Revisiting FAA Reauthorization ...

... and a few other hot topics facing the industry, which were part of the discussion during a Tuesday teleconference by the NATA Airports Committee. A few weeks ago, Eric Byer, VP of government and industry affairs for the National Air Transportation Association, expressed optimism that Congress might actually pass a long-term FAA/industry funding bill. It should be stated that Byer has been around the D.C. circuit long enough to know better than to go out on a limb with such a prognostication unless it might actually happen. It didn’t, and one could hear the exasperation in his voice yesterday. “We’re going to have to start all over” on a long-term bill, says Byer, adding that now he doesn’t expect the reauthorization bill to happen anytime soon. There’s the August recess, followed by the campaign season for the upcoming mid-term elections. Byer also relates that aviation reauthorization isn’t the only legislation pending in Congress … he says it is one of a slew of bills on backlog – perhaps the largest backlog he’s ever seen. On the subject of 100LL avgas and EPA, it’s been widely reported that the agency backed off, or clarified, its position regarding the elimination of lead from the fuel during the recent EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, WI. Most significant, perhaps, was EPA’s acknowledgement that FAA is the key agency when it comes to aviation fuel regulation. “Avgas is here for now,” comments Byer. “It’s going to be here tomorrow.” Then there’s the proposed Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) from TSA. Byer says there’s “nothing big on the LASP front” – that said, he adds that there does appear to be momentum at TSA to get the proposal out the door. He attributes that momentum to TSA general aviation director Brian Delauter and new Administrator John Pistole, whom Byer describes as a “do things kind of guy”. Meanwhile, NATA’s director of training Amy Koranda relates that the association continues to expand its offerings regarding Safety Management Systems, which the industry will be incorporating once FAA issues guidance. In the U.S., NATA has been at the forefront of SMS training among the associations.  SMS is coming – it depends on when FAA pulls the trigger. Koranda advises that the smart move may be to get ahead of it and be “proactive”. Finally, there’s the issue of minimum standards. Both NATA and the American Association of Airport Executives offer guidance documents on minimum standards and the important role they play in ensuring a level playing field for all businesses on airports. Not all airports have minimum standards in place, or if they do they are vague or, at worst, ignored. NATA officials want to begin a campaign to promote the concept, to encourage even-handed, enforceable standards. Thanks for reading. jfi