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January 5, 2015 – Volume 14 Issue 1
 NATA Welcomes 114th Congress; FAA Reauthorization on its Agenda
The 114th Congress will be sworn in tomorrow and its 2015 agenda is expected to include a number of important transportation issues including the reauthorization of the FAA. While the 2014 mid-term elections resulted in a House and Senate that will be controlled by Republican majorities, infrastructure issues have been cited as one area where Congress and the Administration may be able to work together. There will also be new faces in important places, particularly as it relates to the FAA reauthorization process. Senator John Thune (R-SD) will take over as the new chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and he will be joined by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) who will take over as the committee's new Ranking Member. On the House side, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA), will be joined by a new Ranking Member, Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR). These leaders will be responsible for crafting FAA reauthorization legislation that will examine the FAA funding structure, modernization, the progress being made on reforming the certification process and streamlining regulatory interpretations. Read more.
2015 IRS FET Rates Take Effect
The rates for certain commercial transportation federal excise taxes and fees that are subject to annual inflation have been adjusted for 2015. For transportation in calendar year 2015 the domestic segment fee remains at $4.00, the International Facilities Fee is $17.70 and the fee for transportation beginning or ending in Alaska or Hawaii is $8.90. The 7.5% tax on amounts paid for passenger transportation and the 6.25% rate for cargo are not indexed to inflation and remain unchanged. The changed rates are detailed in IRS Revenue Procedure 2014-61.
Please Note NATA’s New Address
NATA’s address is now 818 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20006. Please make note of our new address and plan to visit when you are in the area.
Nominations Due January 9th for 2014 NATA Industry Excellence Awards
On NATA is accepting nominations for its awards acknowledging the individuals, offices, and organizations demonstrating excellence in their field and the highest level of customer service to the general aviation community. Each year, NATA presents seven awards to the exceptional individuals and companies that have helped to improve the general aviation community.
The recipients of five of these awards are chosen based upon NATA member-submitted nominations and include the following categories:
• Airport Executive Partnership Award
• Excellence In Pilot Training Award
• FAA Service Excellence Award
• ATP/NATA General Aviation Service Technician Award
• New this year: The Safety 1st Certified Line Service Professional Award recognizes the achievements of certified line service professionals on an annual basis thereby raising awareness of the positive impact that they have on safety, service and business success.
All nominations for these awards must be received by NATA no later than January 9, 2015. The nomination form is available by clicking here. Members may also obtain a nomination form by calling the NATA headquarters at 800-808-6282 or by e-mailing Elizabeth Nicholson. The awards will be presented during the NATA Industry Excellence Awards presentation lunch in June 2015.
Register for the Safety 1st Certified Trainer Program by January 23rd
NATA Safety 1st launched the Safety 1st Certified Trainer Program (CTP) this month. The CTP is comprised of six instructor-led online classes that provide the foundational knowledge and skills required to be an effective trainer. These classes are approximately an hour and a half in length and occur over a three month period.
As an instructor-led, online course, the CTP saves participants time away from work and the cost of travel typically associated with in-person seminars and training classes. The course is derived from basic learning and on-the-job training theory and includes practical implementation strategies that allow attendees to have an immediate positive impact on training and morale.
Registration for the Safety 1st CTP is open now until January 23rd, with the first class scheduled for January 28th. Registration is $650 for NATA members. For more information and to register, visit www.nata.aero/events.
2015 FBO Success Seminar Has Even More To Offer
NATA’s FBO Success Seminar takes place March 9-10, 2015 in Las Vegas. The NATA FBO Success Seminar is for FBO owners, operators, general managers, new managers, finance personnel and other key FBO employees who are interested in building a more successful FBO. This popular industry seminar, now in its sixth year, will offer attendees new FBO management techniques, essential operational and service knowledge, and a networking forum for sharing experiences and best practices.
The FBO Success Seminar will be held in conjunction with the GSE Expo Worldwide and attendees will receive a complimentary registration to attend the Expo. In addition, attendees will also receive a free copy of the new book, FBO Survival. 10 Tips to Keep Your Operation Lean, Mean & Profitable – a $49.95 value. Register today!
Safety 1st Regional Advanced Line Service Workshop Takes Place in March
NATA Safety 1st is pleased to bring its unique mix of technical and service training to Las Vegas on March 11-12, 2015. This two-day training event is designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to make your line service team succeed and become new leaders within your company. Register now! Additional dates and locations for this workshop are available at www.nata.aero/events.
Spring Committee Meetings Take Place February 2nd – Register Now
NATA’s Spring Committee Meetings are scheduled for February 2, 2015. The meetings will precede the NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference in San Jose, CA. Room registrations must be made through NBAA’s room block.
Applications for 2015 AMT Employer Award Program are Due
NATA is pleased to announce that applications for the 2015 Aviation Maintenance Technician Employer Award Program are now available. This award program is designed to recognize companies that employ aviation maintenance technicians (AMT) and encourages and supports AMT training. The award is based on the percentage of AMTs employed by a maintenance organization that participate in qualified training events. Applications for the 2015 Aviation Maintenance Technician Employer Award Program will be accepted through January 30, 2015. For more information on the program, or to download an application packet, click here.
Charlie Spence to Retire
Charlie Spence, General Aviation News’ Capital Comments columnist, is retiring. He will be missed by many, not only for his column but as a long time friend of many in the general aviation industry. All the best from NATA Charlie!
Read Ben Sclair’s article on Charlie Spence titled “What time it isn’t.”
City of Naples Airport Authority Announces Employee of the Year
The City of Naples Airport Authority honored Landscape Maintenance Supervisor Christine Chesser as 2014 employee of the year. Chesser, who joined the Airport Authority staff in December 2013, was nominated by several members of the management team. One nomination said, “Since (she) has come to the Naples Airport Authority the airport grounds have never looked better. She does a great job and always has a smile on her face!” Read further.
ACSF News
Registration is now open for the Air Charter Safety Foundation Safety Symposium. The symposium is scheduled for March 10-11, 2015. This year’s theme is “How do you know you’re safe?” ACSF also announced the dates for its ACSF Auditor Workshop (March 11-12, 2015, immediately following the symposium). Visit http://www.acsf.aero/ for Air Charter Safety Foundation News.
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