Perspectives NATA Committees Making an Impact Across the Industry By Timothy Obitts T here are many ways that NATA members can actively contribute to the association’s efforts throughout the general aviation industry. NATA’s four committees are great examples of how members can help the associa- tion make a positive impact on our industry. These groups meet at our annual conferences—the Aviation Business Conference in June and the Aviation Leadership Conference in November—along with several other times during the year. The committees are also great resources for members seeking information or help pertaining to their businesses. I hope you will feel compelled to reach out to our commit- tee liaisons and their leaders if you are interested in joining, or if you would like assistance with an issue that you are facing. NATA is here to serve the needs of our members, not the other way around. We encourage you to take advantage of all our offerings, including interacting and networking with fellow aviation business professionals and experts. If you have any further questions, comments or concerns, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]. Keep reading below for a description of each of NATA’s committees. AIRPORT BUSINESS COMMITTEE The NATA Airport Business Committee addresses challenges and opportunities faced by businesses op- erating on an airport, including FBOs, repair stations, charter operators, and other aeronautical service and support operations. The Airport Business Committee includes members also interested in airport busi- ness management and environmental issues. The committee is made up of people who work at aeronautical businesses and are familiar with issues that arise as part of owning and operating that business. As Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2018 such, committee members are tasked with promoting the interests of the association’s airport businesses by addressing regulatory and legislative issues and indus- try concerns. The committee members represent the diversity of airport operations by working on a variety of issues, such as: community relations, leasing, mini- mum standards, environmental, security, miscellaneous business concerns, and regulatory compliance issues. The committee is currently developing a NATA FBO Management Certification Program; issuing pro- posed guidance changes to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 409 – Standard on Aircraft Hangars; and conducting the NATA 2018 Compensation Survey. n The Airport Business Committees Staff Liaison is Megan Eisenstein, Senior Manager of Regulatory Affairs, [email protected]. AIR CHARTER COMMITTEE The NATA Air Charter Committee is focused on issues affecting Part 135 on-demand charter and Part 91K oper- ations. The group is tasked with promoting the interests of the association’s members that hold on-demand Part 135 air carrier certificates by addressing regulatory and legislative issues and industry concerns. The committee members represent the diversity of operations found under the Part 135 regulations and include operators of a range of aircraft from large turbine-powered business jets, to small single-engine, piston-powered airplanes, and helicopters. The committee and the Part 135 industry in gen- eral, are overwhelmingly comprised of small businesses as defined by the Small Business Administration. This year, the committee formed the NATA Illegal Charter Task Force subcommittee to combat illegal charter, Continued on page 8 7
