NATA News

On September 22, 2012, the U.S. Senate passed S. 1956: the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act, legislation that would prohibit U.S. aircraft operators from participating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The bill was co-sponsored by Senators John Thune (R-SD), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and eleven others. Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed similar legislation. Both bills must be brought together into one comprehensive bill that will be voted on by both chambers before going to President Obama for his signature.

Under the EU ETS, operators of U.S. aircraft would be forced to participate in a scheme set to regulate aviation emissions. The scheme was launched in 2005 to combat climate change, and it is a major pillar of the EU climate policy. In 2012, all civil aviation operators that land in or depart from the EU were mandated to participate.

In September, NATA co-signed a letter with other national aviation associations that was sent to President Obama, asking for his support in opposing the inclusion of international aviation under the EU ETS. The letter described the efforts of the U.S. and the International Civil Aviation Organization in developing a global framework for addressing aviation greenhouse gas emissions.

“NATA applauds the efforts of the Senate in developing a bill that would combat against this unfair, intrusive, burdensome and expensive scheme,” stated NATA President and CEO Tom Hendricks. “It is important that U.S. participation has no participation in this scheme so as to protect our industry’s, and ultimately our nation’s, independence, jobs and ability to develop economy-boosting systems in the future.”

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NATA joined with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Aircraft Electronics Association and National Business Aviation Association in asking the FAA for an additional 60 days to review the agency’s new draft Designee Management Policy. The draft policy, published on August 31 with only a 30-day review period, consolidates all existing FAA policies regarding the management of designees (designated pilot examiner, training center examiner, etc) into one single 400-page document.

According to the request, “the importance and success of the current designee program to all phases of general aviation speak to the need for thorough review and public comment [of this proposed policy]. A 60-day extension of the public comment period would allow the associations and their members time to complete a more detailed analysis of how this Order may affect the designee program and in turn the users, pilots, manufacturers and businesses that have made general aviation a vital component of our nation’s transportation system and economy.”

Click here to read the full request.

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National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President and CEO Craig Fuller have been added to the agenda for the NATA Aviation Business Roundtable on November 12-13, 2012, in Arlington, Virginia.

The Roundtable is a two-day meeting assembling the top business leaders from all segments of this country’s aviation community to meet with key federal and congressional officials. Attendees include chief executives from airline services providers, manufacturers, charter operators, fuel companies, fixed base operators, flight training facilities, and fractional aircraft ownership organizations.

Other speakers include FAA Acting Administrator Michael P. Huerta and Transportation Security Administration Administrator John S. Pistole, as well as Olympic Hall of Famer Bruce Jenner.

The program will begin Monday, November 12, at noon and conclude Tuesday, November 13, by 2:00 p.m. Additional agenda details will be provided in the coming weeks. The registration fee is $2,000, and this invitation is extended to you and your company’s senior level executives.

Events will take place at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Pentagon City. A block of guest rooms has been secured, and attendees are responsible for making their own hotel reservations. Please contact the hotel directly.

Ritz-Carlton Hotel
1250 South Hayes Street Arlington, VA 22202
General Hotel Telephone: (703) 415-5000
Reservations Telephone: (800) 241-3333

The group room rate is $299, plus tax, per night. Please call the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and refer to the “NATA Roundtable Meeting” by Friday, October 19, to receive the group room rate.

Please contact Diane Gleason, director of meetings and conferences, at dgleason@nata.aero or (703) 575-2050, to register for the Aviation Business Roundtable or if you have questions.

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The NATA Airports Committee, which met in Dallas, Texas, two weeks ago, began considering ways that the association and its members could assist veterans in finding work in our industry. Former military service members have always played a large role in aviation, and the committee looked at ways in which NATA could assist veterans looking for a new career in general aviation.

NATA currently has an online jobs board that is available to member companies. The Airports Committee is seeking input from member companies that currently use innovative methods to help bring veterans into our industry, either through full-time employment or internship opportunities. Additionally, the committee is looking for veterans groups that might be interested in participating in an initiative to help service members join our industry.

If your company has ideas, internships available or is interested in participating, please contact NATA Director of Regulatory Affairs Michael France at mfrance@nata.aero.

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Relevant updates from the FAA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Homeland Security are compiled each day from the Federal Register. The latest notices, rules and proposed rules can now be found in a single source by clicking here.

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On September 12, 2012, California Governor Jerry Brown (D-CA) received AB 1963, a bill that intends to reduce the state’s General Fund revenue volatility by analyzing the methods by which a reduction in revenue volatility may be achieved without a reduction or increase in the total available revenue.

Introduced by Assembly Member Alyson Huber (D-10th district), the bill calls upon the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) to conduct a study on the impacts of potential changes to the state’s existing tax laws and how those changes would effect revenue changes over time.

The report, to be completed by July 2013, should include an examination of the effect that imposing a tax on the sale or use of services would have on the state’s revenue and volatility and whether an exemption of service taxes should apply to the sale of services between businesses.

NATA will monitor the LAO’s progress and whether the analysis reviews tax changes on the aviation community and the services it provides.

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Join NATA and our industry experts as we discuss the ins and outs of aviation fuel handling and quality control (QC) challenges. Following NATA’s popular fuel webinar series from last summer, this webinar series will highlight the latest developments on QC and filtration and is available at a package price of only $249.95 for NATA members.

This series includes four weekly webinars starting on October 17 with “Aviation Fuel Quality Control from Receipt to Issue” led by Jim Gammon from Gammon Technical Products. You will not want to miss Gammon’s stories about QC and what is needed to ensure clean, dry fuel every time.

Other webinar titles from this series include: “Aviation Quality Control – Record Keeping,” “Spec. 103 – An Overview” and “Aviation Fuel Filter Monitors - EI-1583, 6th Edition.”

What do you get for the package price of $249.95?

• An opportunity to train your entire staff on the latest trends and procedures for ensuring that you deliver clean, dry fuel to each of your customers
• All 4 webinars
• One printed copy of NATA’s Refueling and Quality Control Procedures for Airport Service and Support Operations

Don’t worry if you or one of your staff miss a webinar, your purchase price includes access to full recordings of each webinar that you can use repeatedly.

Click on the link below to register now and reserve your seat for this outstanding webinar series. This series package is also available to non-member companies for $349.95.

Click here to register now.

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NATA recently hosted a series of training seminars in Dallas, following the association’s fall Committee Meetings. NATA member Black Canyon Jet Center sent several employees to the Line Service Supervisor Training Seminar and published a press release about the event.

The National Air Transportation Association’s (NATA) Line Service Supervisor Training provides professional development and helps participants increase their proficiency in strategic planning, supervising staff, motivating others, and communicating and coaching their respective teams. It is a high-impact, high-energy seminar that helps participants reach new levels of leadership as they implement their skills on the tarmac. Line service refers to individuals who perform tasks such as aircraft refueling operations, parking arriving aircraft, safely towing aircraft in and around taxiing areas and hangars, perform regular quality control checks on aviation fuel, customer service functions and much more. 

Ken Watson, general manager, and Manny Gomez, line service supervisor, attended the NATA seminar to be re-certified as line service supervisors and also to continue gaining knowledge to lead Black Canyon Jet Center staff in maintaining the world-class service and safety for which they are known.

“A business can never have too much knowledge pertaining to leadership, safety and customer service, there can always be improvement,” said Watson. “NATA seminars provide professionals with outside perspectives, new ideas and training we can take back to our staff and implement in our business.”

To read the full Press Release, click here.

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