Contact: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, Oct. 15, 2013 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today welcomed an Oct. 11 letter from a bipartisan group of 44 members of the U.S. House of Representatives, calling on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta to reverse the closure of the FAA’s U.S. Aircraft Registry office.
The registry’s closure was prompted by the federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1. Federal regulations require access to the registry for the sale, purchase, import, export or maintenance of aircraft in the United States. Since the start of the shutdown, all such activities have ground to a halt, immediately and severely impacting aircraft manufacturers, small and mid-size businesses involved in aircraft transactions and related industries.
The letter notes that government officials have the legal authority to reopen the registry, because its operation helps provide vital protection to human life and property, allows the U.S. to meet international obligations, and is important to national security, given its use by law enforcement officers following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
The letter was championed by House General Aviation (GA) Caucus co-chairs Sam Graves (R-6-MO) and John Barrow (D-12-GA). Review the House letter in its entirety.
Members of the U.S. Senate sent a similar letter to Huerta last week, urging him to reopen the FAA registry. Review the Senate letter, and NBAA’s statement welcoming it.
“We are thankful to the House lawmakers who have joined with their Senate counterparts to call for the FAA registry to be reopened, just as we appreciate all steps taken to restore the registry and other FAA services,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
“Business aviation is a vital U.S. industry, and because it is more regulated than most industries, it is more harshly impacted than other industries when important government services cannot be provided. A solution to this dire situation must be found soon, so that business aviation can again be a powerful economic generator, and a critical component of the nation’s transportation system.”
Throughout the shutdown, NBAA has continually called on Washington policymakers to find a way to end the crisis. The week the government closures went into effect, Bolen sent an open letter to President Obama and congressional leaders outlining the shutdown’s grave repercussions for the country’s aviation industry. Read Bolen’s Letter to President Obama and congressional lawmakers.
On Oct. 8, Bolen joined with leaders of five other GA associations urging Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx exercise the agency’s legal authority to reopen the FAA Aircraft Registry. Read the GA groups’ letter in its entirety.
On Oct. 10, Bolen joined with representatives from other aviation associations in a non-partisan rally on Capitol Hill calling for the restoration of FAA funding. Learn more about the rally.
Bolen and other NBAA representatives have also reached out to national and local print and broadcast news organizations to emphasize the toll the federal government shutdown is having on business aviation. Review news coverage quoting NBAA about the shutdown’s impact on the industry.
Individuals with NBAA’s 9,700 Member Companies have also mobilized in a grassroots effort to alert Washington decision-makers to the shutdown’s impact on the industry, and their communities. Hear an NBAA Flight Plan podcast about grassroots mobilization on the government shutdown.
NBAA’s dedicated online Government Shutdown resource, www.nbaa.org/shutdown, details what the situation means for business aviation, outlines NBAA’s work to address the crisis and features advocacy tools for NBAA Members to support the Association’s efforts.
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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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