Source: https://www.nata.aero/enewsletters.aspx?newsid=298
Timestamp: 2019-06-18 04:54:48
Document Index: 279542743

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 135', 'art 135', 'art 135', 'art 135', 'art 135', 'art 135']

##Date## Volume 8 Issue 31
NTSB Uncovers Improper Charter Operations During Investigation Of CE-500 Bird-strike Accident
Ø NATA Offers Industry Tools To Combat Illegal Charter
Ø NATA Comments On CRM NPRM
Ø NATA Encourages Members To Complete Survey
Ø Congress Passes Resolution Supporting General Aviation
Ø August Congressional Recess Has Begun - Invite Members Of Congress To Tour Your Facility
Ø GA Serves America Update – Highlights From July Town Hall Meeting
Ø See PLST Online At Work, Hear What Line Service Specialists Have To Say
Ø Stubbs And Rosser Bring Clarity To Charter Tax Issues – September 23-24
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into the crash of a Cessna Citation CE-500 following a bird-strike has uncovered “improper and noncompliant charter operations that should have been identified and discontinued by the FAA,” according to NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker.
The NTSB held a public meeting last week to determine the probable cause of the March 4, 2008 fatal accident, which occurred shortly after the CE-500 departed the Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City, OK. Both pilots and the three passengers onboard were fatally injured.
Among the 24 findings adopted during the meeting, the NTSB noted that:
The charter company operating the CE-500 was not authorized to conduct charter operations in fixed-wing aircraft;
The pilot was certificated, trained, and qualified to fly the accident airplane in noncommercial operations as a single pilot, but was neither trained nor qualified to fly the airplane under FAR 135;
The second pilot was not trained, qualified, or current to fly the accident airplane, and neither trained nor qualified to fly the airplane under FAR 135; and,
The accident airplane was not maintained in accordance with FAR 135 maintenance requirements.
The investigation also revealed that, in response to complaints, the FAA had conducted a Special Emphasis Inspection of the charter company that operated the accident airplane. However, the NTSB noted, “The [FAA] inspection was insufficient to detect the type of noncompliant charter operations that were conducted [by the charter company].”
The NTSB issued 10 safety recommendations to the FAA as a result of its investigation. A list of the recommendations and a summary of the accident report may be viewed by clicking here.
NATA Offers Industry Tools To Combat Illegal Charter
In response to last Tuesday's National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing on an accident involving an aircraft that was being operated for hire without proper certification, the NATA is reminding the industry of several resources available to help combat illegal charter activity.
During the investigation of the 2008 accident, it was discovered that the flight was sold to the passengers as a commercial operation, but the aircraft and crew were not legally authorized to conduct commercial flights.
NATA has created two free consumer publications, "Chartering an Aircraft, A Consumer Guide" and "Risk of Illegal Charter," to aid consumers in both choosing a legitimate on-demand air charter operator and avoiding illegal operators.
Both publications are suitable for printing and are available for download at www.nata.aero/store. Operators are encouraged to distribute these documents as appropriate.
NATA also reminds air charter operators of the Illegal Charter Hotline. Certificated operators may call and make reports regarding illegal activity that will be forwarded to FAA Headquarters staff for review and investigation.
Any employee or agent of a Part 135 on-demand certificate holder can call a toll-free number, 888-759-3581 or 888-SKY-FLT1, to file a report of suspected illegal commercial flights, where an aircraft operator without an FAA Part 135 certificate is accepting compensation for transportation, in violation of both FAA and Department of Transportation regulations.
The number is available 24 hours a day and operators may leave a message to receive a call back if the Hotline agent is unavailable. Operators are encouraged to compile as much factual data as possible regarding the suspected illegal activity. The more detail and facts or evidence that are supplied, the better the chances are that the FAA can conduct a meaningful review and investigation.
