Contacts: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, July 17, 2013 – National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen today welcomed passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of H.R.1848, The Small Aircraft Revitalization Act, as “a significant step toward achieving a welcome and much-needed enhancement of certification standards for aircraft and avionics.
“The business aviation community is pleased to see the House act quickly to pass this legislation, which if enacted into law would establish a more flexible and proactive approach to aircraft certification, while bolstering important safety requirements,” Bolen noted.
The July 16 House vote on H.R. 1848 came less than one week after the legislation earned unanimous passage by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Sponsored by congressman and long-time general aviation (GA) champion Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS-4), H.R. 1848 establishes a Dec. 31, 2015 target date for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue its Final Rule adopting consensus-based, design-specific performance requirements for Part 23 aircraft certification.
Virtually all standard piston-powered aircraft in the U.S. and the majority of today’s light business jets have been certified under certification standards based largely on aircraft weight and propulsion method.
Last year, an industry-government Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) focused on Part 23 reorganization recommended the adoption of aircraft-specific, consensus-based certification standards, saying the enhanced certification process would allow manufacturers to more quickly implement new designs and technologies, markedly reduce production costs and preserve the safety focus at the center of the certification process.
Bolen also commended the bipartisan group of House members who championed the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act, including House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-9-PA), Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-3-WV), Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-2-NJ) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-2-WA), as well as Reps. Rodney Davis (R-13-IL), Sam Graves (R-6-MO), Dan Lipinski (D-3-IL), Rick Nolan (D-8-MN), Thomas Petri (R-WI-6) and Trey Radel (R-19-FL).
“By allowing swifter adoption of new aircraft designs and safety technologies, an improved Part 23 certification process would also bolster manufacturers operating in this challenging economic climate,” Bolen added.
The House version of the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act will now move to the Senate for consideration and reconciliation with similar legislation, S. 1072, introduced in late May by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).
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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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