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  View HTML Version of Newsletter    August 8, 2016 — Volume 15, Issue 32 
 
  This Week's Top Stories 


GAO Report Confirms NATA View | Fuel Fraud Provision Costing Aviation Trust Fund Billions

Today, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the impact of a 2005 change in tax law diverting non-commercial jet fuel tax revenues from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to the Highway Trust Fund. The GAO’s study confirms NATA’s long-held belief, quantifying the ten-year loss to the Aviation Trust Fund at between one and two billion dollars. The report also casts doubt on the rationale behind the 2005 change in tax law and the provision’s utility going forward. NATA requested the report from lawmakers during development of the FAA reauthorization legislation and industry proponent, Representative Mike Pompeo (R-KS), accelerated work on the issue by mandating the GAO report during deliberations on the 2015 highway bill. NATA Chairman Andrew Priester praised GAO’s work stating, “The report quantifies the dramatic impact of this revenue diversion that is undermining the viability of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. NATA urges Congress to repeal the 2005 provision that triggered this diversion of aviation tax dollars and return these funds to the important work of modernizing our nation’s aviation infrastructure.”

 

 


NATA Supports Effort to Phase in New Department of Labor Overtime Rules

Last week, NATA joined a multi-industry effort including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Retail Federation and Associated General Contractors in support of bipartisan legislation authored by Representative Kurt Schrader (D-OR) to phase-in the Department of Labor’s new overtime regulation and eliminate its requirement for an automatic three-year increase. Under the new regulation, effective December 1, 2016, no employee who has a guaranteed salary of less than $47,476 will qualify under the executive, administrative, or professional exemptions, the current minimum salary level is $23,660. NATA filed in opposition to the proposal in 2015 after consulting with membership on its possible impacts. In a letter to Representative Schrader, NATA SVP Bill Deere welcomed the effort noting, “Aviation businesses are by their nature spread throughout the nation and often found in parts of the country where the cost of living is low. These businesses will be especially hard hit by this ‘one-size-fits-all’ proposal.”



Registration Is Available for 2016 NATA Aviation Business Roundtable

The NATA Aviation Business Roundtable in Washington, D.C. on November 9th and 10th is the premier event focused on senior aviation leaders — featuring opportunities for executives to tap into a wealth of industry knowledge from business and government policy experts, and is a great networking opportunity. The program begins with a 6:00 p.m. Welcome Reception on Wednesday, November 9 at NATA headquarters. Thursday, November 10 includes a full day of discussions concluding with a Networking Reception that evening. Sponsorship opportunities are available for the first time — starting at $300. Click here to view the 2016 Aviation Business Roundtable Sponsorship Opportunities. For more information, please visit www.nata.aero/abr.

 


NATA Member IAM Jet Centre Earns IS-BAH Certification at Four Flagship FBOs

NATA would like to congratulate Safety 1st Qualified member, IAM Jet Centre for recently becoming IS-BAH Registered at all four of its FBO locations! The facilities at Barbados, Grenada and Tortola were each awarded the registration, joining the center at Montego Bay. Paul Worrell, Managing Director of IAM, said, “These are the first FBOs in the Caribbean and Latin America to achieve this challenging and demanding designation by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC).” Click here to read about IAM Jet Centre’s accomplishment. Visit the FBO / Ground Handling Status Map to see what other service facilities are Safety 1st Qualified and/or IS-BAH registered. To find out more about the IS-BAH program, please visit http://nata.aero/Safety-1st.aspx or the Safety Net Blog.

 

 
 From the FAA
 


FAA Safety Briefing

 

The July/August 2016 FAA Safety Briefing focuses on the world of student pilots and airmen-in-training. This third edition provides tips and resources for success in initial pilot certification. It also explores the new Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which begin rolling out this summer. The ACS list the standards for what an applicant needs to know, consider, and do in order to pass both the knowledge test and the practical test for a certificate or rating.

 
 
   Member Spotlight
 


WAI to Host Seattle Regional Conference in September

 

Women in Aviation International (WAI) will host a regional two-day conference on September 16-17, in Seattle, Washington 2016. The event will be held at the Museum of Flight and the Seattle Airport Marriott and begins with a tour of the Boeing Company headquarters. “Seattle is the perfect locale for a regional conference because of its rich aviation heritage,” said Women in Aviation International President Dr. Peggy Chabrian. “We’re looking forward to two days of lively discussion and inspiration.” For more information or to register, click here. 

