On Nov. 22, ARSA told the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that its long-term failure to issue repair station security rules is hindering growth and job creation in the aviation maintenance industry.

In addition to joining its industry allies on a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano urging the department to complete repair station security rules by Dec. 31, ARSA issued its own request to TSA Administrator John Pistole to ensure air carriers and manufacturers are no longer hampered by their inability to perform maintenance worldwide under American rules.

Citing its recent survey of aviation maintenance leaders, ARSA warned that TSA’s inaction and the ensuing congressionally imposed ban on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) certification of new foreign repair stations is preventing U.S. aerospace companies from tapping into rapidly expanding overseas markets.

ARSA told the TSA that if it is impractical to finalize repair station security rules by the end of the year, the agency must work with Congress to “lift the ban” on foreign repair station certificates so that the U.S. aviation sector is no longer penalized by TSA’s failure to act.

To share the results of ARSA’s survey with your lawmakers and to encourage their support for lifting the ban on FAA certification of new foreign repair stations, visit ARSAaction.org.

~~~ posted 11/23/11 ~~~

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