NATA News

The BPPE’s regulations were issued under the authority of a statute passed in 2009. This statute allowed, for the first time, flight training to be regulated by the BPPE. However, the statute was written, debated and passed without any input from the flight training industry, leading to regulations that were poorly suited for overseeing an industry as diverse as flight training.

The delay in compliance provided in SB 856 was necessary to provide the industry the time and opportunity to meet with legislators and craft changes to the existing statutes that would allow oversight of flight training to protect student’s investments without unnecessarily damaging a valuable industry.   NATA Director of Regulatory Affairs Michael Franc, noted in the press release, “NATA is ready to begin working with California legislators to find a long-term solution that protects students while allowing flight training to continue to be the vibrant contributor to the California economy it has always been. The signing of SB 856 is the first step in a process that I believe will lead to a solution that works for all stakeholders.”

NATA and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced plans to coordinate, in Savannah, Georgia, NATA's 2011 FBO Leadership Conference, taking place February 7-8, 2011, with NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, being held February 9-11, 2011.

The synchronization of these two events provides the associations' members unparalleled networking, marketing and educational opportunities, in one place, at one time. Under the plan, attendees will still be required to register for each event separately, through the traditional NBAA and NATA avenues.

NATA's FBO Leadership Conference was developed for leading executives and managers of fixed base operations, and features nationally recognized experts who provide the latest intelligence, tactics and strategies to maximize an FBO’s success. This year’s event includes sessions on the industry economic outlook, airport minimum standards, future of aviation gasoline, shared aircraft ownership, general aviation security and Safety 1st initiatives. The conference’s opening leadership session features NATA President and CEO James K. Coyne and NBAA President and CEO Edward M. Bolen. The concluding session on maximizing your time at the Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference provides a smooth transition into one of NBAA’s premier events. 

NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference is the industry's leading annual event for providing timely and valuable information on the topics, trends and challenges facing the professionals responsible for coordinating the use of business aircraft. The conference includes hundreds of exhibits from aviation products and services providers. 

"NATA and NBAA realized enormous success with this coordinated approach in 2010,” said Coyne. “NATA experienced a 50-percent increase in FBO Leadership Conference participation, while NBAA recorded the third highest attendance in the history of the S&D Conference."

“Our industry works best when it works together,” said Bolen. “NBAA is pleased to be working with NATA to ensure that, this February, Savannah will be the place to be for aviation professionals.”

The political landscape is about to change. It’s not a matter of if, but how much. Congress has adjourned, and the fight to the finish is under way. The U.S. House of Representatives Democratic majority is in serious jeopardy, and the economy is the biggest concern for most Americans. New targets in congressional races seem to emerge weekly, which is why we’ll be keeping a close eye on races and keep you informed on who’s leading in the polls.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules on Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans are applicable to all aviation facilities that store more than 1,320 gallons of fuel or oil. Over the last eight years, these rules have undergone three changes and multiple compliance date extensions and consolidations. The end result is confusion throughout our industry on who has to have a SPCC plan and by when.

To help answer questions, NATA will be hosting, as part of its E-Learn Series, a webinar devoted to SPCC rule changes and compliance for the aviation industry. This webinar will feature industry leading SPCC expert George Gamble, owner of 2G Environmental, and NATA Director of Regulatory Affairs Michael France. Together, Gamble and France will walk you through the basics of the SPCC rule and how it affects your business.

By the end of this webinar you will learn:

• Whether you facility needs an SPCC plan
• When your facility must be in compliance
• What type of containment is need for your mobile refuelers
• Valuable tips for compliance

This webinar will be held on Tuesday, November 2, at 2:00 p.m. The cost is only $49.95 per location and registration is available now. Please don’t miss this opportunity to educate your entire staff on the importance of SPCC compliance.

Last Monday, October 18, NATA’s committees met to conduct their quarterly meetings. Recaps from these meetings follow:

Air Charter
The Air Charter Committee covered an array of issues, including recent proposed rules for helicopters and air ambulances, the numerous safety provisions within the Airline Safety Act that could impact Part 135 operations, concerns over potential restrictions on the transfer of pilot training and checking between operators and the implications of the Part 121 flight, duty and rest rulemaking on the industry.

The committee members were joined by Dayton Lehman, the Department of Transportation (DOT) deputy assistant general counsel for aviation enforcement & proceedings. Lehman gave an overview of the progress made to release a notice of proposed rulemaking related to the regulation of brokers and/or brokering activity in the on-demand air charter industry. The committee members engaged in a lengthy discussion about the merits and scope of any regulation. Lehman also provided detailed information on the DOT’s current authority to protect consumers from any unfair or deceptive practices and gave examples of prior enforcement actions the department has pursued.

Aircraft Maintenance And Systems Technology Committee
Good attendance, a variety of guests, and an overall productive discussion highlighted the Fall 2010 meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. FAA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials spoke at length with the committee members about some of the issues facing the maintenance world.

Carol Giles, manager of the FAA’s Maintenance Division (AFS-300), as well as Marty Bailey, FAA Repair Station branch manager (AFS-340) spent the day with committee members discussing some of the major agency initiatives affecting them. Attendees were briefed on key issues such as the Part 145 rewrite, Airworthiness Directive ARC, Maintenance Away Teams, Satellite Repair Station guidance, Training Requirements and Navigational Database Updates. Giles also mentioned she was seeking active industry participation in the agency’s Maintenance Seminar next year. TSA Repair Station Branch Manager Celio Young provided the committee with an in-depth look at the administration’s handling of foreign repair stations as well as the proposed repair station security rule. The representatives of both the FAA and TSA expressed their commitment to work closely with NATA and the committee on facilitating the successful implementation of the proposed regulations.

