain a working knowledge of OSHA regulations. Our instructor will provide real-world OSHA guidance and aviation case studies. Attendees will be provided audit and checklist templates as well as the knowledge to implement and improve their facility compliance programs. Participants will receive a course completion certificate from NATA as well as a course completion card from OSHA.

Seminar Topics:

• Gain in-depth knowledge of safety and health concepts
• Obtain a working knowledge of OSHA regulations as well as general industry policies
• Increase your awareness of the link that exists between risk and safety
• Review and take back a practical checklist that will increase your ability to perform your day-to-day duties safely
• Learn correct safety procedures and standards

Click here for more details and a link to register for NATA’s OSHA 10-Hour Course.

Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar – Only LSST In Northeast In 2011
NATA’s Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar will once again take place at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, on May 24-25. This seminar, specifically designed for Line Service Supervisors, provides the training you need to become more proficient in strategic planning, supervising staff, motivating others, communicating and coaching a team. This high-impact, high-energy seminar includes guided group debates, role playing, interactive games and various case studies designed to take you to a new level of leadership. You will also take part in self-assessments to explore your strengths and weaknesses and their effect on your management style.

Don’t miss the chance to attend the LSST in Windsor Locks. Click here for more details and a link to register.

Visit www.nata.aero/event.aspx for information on future NATA events.

Last week, air charter operators attended NATA’s FET Overview for Air Charter Operators webinar. If you were not able to participate live, you can still view the recorded webinar.

This one-hour webinar included an overview of the federal excise taxes (FET) encountered by Part 135 on-demand operators.

Specific topics addressed were:

• Commercial and Noncommercial FET rates
• Items subject to and exempt from FET
• Operations exempt from FET
• Fuel credits
• IRS Forms and Publications

Click here to order the FET Overview for Air Charter Operators webinar and other webinars in the NATA E-learn series.

NATA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer’s latest blog discusses how the association’s “Day on the Hill” helps advance NATA’s legislative agenda.

To read Byer’s blog, please click here.