Issues - Legislation

  • Develop an Aviation Technical Workforce

    Along with other job sectors, the aviation industry faces a shortage of qualified, trained technical workers. Resources dedicated to the training and hiring of a new generation of workers is essential to maintaining the high quality of the U.S. civil aviation industry. Steps must be taken now to prevent an industry-wide shortage.

  • FAA Reauthorization
    The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) opposes the enactment of legislation that would inhibit international maintenance of U.S.-registered aircraft and related components. Provisions currently part of H.R. 915, the House version of FAA reauthorization, would restrict the use of contract maintenance, and harm existing relationships between the U.S. and international aviation authorities.

    By law, the state of registry of an aircraft controls the maintenance; therefore international repair stations are essential to U.S. air carriers. Section 303 of H.R. 915 would require that foreign repair stations be inspected twice a year by FAA inspectors, and would mandate the testing of maintenance employees for the use of drugs and alcohol. These provisions violate existing bilateral aviation safety agreements, and put an enormous strain on the FAA's already taxed resources.

    Given the strict oversight of foreign facilities by the FAA, other national aviation authorities, airline customers and the repair stations themselves, such restrictive action is unnecessary and will only provoke retaliation. With more EASA certificated repair stations in the U.S. (1,200) than FAA certificated repair stations worldwide (708), the U.S. enjoys a favorable trade balance and must ensure that Congressional action doesn't harm domestic facilities.
  • Support Small Businesses
    As a regulated industry, ARSA members are significantly impacted by decisions made at the FAA and other federal agencies. Protections such as the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), which aims to ensure that a proposed rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses, are essential to ARSA member companies..

    The importance of the RFA is evident from ARSA's legal challenge against the FAA's expanded drug and alcohol testing rule. While the general premise of the rule is supported by industry, the agency failed to analyze the impact it would have on the small businesses now forced to comply. ARSA supports efforts to ensure agencies follow their mandates and don't overstep their regulatory bounds.

    Another ongoing issue is repeal of Section 511 of the Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act (TIPRA) creates an additional withholding tax for government contractors. In essence, this means that the federal government is getting interest free loans from government contractors. ARSA urges repeal of this motion so that small businesses are not prevented from utilizing their income and put at a disadvantage.