 
 
 
   
 


Aeroplex/Aerolease Group Commences $7.5 Million Development Project

 

Aeroplex/Aerolease Group, an aviation property development, management and consulting firm, is investing $7.5 million toward a 3-acre development project at Los Angeles’ Van Nuys Airport. The investment features 38,000 square feet of hangar space, over 55,000 square feet of new aircraft ramp and staging areas, and a private, gated/secure parking lot — among other additions. “Aeroplex/Aerolease Group is proud to serve as one of Van Nuys Airport’s longest-standing tenants and a vital contributor to the local economy,” stated company President and CEO Curt Castagna. “Our new development will not only create approximately 100 high-skilled jobs, but continue our company’s 40-year history of serving business aviation’s diverse needs.” Scheduled for completion in March 2017, the development honors the legacy of the late Milton A. Widelitz, who founded Aeroplex/Aerolease Group in 1977 and helped form the non-profit Van Nuys Airport Association in 1982. Widelitz was a strong supporter of preserving airport jobs and businesses, as well as providing educational opportunities for future aviation professionals. For more information, click here.

 
 
 
 


Wisconsin Aviation Celebrates 35 Years of Service

 

Wisconsin Aviation — an aviation services provider specializing in private aircraft charter, aircraft maintenance, avionics, aircraft rental, aircraft sales, flight instruction and more — is celebrating 35 years of business in 2016. Starting as a single FBO in 1981 at the Watertown Municipal Airport (KRYV), the organization expanded into three total locations. “We want to thank our employees, loyal customers and local communities for their support over the past 35 years. Wisconsin Aviation is committed to the communities we serve and we look forward to continued growth,” stated Jeff Baum, Wisconsin Aviation’s founder and CEO. For a detailed look at Wisconsin Aviation’s history, click here.

 
 
 
 
 


NetJets Moves to Expand Longer-Haul Business

 

NetJets is hoping to grow its longer-haul business with new pricing incentive programs developed for Challenger 350 and Global shareowners. Launched this month, the cross-country program provides operational savings on 3.5-plus-hour flights for Challenger 350 shareholders and five-plus-hour flights for Global 5000 and 6000 shareholders — who have purchased a minimum of 50-plus hours. The pricing programs are unique for NetJets, which doesn’t typically offer such incentives, said Patrick Gallagher, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing for NetJets, but represent an opportunity for the fractional provider to grow in the longer-haul space. “This is really more about capturing a market segment that is relatively small today than it is about the opportunity to create additional incentives,” Gallagher said. He also stressed that the programs are driven by customer inquiries. “We’ve had a lot of interest in recent months,” he said. “It’s something we simply formalized. We’re highly confident in our ability to sell it.” Read more.

 
 
  Events
 


Limited Seats Available for Safety 1st Regional Advanced Line Service Workshop in Chesterfield, MO

 

NATA Safety 1st is pleased to bring its unique mix of technical and service training to Chesterfield, MO on August 24-25, 2016 at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport. The Safety 1st Advanced Line Service (ALS) Workshop is a two-day training event designed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to make your line service team succeed and become new leaders within your company. Limited seating is available, so register now before seats are gone! Additional dates and locations for this workshop are available here.

 
 
 
   
 


Guidance for Developing an Effective and Compliant ERP | NTSB Training Center

 

Develop a fundamental understanding of Emergency Response Programs (ERP) with the Back to Basics: ERP Workshop for Aviation Businesses, presented by NATA and Fireside Partners Inc. on September 13th and 14th at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia. This two-day workshop will include general sessions addressing the commonalities of building successful ERPs and cultures within any aviation organization, and breakout sessions to provide in-depth learning relevant to each specific line of business. For more information or to register, click here.

 
 
 
 


Develop Successful Customer Service Skills in Long Beach, CA

 

On September 27th and 28th, the Customer Service Representative (CSR) Certification Workshop, presented by NATA and the Aviation Business Strategies Group, will provide valuable knowledge and skills to set the tone for successful customer service experiences. Attendees will learn how to deal with disgruntled customers and turn a marginal customer transaction into a fulfilled client transformation. This new certification program starts with a basic fundamentals module administered online through the Safety 1st website and concludes with a robust two-day workshop where attendees complete the interactive curriculum. For more information or to register, click here.

 
 
 
  ACSF News
 


Air Charter Safety Foundation Joins the ASIAS Program

 

Last week, the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) signed an agreement to participate in the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing Program (ASIAS) — a collaborative information sharing program. ASIAS is an FAA-funded, joint government and industry effort administered by the Mitre Corporation. The primary objective of ASIAS is to provide a resource for use in discovering common, systemic safety problems that span multiple operators, fleets, and regions of the airspace. Safety information discovered through ASIAS activities is used across the aviation industry to drive improvements and support safety management systems. Read more.

 
 

 

 


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