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August 10, 2015 – Volume 14 Issue 32
 DOT Rules Revise Airport Accessibility Requirements
The Department of Transportation published regulations last week revising the accessibility obligations for airports with 10,000 or more annual enplanements that receive federal funding. The final rules require airports to work with both U.S. and foreign air carriers to ensure availability of mechanical lifts, provide animal relief areas and ensure captioning on televisions and audio-visual displays in passenger areas.
Deicing Holdover Time Tables for 2015-2016 Published
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published the deicing Holdover Time Tables (HOT) for the 2015-2016 winter season. The HOT guidelines are used by air carriers and other operators conducting deicing operations to determine the amount of time an aircraft may wait to takeoff following application of a deicing fluid. Operators are encouraged to review the HOT guidelines in preparation for the upcoming season. The HOT guidance is available from the FAA’s Aircraft Ground Deicing page.
NTSB Releases 2014 Accident Data
Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released preliminary statistical data on aviation accidents, fatalities and accident rates for 2014. While the number of general aviation accidents decreased in 2014, the accident rate increased due to a drop in total hours flown. On a positive note, Part 135 on-demand operations experienced a decrease in accidents (and fatal accidents). Coupled with an increase in flight hours, the segment experienced a reduction in its accident rate to 1.02 accidents per 100,000 flight hours, compared to the 2013 rate of 1.30. The NTSB press release and a link to download the preliminary data is available here.
Comments Due Friday on FAA Flying Club Policy Guidance
Reminder, comments in response to proposed revisions requested by AOPA to the FAA’s flying club policy guidance are due to the agency on or before this Friday, August 14, 2015. The FAA released a Notice of Petition in the Federal Register on AOPA’s proposal intended to allow flying club flight instructors and mechanics that provide services to club members to receive monetary compensation. The current policy “allows flying clubs to allow compensation only in the form of credit against payment of dues or flight time.” NATA is seeking member feedback on the proposal, particularly on whether the proposed language is open to interpretation such that it could inadvertently impact FBOs and flight schools. Contact Megan Eisenstein at meisenstein@nata.aero for more details.
ACSF Encourages Use of Illegal Charter Hotline
Legitimate charter operators often complain about illegal charters, but until 2008, there was no formal process for U.S. operators to bring possible illegal flights to the attention of the FAA, beyond calling a local FAA inspector and asking for the matter to be looked into. In response, in 2008 the National Air Transportation Association launched the Illegal Charter Reporting Hotline (888-759-3581 or 888-SKY-FLT1). Now overseen by the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), between 2010 and February 2015 there have been 64 reports to the hotline. The Foundation is updating those numbers with more recent information, but ACSF President Bryan Burns emphasized, “The bigger picture that we have seen take place over the last several months is the fact that people are reporting, and [the Hotline] seems to be getting more traction.” Read more.
Ask Your Broker How NATA’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program™ Can Save You Money
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is partnering with AirSure Limited to administer the association’s official Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program. The strong appeal of the program centers on the annual return on insurance premiums to ALL participants when premiums collected exceed the administrative costs and claims expenses for an individual year. Underwritten by insurance companies with a minimum A-rating by AM Best, the AirSure program has declared average Good Experience Returns (GER) of 14% since its inception in 2011. For more information, please contact your broker or the Program Administrator, Anne Salemmo, at 321-751-3197.
Baker Aviation Appoints Industry Veteran Tim Bowman to Key Maintenance Role
Baker Aviation, a full service aircraft maintenance, management and charter company in North Texas, announced that Tim Bowman has joined Baker Aviation as Director of Quality Assurance. Most recently, Tim was Director of Quality Assurance for Southwest Airframe and Tank Services in Dallas, Texas. Read further.
Ideal Aviation Joins Paragon FBO Network
Ideal Aviation, located at St. Louis Downtown Airport in Cahokia, Illinois, has joined the elite Paragon Network as of August 1, 2015. Read more.
Safety 1st Certified Trainer Program – Moving to September
The final NATA Safety 1st Certified Trainer Program (CTP) for 2015 will begin in September. 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 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 is open. For more information, click here.
Final Safety 1st Regional Advanced Line Service Workshop in 2015 Takes Place in Fort Lauderdale
Following on the success of the Wheeling, IL Advance Line Service Workshop, NATA Safety 1st is pleased to bring its unique mix of technical and service training to Fort Lauderdale, FL on October 20-21, 2015. The Safety 1st Regional Advanced Line Service Workshop is designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to make your line service team succeed and become new leaders within your company. This is the last Advanced Line Service Workshop in 2015. Don’t miss out, register now!
ACSF News
The next Air Charter Safety Symposium takes place March 8-9, 2016. Visit www.acsf.aero for more ACSF news.
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