| Topics in this Volume
 NATA Rolls Out Ground-Breaking FBO Audit Standard |
NATA is pleased to present a ground-breaking audit standard specifically for FBOs. NATA established the NATA Safety 1st Ground Audit Standard to promote industry best practices and Safety Management Systems (SMS) development among ground handling providers in response to member requests for a safety standard and rating for FBOs. This audit standard is the first published audit for FBOs and other ground-handling service providers.
"NATA members expressed concern that their companies are subject to numerous audits by charter operators, fractional ownership program managers and many other consumers," said NATA Safety 1st Program Manager Elizabeth Nicholson. "The preparation and hosting of these audits drains both staff time and resources to accommodate the various audits, which range in complexity from completing and returning an electronic self-audit form to a multi-day on-site audit. The requirements of the auditing companies vary greatly, making preparation for the audits a year-round necessity."
NATA's Safety & Security Committee, which includes representatives from large and small FBOs, on-demand charter operators, fractional program managers, insurance brokers, fuel companies, and more, was instrumental in drafting this important new audit standard.
Objectives of the NATA Safety 1st Ground Audit Standard:
- Achieve a standardized and consistent audit product acceptable to on-demand air charter operators, business aircraft operators, and other ground handling facility users
- Develop a program similar in concept to that currently utilized by airline ground handling facilities
- Follow an ISO-compliant format
- Create one audit standard to satisfy operators, customers, and others by including:
- Best practices
- Safety Management Systems (FAA and ICAO standards)
- Regulatory compliance (TSA, EPA, and OSHA)
- Eliminate the need for multiple audits from numerous aircraft operators by providing consistent audits
- Maintain online registry to confirm successful completion
"NATA Safety 1st is the industry-known leader in FBO safety and training programs. It became clear to us that a single standard for FBOs could eliminate the burden of multiple audits and raise the standard of safety throughout the FBO industry," said NATA President and CEO James K. Coyne.
Find out more about NATA's Safety 1st Ground Audit by visiting www.nata.aero/groundaudit
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Visit NATA’s Booth At Schedulers And Dispatchers – San Diego January 15-17
Learn More About Our New Ground Audit Standard |
NATA will be in San Diego for NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatchers (S & D) Conference in booth 1012. Several NATA and Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) staffers will be on hand. So stop by to talk with NATA’s Shannon Chambers, Daniel Gurley, Amy Koranda, and Elizabeth Nicholson and ACSF’s Bryan Burns and Russ Lawton about membership, Air Charter Safety Foundation activities, Safety 1st and our new programs for 2012.
NATA staffers will also visit member booths to distribute NATA’s Safety 1st counter cards to Safety 1st participants and to find out your needs in the New Year.
What can you expect in the New Year? One program is NATA’s Safety 1st Ground Audit Standard. This program was designed to promote industry best practices and Safety Management Systems (SMS) development among ground handling providers in response to member requests for a safety standard and rating for FBOs. This audit standard is the first published audit for FBOs and other ground-handling service providers. NATA’s Safety & Security Committee, which includes representatives from large and small FBOs, on-demand charter operators, fractional program managers, insurance brokers, fuel companies, and more, was instrumental in drafting this important new audit standard.
We look forward to talking with you further about this exciting program as well as many others during S & D. See you in San Diego!
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| NATA Launches State Advocacy Network |
NATA has launched its new State Advocacy Network (SAN) consisting of association members in every state who will serve as liaisons between member businesses, state legislatures, and the association.
"General aviation businesses are confronted with issues that require prompt attention, including airport and land use, security, taxation, aircraft noise and emissions," stated NATA President and CEO James K. Coyne. "Identifying pertinent legislation and regulations ahead of their implementation in every state throughout this county is one of the greatest challenges we face as an industry."
NATA's SAN comprises volunteers who act as representatives to keep each other and the association informed of pressing issues in their states.
"NATA members are active participants in their states and local communities and as SAN volunteers their expertise and knowledge of issues affecting the industry are invaluable," concluded Coyne. "Staying informed of issues effecting aviation businesses throughout the country is vital to promoting the interests of our members as well as to defeating unwarranted policies."
For more information on the State Advocacy Network and how you can get involved, please visit www.nata.aero/SAN.
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| Association Unveils 2012 Legislative Agenda |
Today, NATA released its legislative and regulatory priorities for 2012. These priorities include:
- President’s FY 2013 Budget
- FAA Reauthorization
- Freedom from Government Competition Act
- Temporary Flight Restrictions
- Large Aircraft Security Program
- Security Directives
- Support for the Congressional General Aviation Caucuses
To read NATA’s 2012 Policy Priorities, please click here.
