Industry roundtable participants connect with FAA and EASA representatives (far end of table) during the Oct. 17 meeting.

On Oct. 17, ARSA convened its annual Leadership Roundtables with representatives from the FAA, EASA, and 10 allied organizations joined the association’s board of directors for an afternoon of industry updates and discussion. The meeting series has provided the aviation community an in-person venue for substantive collaboration since 2018.

After a special luncheon for enterprise member representatives and an industry-only session focused primarily on career development needs, the group welcomed American and European regulators. During that final session, FAA Flight Standards Service Executive Director Larry Fields described the agency’s continuing reorganization as a “breaking invisible walls.” The description was an apt metaphor for the meeting’s content, which focused on areas where government oversight limits industry creativity and effectiveness.

Some highlights:

• Both FAA and EASA are working to address misunderstandings about parts documentation requirements associated with work performed under the U.S.-EU bilateral agreement. Upcoming revisions to the agreement’s Annex II and Maintenance Annex Guidance are being finalized.
• The FAA is assessing its procedures for legal interpretation review in light of the recent suspension of its problematic analysis of the “in person” requirement in 43.3(d).
• Both the Flight Standards and Aircraft Certification Services are updating professionalism, safety, and regulatory training for new personnel (see the Workforce Development and Training Report made by the SOCAC for reference).
• The Aircraft Certification Service is reassessing its current guidance regarding remote technology tools and techniques based on experience gathered since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rob Roedts, ARSA director and Columbia Helicopters vice president of aircraft solutions, speaks during the industry roundtable session on Oct. 17. ARSA Director Jon Silva or AeroKool Aviation, Choose Aerospace Executive Director Crystal Maguire, and ARSA Managing Director & General Counsel Marshall Filler listen on.

The government and industry representatives discussed how agency processes limit inspector flexibility. Rigid approaches to oversight, along with inconsistency across (and within) offices contribute to inefficient compliance and create safety risks. While the agency has cut its still-extended list of applicants awaiting certification, administrative slowdowns and workforce limitations continue to exacerbate issues for those seeking certificates as well as facilities holding them.

The group began the day with a short briefing from Choose Aerospace Executive Director Crystal Maguire. Organized in 2020, Choose Aerospace is a non-profit partnership providing resources to improve the availability of a diverse, qualified technical workforce. Its high school curriculum program has reached almost 1,500 students and provides foundational aerospace competency that can be a model for apprenticeships, career development resources, and recruitment pipelines for the industry.

After wrapping the roundtables, ARSA’s board met privately on Oct. 18 for its annual meeting. The association’s directors elected Bob Mabe of HAECO Americas to serve as the body’s 2025 president, John Riggs of Chromalloy as vice president, and Alison McHugh of FEAM Aero as treasurer. The group approved the 2025 budget as well as an amendment to the association’s bylaws that, among multiple updates, transitioned the association’s top-tier membership category into an “enterprise” election made by the member company.

To read amendment 5 of the association’s bylaws, click here.

In addition to ARSA and its board representatives, roundtable participants attended from the following organizations:

Aerospace Industries Association
Airlines for America
Aviation Suppliers Association
Aviation Technician Education Council
The Boeing Company
Cargo Airline Association
General Aviation Manufacturers Association
International Air Transport Association
Modification and Replacement Parts Association
National Air Transportation Association
NORDAM
Raytheon Technologies Corporation
Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association

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Stay tuned for coverage of the board’s meeting and the quarterly “What Has ARSA Done Lately” in the October edition of the hotline.

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