ARSA Action – 2010

Regulatory Advocacy

• Participated as a voting member of the FAA Aviation Rule Committee (ARC) for Safety Management Systems (SMS) and as the Chair for the Maintenance Working Group.
• Served as a voting member of the FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) ARC and participated in the related working groups.
• Submitted a request to the FAA asking for the agency to correct and reissue Notice 8900.88 on the requirements for hazmat certification.
• Commented on FAA draft Advisory Circular (AC) 120-CMP about the FAA’s proposed guidance on interface between air carriers and maintenance providers.
• Recommend changes to FAA for draft order 8110.103A, outlining the agency’s process for issuing or denying Alternative Means of Compliance.
• Asked the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for dissolution of the FAA Quarterly Utilization Report (QUR).
• Requested for clarification of the permanent disqualification provision in the FAA’s drug and alcohol (D&A) testing program and applicability of the D&A rules to persons performing alterations.
• Requested EASA clarification of its part documentation requirements under MIP-G.
• Participated on a panel at Aviation Week’s MRO Europe conference on the effects of FAA regulation of foreign repair stations.
• Addressed representatives of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), at the agency’s “Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA) Workshop” in Cologne, Germany.
• Offered  TSA Administrator John Pistole assistance in developing final repair station security rules that recognizes that a ‘one-size fits all’ approach is insufficient for a global industry.

General Legislative Advocacy and Public Relations

• Launched the first stage of the Positive Publicity Campaign to educate key audiences about the critical role the aviation maintenance industry plays in the economy. The first step was the release of economic data on a national and state level showing the economic footprint aviation maintenance has on the American economy.
• Published, the hotline, a monthly members -only news and information source.
• Continued weekly publication of The Dispatch, a source of breaking news about the aviation industry, ARSA members, and ARSA actions.
• Called on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to protect American interests by opposing language in the FAA reauthorization bill that will violate international accords and hinder growth in the aviation maintenance industry.
• Testified before the International Trade Commission about the harmful effects the FAA reauthorization bill would have on the U.S. aerospace industry and export markets.
• Expressed concerns to FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt about language in the House and Senate FAA reauthorization bills that would prevent Canadian AMOs from performing maintenance on part 121 aircraft.
• Facilitated visits by lawmakers and candidates to repair stations to elevate the industry’s profile.
• Discussed the impact of the 2010 mid-term elections in pre-election conference call stressing the importance of engaging candidates on the campaign trail.
• Enhanced grassroots tools for ARSA members, via www.ARSAaction.org.

Congressional Lobbying

• Lobbied House and Senate offices in opposition to language detrimental to the aviation maintenance industry in the FAA reauthorization bill.
• Urged Congress to keep FAA extensions “clean” and not include significant policy provisions in continuations of funding for the agency.
• Participated in an ad-hoc coalition of business groups that successfully pushed for reinstatement of the 50 percent depreciation bonus for tax year 2010 and increased Sec. 179 expensing levels.
• Worked in coalition with aviation industry partners to add signatories to a letter penned by Rep. John Barrow (D-GA) calling for rejection of House foreign repair station language in the FAA reauthorization bill.
• Prevented ”card check” legislation as well as back-door regulatory efforts to impose such measures, as a member of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace.
• Maintained dialogue with staff on the House Small Business Committee on issues affecting small companies.

Enhancing ARSA Member Benefits

• Launched the Aviation Alliance Insurance Risk Retention Group (AAIRRG), a new insurance option to provide low MRO coverage and options exclusively to ARSA members.
• Initiated exclusive web-based regulatory training programs for ARSA members.