Since beginning operation just one year ago, the hotline has been quite successful. Those filing reports have in some cases noticed a quick response from the FAA. Follow-up contact with several operators who have filed reports indicates formal investigations have occurred or are occurring as a result of hotline reports.
NATA Comments On CRM NPRM
Last week, NATA submitted comments to the FAA on a proposal to require crew resource management training (CRM) for all Part 135 single and dual pilot operations. The proposal follows recommendations made by the NTSB and a Part 135 rulemaking committee.
NATA’s comments generally supported the proposal to incorporate formal CRM training for Part 135 but cautioned the FAA on several areas that could create difficulties for smaller operators. Specifically, the association called on the FAA to provide a standard program for single-pilot operators to adopt and asked the agency to ensure that inspector delays in approving programs or defining CRM training program content were minimized.
View NATA’s comments by clicking here.
Although the official comment period has now closed, the FAA will accept and consider late filed comments whenever possible. Information on submitting comments is available in the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking.
NATA Encourages Members To Complete Survey
Congress Passes Resolution Supporting General Aviation
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution by voice vote on July 29, recognizing the general aviation industry and its contributions to the United States. The resolution, H.R. 508, was introduced in June by U.S. Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and highlights the many reasons why general aviation is vital to our nation.
The resolution states that 170,000,000 passengers fly annually using personal aircraft and general aviation contributes $150 billion to the U.S. economy, and employs nearly a million people. In addition, 65% of general aviation flights are conducted for business and public services, many of which are located in small communities without commercial air service. Finally, general aviation saves lives by transporting people, supplies, vital organs and other items for medical purposes.
To view the entire resolution, please click here.
August Congressional Recess Has Begun - Invite Members Of Congress To Tour Your Facility
The upcoming August recess in Washington, D.C. is an opportune time for you to invite your Members of Congress and their staff to visit your general aviation facility. Such a tour is a valuable way to inform key congressional leaders on the principal issues confronting our national air transportation system while allowing you to address local issues affecting your business. This one-on-one interaction will give Members of Congress and their staff a better understanding of the value of America’s aviation businesses and airline services companies.
Please visit the congressional tour information page which includes sample letters and more information by clicking here.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Kristen Moore at (800) 808-6282 or by email at kmoore@nata.aero.
GA Serves America Update – Highlights From July Town Hall Meeting
In support of the General Aviation Serves America campaign, AOPA President Craig L. Fuller and NATA President James K. Coyne recently appeared at General Aviation Serves America Town Hall Meetings in Martha's Vineyard and Charlotte, NC.
In Charlotte, the event was hosted by Bob Wilson, owner of Wilson Air Center at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The event provided about 250 attendees with the latest information on the campaign along with a fantastic static display of aircraft including Cirrus, Pilatus, Falcon, Phenom, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, and more.
The General Aviation Serves America campaign was created to highlight the importance of the general aviation industry to the U.S. economy.
Watch highlights from the General Aviation Serves America event in Charlotte, N.C.
See PLST Online At Work, Hear What Line Service Specialists Have To Say
NATA’s Safety 1st PLST Online program is the best way to train and recurrently train the men and women out on the tarmac who marshal, fuel and manage the aircraft, crew and passengers that are the lifeblood of any FBO. To demonstrate how PLST Online works and how operators have made it integral to their line service training, a new video was launched at www.nata.aero/plst.
PLST Online:
Adopted by Air BP, Chevron Global Aviation, Phillips 66 Aviation, Atlantic Aviation, Landmark Aviation, Million Air and 200 more FBO leaders.
To see how PLST Online can work for your operation, click here.
Stubbs And Rosser Bring Clarity To Charter Tax Issues – September 23-24
Having trouble navigating through today’s convoluted maze of FAA, Department of Transportation, federal, state and local taxes? Do you need help mastering the complicated tasks of financial planning and managing aircraft operating costs? Register now to attend NATA’s Commercial Operators Tax Seminar to be held in San Antonio, TX, on September 23-24.
