The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aerospace Supply Chain Resiliency Task Force delivered its final report on Nov. 4. The task force was created by Congress in 2023 to identify risks to U.S. aerospace supply chains and the National Airspace System (NAS) infrastructure and recommend mitigations.
All segments of the aerospace industry participated in the year-long effort. The maintenance sector was represented by ARSA Executive Director Sarah MacLeod and Executive Vice President Christian Klein.
The Task Force identified four major risk areas:
(1) Workforce. The aerospace sector – both industry and the FAA – are facing technical talent shortages made worse by the need for specialized training and certification. The retirement of older workers has cost the industry knowledge. Certification delays resulting from FAA staffing shortages slow the entrance of new industry professionals and the introduction of new products.
(2) Critical Resources. The National Airspace System (NAS) is dependent on a wide variety of inputs, including essential materials, infrastructure, and personnel. The air traffic control (ATC) system is suffering from under-investment. Radio spectrum supporting aerospace communications is another key input that must be prioritized and protected.
(3) Global Interdependence. The United States must become less reliant on adversarial nations for critical resources in raw material, manufacturing, components, and assemblies. Inconsistently applied export restrictions also create challenges for the global supply chain.
(4) Legislation, Statutes, Regulation and Policy. Government has a disproportionate impact on the heavily regulated aerospace sector. The FAA should be insulated from the threat of government shutdowns to prevent disruptions to the NAS. The government affects the supply chain negatively in other ways. Examples include the FAA’s slowness in accepting digital documentation, inconsistent interpretation of regulations, and Department of Defense policies that limit competition in the defense-industrial base.
With the task force report now in the hands of the congressional committees that asked for it, the Department of Transportation has 180 days to review the report and respond.
To read the complete report, click here.
December 11, 2024
On Dec. 11, the U.S. Department of Transportation published a notice of its establishment of an Aerospace Supply Chain Resiliency Task Force. ARSA Executive Director Sarah MacLeod was selected as one of 16 primary members with demonstrated “expertise in logistics, economics, supply chain management, or another field or discipline related to the resilience of industrial supply chains.” Christian Klein, ARSA executive vice president, will serve as alternate.
The task force’s creation was mandated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. That law, passed in December 2022, directed the executive branch to establish the group in order to: “Identify and assess risks to the United States aerospace supply chains, including the availability of raw materials and critical manufactured goods, with respect to major end items produced by the aerospace industry.”
DOT specifically requested ARSA join the body, the association’s understanding of how the aviation safety rules interrelate – what it calls the “regulatory chain” or “circle of safety” – lends naturally to the needs of such a multi-disciplinary body.
The task force must submit its report to Congress within one year of its first meeting. DOT has established a website for the public to utilize in tracking the task force’s work. To see this resource, visit www.transportation.gov/ascr.
To read the Federal Register notice announcing the task force’s establishment, click here.
The maintenance community should stay tuned to ARSA communications for updates.
In addition to ARSA, the following organizations – most of which are regular allies of the association in its advocacy – are represented on the task force:
Aerospace Industries Association (AIA)
Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA)
Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA)
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)
Airlines for America (A4A)
Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF)
Flight Safety Foundation (FSF)
General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
Helicopter Association International (HAI)
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)
International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)/Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA)
National Air Transportation Association (NATA)
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS)
Transport Workers Union of America (TWU)