NATA President James K. Coyne addressed the group about the upcoming elections and stressed its importance to the aviation community. Coyne expressed his frustration with a continued delay in FAA re-authorization and his hope that we will soon see Congress’ inaction turn into action. NATA Legislative Affairs Director Kristen Moore pointed out some of important elements in the latest version of the FAA reauthorization bill and how it would affect maintenance activity.

The committee is also pleased to announce the confirmation of new committee member Michelle A. Schopp, director, flight technical programs with Executive Jet Management. Also attending was Ronald Donner, editor for Aircraft Maintenance Technology. Donner has a rich background in aircraft maintenance and is considering increased participation in the committee’s activities. As the committee continues to look at ways to enhance the benefit to NATA’s maintenance base, it is actively seeking committee membership from interested individuals representing the OEM world.

For more information, please contact staff liaison Dennis van de Laar at dvandelaar@nata.aero.

Airports And Environmental Committees
The Airports Committee discussed a number of topics including security, through-the-fence and airport sponsor-tenant relationship issues. One of the prime topics of discussion was the association’s effort to increase the use of airport minimum standards at public use airports. Minimum standards, when developed, implemented and enforced properly, provide benefits to airport sponsors, airport tenants and individuals desiring to provide on-airport aeronautical services. The committee will continue to work across the industry to educate and promote the importance of updated, comprehensive minimum standards.

NATA’s Environmental Committee received updates on and discussed several important topics relating to the industry role in environmental responsibility, including spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SPCC) plans and the industry’s response to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rulemaking on lead in aviation gasoline. The committee also explored ways in which the association could assist its members in ensuring compliance with existing environmental regulations.

Both the Airports and Environmental Committees will hold their next meeting later this year via teleconference.

Business Management Committee
Members of the Business Management Committee discussed business in today’s economy, current NATA membership programs and services, and new initiatives. The committee reviewed PLST Online, NATA Compliance Services, Educational Seminars, Workers Comp Program, NATA’s Web site and the Safety 1st program. Also discussed were the new ARAMARK Uniform Services discount, Hertz rental car discount and additional programs to be researched by NATA staff.  

Members stated that they are feeling cautiously optimistic regarding the economy. Most FBOs are focusing on fuel costs, which are based on changing buying patterns and are being negotiating through brokers and contract fuel programs. It was also stated that insurance rates are at an all time low for FBOs with low incident occurrences. 

The NATA Workers Compensation program was reviewed, and data on insurance payouts will be analyzed to see if NATA can provide targeted training to members in order to promote safe working environments.

For additional information on this meeting, please contact NATA Vice President, Financial Operations, Tim Heck.

Members discussed the feasibility of providing a ground safety audit process to create a consistent operational safety standard for fixed base operators, airport and other aviation service providers while increasing operations’ overall safety levels. The ground safety audit would provide on-demand charter, fractional and corporate aircraft operators with an alternative to costly proprietary audits. Although only in the beginning stages of discussions, members were intrigued to entertain a world that would entail fewer audits and more business pertinent to the bottom line with a safety focus.

Other committee discussions included NATA’s Safety 1st Professional Line Service Training (PLST Online) additional module offerings to members and non-members alike covering De/Anti-Icing and Customer Service, Safety and Security (CSSS). De/Anti-Icing includes crucial training for line service specialists gearing up for the winter season consisting of the importance of aircraft de/anti-icing, in-depth de/anti-icing fluid facts and safety aspects, pertinent de-icing and anti-icing fluid procedures and final departure responsibilities of line crews. The customer service, safety and security includes four modules taken from the PLST Online to familiarize other FBO staff on the line service specialists’ position and general aviation environment as well as crucial safety and security concerns at an FBO.

Click here to purchase PLST Online offerings.

Click here for additional information on the Safety & Security Committee.

Other Safety & Security member offerings:
Company ground manual: Click here for NATA’s Operational Best Practices (OBP)
Ramp Communications Video Online

To read Byer’s blog, please click here.

• Provide NATA members with a dependable long-term market for Workers’ Comp Insurance;
• Structure the plan in such a way that if the overall loss experience of the participating members is favorable, participants would share in the return of a portion of the premium at the end of the policy year (Good Experience Return); and
• Make joining the plan as easy as possible. 

The NATA plan is underwritten by USAIG (United States Aircraft Insurance Group), the nation’s largest aviation insurance organization and a division of Berkshire Hathaway.  They have provided the coverage since the plan’s inception.   

Click here to view the online brochure or have your agent/broker check with USAIG at (212) 859-3988.

NATA has partnered with ARAMARK Uniform Services to provide its members access to a discounted uniform rental and leasing solution. This money- and time-saving membership benefit was negotiated to provide added value to your membership.

NATA members may now take advantage of these valuable and convenient savings:

• 20% off rental and lease uniform rates
• 20% off facility services (mats, towels, mops, restroom supplies, etc.) 

To learn more about ARAMARK and the products and services that are available, please click here.

To set up a meeting with an ARAMARK representative to review your uniform and facility services needs, please call Tania Allaire at (818) 973-3906 or send an email to Tania.Allaire@uniform.aramark.com.

Please mention source code # 197336.

When do you believe that the aviation industry will rebound from the recession?

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While providing clean, dry and on-specification fuel to aircraft is the primary goal of aviation fuel quality control, ensuring that it is delivered in a way that does not cause damage to equipment or harm to people is equally important. Fire safety is an important piece of a quality control system. One of the keys to fire safety is understanding both fire and the properties of fuels as they relate to fire. The chart below indicates some of the important qualities of aviation fuels.

Understanding these properties and how they affect the handling of aviation fuels is vital to safety and your overall quality control system.