This two-day informative seminar includes presentation from several well known speakers including Conklin & de Decker’s Nel Stubbs and NATA’s Jacqueline Rosser – two industry experts who understand your business and will help you find a direct route to mastering these complicated issues:
Nel's primary activities are focused on aviation tax issues: federal, state and local. Her expertise includes ownership cost analyses and she is instrumental in developing and supporting seminar services.
Nel is also active in consulting with the IRS, FAA, and numerous companies and attorneys on aviation tax issues. Her office is in Arizona. Nel was formerly the National Business Aviation Association's senior manager for tax issues.
She holds a BA in Mathematics and a Master of Aeronautical Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Jacqueline (Jacque) has extensive experience representing the general aviation industry before Congress and the federal agencies. In her current role with the NATA, she serves as the director of regulatory affairs and oversees association activities involving on-demand air charter and fractional ownership program operations. She works directly with officials of the Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security, as well as the FAA, the Transportation Security Administration and other agencies impacting air transportation.
In her role as staff liaison for the NATA Air Charter committee, Jacque works with industry leaders on a regular basis to ensure that their aviation business concerns are addressed and the association is responsive to the industry’s needs. Since joining NATA in 1997, she has been an active participant on several FAA rulemaking projects including committees tackling fractional ownership, air carrier flight, duty and rest regulations, and the Part 135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
Recently, she was also selected to serve as the executive director of the Air Charter Safety Foundation. ACSF was formed in 2007 to enhance the safety and security of air charter and shared aircraft ownership providers.
Jacque is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and holds degrees in Aviation Management and Aviation Flight. She is also a commercial pilot and certificated flight instructor.
This seminar is a must-attend for key charter and management company personnel including director of operations, director of maintenance, CFO, CEO, COO and controllers. A discount rate is available to NATA members registering on or before August 15. Click here for more information and to register now.
Advertising with NATA connects you to more than 5,000 industry executives. It offers high visibility, optimum value, and direct access to aviation business leaders throughout the world. Numerous options are available. You can place an ad on the www.nata.aero homepage, or advertise in one of NATA’s newsletters or in the Aviation Business Journal.
NATA also offers a free marketing service to all NATA members — the Classified-Member Posts section of www.nata.aero. The classifieds section is designed to allow members to post their own press releases and classified ads. Check boxes in the press release area provide the ability to target specific audiences. The classifieds are divided into three sections: RFPs, jobs and buy/sell, which can be marketed to all members, or to specific member groups.
For more information on the options available, visit the NATA Classifieds-Member Posts page, the Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities page, view the Aviation Business Journal 2009-2010 Media Planner or contact Linda Pylant.
Do you agree with the NTSB recommendation to require declaration of the operator to passengers for all commercial flights as a way to combat illegal operations?
In the early 1970s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued regulations that phased out the use of lead as an additive in automobile fuels. Since that time, lead has become the focus of many environmental groups and has been phased out of use in almost all industries, except one.
Lead is still used as an additive in aviation gasoline (avgas) to prevent detonation in higher-powered engines. Because aviation is the last large scale industry in America still using lead it has become a target for many environmental groups. While there are currently no regulations pending banning the use of lead as an additive in avgas, it is only a matter of time until our industry is forced to find an alternative.
Our industry has been studying alternatives to lead additives for more than 30 years and so far has been unable to identify an alternative that would be compatible with existing distribution networks, would not require higher powered aircraft to have engine modification, and would be comparable in price. Because there is no “silver bullet” solution, our industry is going to be faced with some tough choices.
In the coming months, NATA will be joining a group of industry stakeholders led by the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association that will attempt to chart a path to lead-free aviation gasoline. The creation of this group is premised on the idea that if the aviation industry can come together and present an effective plan to eliminating lead additives, we may be able to stave off imposed regulations that do not take into full account the unique nature of general aviation. NATA is excited about working with its members and the industry as a whole to tackle this challenge!