For more information, please contact Eric Byer on the NATA staff.
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| Inside Washington Blog |
NATA Vice President of Government & Industry Affairs Eric R. Byer offered his thoughts as to how the President’s recent appointments to the National Labor Relations Board will likely slow down the FAA reauthorization process even further. To read Byer’s blog, please click here.
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Register Today for Negotiating Aviation Agreements Webinar
January 26 at Noon EST |
2012 Negotiating Aviation Agreements Webinar – Only $49.95 per location
We will explore standard customer and vendor agreements used in FBO, Part 135 and Part 145 operations at airports, including key terms and conditions, and pointers on how to negotiate favorable terms. We will also discuss indemnity issues and how this one issue can make or break your business.
Speaker: Leonard Kirsch, Esq., McBreen & Kopko
Date/Time: January 26, 2012, at 12:00 EST
Register today at www.nata.aero/webinars.
NATA’s E-learn program is designed to enhance your education from the convenience of your site. E-learn includes several webinars specially priced at $49.95 as well as free policy and event preview webinars. The registration rate for the scheduled webinars includes participation for one computer/connection in the live webinar, a 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. Archived webinar recordings along with a pdf of the presentation slides may be purchased by clicking here.
Visit www.nata.aero/webinars frequently for upcoming webinars.
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New - FBO Managers Workshop on March 27
Addressing true, dedicated issues for the general managers running an FBO |
Rising new managers in our industry represent a whole generation of young men and women who are going to be running this entire industry in just a few years, and there's a great deal for them to learn in terms of understanding the intricacies of the supply chain, the pricing issues, the logistical issues, and the marketing issues. Learning about the issues that relate to becoming a more efficient manager is even more important now in a downturn in our industry. Developing strategy for growth or increased profit is harder now than it's ever been; and many are very interested in advancing their own professional training and advancing the professional training of the people they're grooming to succeed them. With that in mind, NATA created the new FBO Managers Workshop, which starts one day before the FBO Leadership Conference and runs March 27-28.
The first session on Tuesday, Airport Manager Perspective on Airport/FBO Relations, features panelists Robert Olislagers (executive director, Centennial Airport), Eric J. Frankl (executive director, Blue Grass Airport), and Clara Bennett (airport manager, Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport) to offer insight on how to work effectively with airport boards. The next session features panelists Lenny Kirsch (partner, McBreen & Kopko), Christian Sasfai (vice president and CEO, TAC Air), Mike French (director of airport relations, Signature Flight Support), and Ted Hamilton (executive vice president, Operations, Landmark Aviation) for a workshop on Nationwide Trends Affecting FBOs and Airport Relationships.
The FBO Managers Workshop continues on Wednesday, March 28, from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., just before the FBO Leadership Conference luncheon, and features two morning sessions: Communicating the Value of Aviation Businesses and Communities They Support, and the CEO panel of the General Aviation Infrastructure and Investment Coalition (GAIIC), with panelists Greg Arnold (president and CEO, TAC Air), Clive Lowe (vice president of business development, Atlantic Aviation), Michael Scheeringa (president, Signature Flight Support), and Jim Hopkins (vice president, sales and charter, Landmark Aviation) discussing capital investment strategies and the development of best practices standards between airports and FBOs to facilitate long-term investment.
Visit www.nata.aero/events for more information and link to register today.
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Registration for NATA Spring Training Week Is Now Open
Visit www.nata.aero/springtraining |
NATA Spring Training Week
March 5-8, Las Vegas, NV
(at the Cygnus Aviation Expo March 7-9)
Line Service Supervisor Training (LSST)
March 5-6
FBO Finance Fundamentals
March 6-7
NATA Safety 1st Trainer
March 7
Environmental Compliance Seminar
March 8
www.nata.aero/springtraining
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| Vital Information Needed For Advocacy Efforts |
NATA fights hard to ensure that your interests are represented before regulatory agencies, Congress and your state legislature. NATA is currently working on such topics as legislation to reauthorize the FAA, protecting the sale of aviation gasoline in California and ensuring that run-away state taxes don’t act as a disincentive to general aviation aircraft use.
In order to strengthen our arguments to lawmakers, NATA is collecting additional information from its members to help build a robust database of statistical information that can be used to represent the industry to the various arms of government. Please take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to provide us with this information by clicking here or on the survey link below. All gathered data will be kept anonymous and will only be used to provide group statistics.
Please assist us in this vital effort. This information is invaluable for working with various media outlets and in making presentations to lawmakers to advocate for the needs of our members.
Thank you in advance for your continued support and, as always, please contact us at (800) 808-6282 with your questions or concerns.
Click here to complete the survey.
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