Contact: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, Oct. 10, 2013 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) lauded a letter sent from Senate lawmakers to Michael Huerta, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), imploring the administrator to review the agency’s determination that the FAA Aircraft Registry office is “non-essential” under government-shutdown guidelines.
The recent shutdown of the federal government has led to the closure of the registry, all but halting the sale, purchase, export or import of aircraft in the U.S., profoundly and negatively affecting thousands of small and mid-size businesses across the country that are involved in aircraft transactions.
“The closure of the Aircraft Registry office has a serious impact on American aircraft manufacturers and related industries, because it prevents the delivery of newly manufactured aircraft,” reads the Oct. 9 letter. The letter goes on to note the Registry’s important role in providing “essential services” related to aviation safety, security and fulfillment of U.S. international obligations.
Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) was joined in signing the letter by Sens. James Inhofe (R-OK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mark Pryor (D-AR) and Pat Roberts (R-KS).
Review the full Senate letter to Administrator Huerta.
As the shutdown has unfolded, and its effects on business aviation have become increasingly visible, NBAA has continually called on Washington policymakers to find a swift resolution to the funding crisis.
Last week, NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen sent an open letter to congressional leaders and President Obama outlining the grave repercussions of the government shutdown on the general aviation (GA) industry, including the purchase and use of small GA aircraft for business transport, which requires access to the FAA’s U.S. Aircraft Registry. Read Bolen’s letter to President Obama and congressional leaders in its entirety.
On Oct. 8, Bolen joined with leaders of five other GA associations to send a forceful letter calling on Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to reopen the FAA Aircraft Registry, on the grounds that it is necessary for the agency to provide “essential services” to ensure aviation safety, protect security and to fulfill the country’s obligations to the International Civil Aviation Organization under terms of the Chicago Convention. Read the GA Leaders’ letter to Sec. Foxx in its entirety.
NBAA has also created a dedicated online Government Shutdown resource to provide information about the shutdown’s effect on the industry, and offer advocacy tools for people in the business aviation community to alert their Congressional representatives to the crisis.
“Our Association welcomes this Senate letter, just as we have welcomed all measures that bring attention to the fact that the aviation community is hurting, and something must be done soon to address the situation,” Bolen said. “Aviation is an essential American industry, and it is absolutely imperative that we alert policymakers to the impact that a prolonged shutdown will have on the citizens, companies and communities it serves.”
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 9,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.
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