January 30, 2019 The association received an exchange of letters between the FAA and EASA on how the agencies have agreed to issue part 145 extensions – the U.S.-based repair station members impacted by the shutdown should be informed of the extension by email. If your company is impacted, and is (1) not one of the listed companies and/or (2) did not receive an email from EASA, please let the association know of any issues. EU-based repair stations should be receiving new certificates as promised; however, if a member company is having any issues, contact ARSA. To review the letters and the FAA-provided list of affected repair stations, click here. For assistance, contact ARSA using the member portal.

January 14, 2019 UPDATE: Having heard on Jan. 14 the FAA was in the process of recalling aviation safety inspectors to work for no-pay while wrangling over the government shutdown continues, ARSA sent an urgent message to key personnel in the FAA and EASA regarding continuity of certificates under the U.S.-EU bilateral agreement and Maintenance Annex Guidance. In the communication, ARSA Managing Director & General Counsel Marshall S. Filler suggested how the agencies could handle repair station/approved maintenance organization certification issues until the full restoration of U.S. government funding. The full text of Filler's message was shared with ARSA members via direct alert on Jan. 14. Any member who did not receive the alert should contact Member Information Manager Kimberly Dimmick for assistance with database updates.

January 10, 2019 On Jan. 10, ARSA joined other leading aviation organizations in calling on President Trump and Congress to reopen the federal government and end the shutdown that has lasted since Dec. 22, 2018. In a letter sent to executive and legislative branch leaders, the groups described how the shutdown is hampering the $1.5 trillion civil aviation sector from functioning effectively.

How is the shutdown affecting you and your company? Click here to let ARSA know

The letter, which was coordinated by Airlines for America, detailed a range of negative impacts including on FAA staffing and morale, training for air traffic controllers, new aircraft certification and deliveries, renewal of European Aviation Safety Agency repair station approvals, pilot certification, mechanic testing and airport construction project approval. It also highlighted the personal hardship for the Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection employees upon whom the functioning of the aviation system depends and who are being forced to work without pay. “Our elected leaders need to understand their political standoff has real world consequences for workers, companies and the economy,” ARSA Executive Vice President Christian A. Klein said of the industry-wide effort the reopen the government. As previously reported by ARSA, the Department of Transportation has published information about which FAA functions are continuing and which are suspended. Of the 24,208 FAA employees working without pay during the shutdown because their function is essential to “life and safety,” almost all (23,856) work in air traffic control; an additional 216 work in the Office of Aviation Safety, 61 work for the Office of Security and Hazardous Materials and 75 are in miscellaneous positions within the agency. According to the DOT summary document, aircraft certification services are continuing during the shutdown, but on a limited basis (no explanation of what “limited” means). Although “Flight Standards field inspections” are a function that will continue as exempted activity during the appropriations lapse, DOT notes that just “[o]ne manager per facility is excepted and inspectors are recalled over time; [f]acility manager will recall inspectors as necessary to maintain safety of the system.” FAA activities that are suspended include airman certifications and rulemaking. “The FAA has suspended certification of mechanics, repairman and repair stations, as well as other oversight work. Delays in getting new approvals or certificates can mean missed business and career opportunities and lost revenues. It’s only a matter of time before those impacts ripple through the workforce, affect air carrier operations and harm the local economies where repair stations are located,” Klein said. Bloomberg reported Jan. 9 that the agency is recalling an unspecified number of aviation safety inspectors who hadn’t previously been working during the shutdown. The news outlet quoted a statement in which the FAA said that, “We are continuing to proactively conduct risk assessment, and when we identify an issue we act and recall our inspectors and engineers, as appropriate, to address them.” The Associated Press reported Jan. 8 that the FAA has been recalling inspectors for certain jobs including airlines assignments and quoted agency spokesman Gregory Martin as saying that the FAA’s focus is on “commercial air carriers and volumes of people they carry." To read the complete letter, click here. In addition to ARSA and A4A, the following organizations – most of which have become regular working allies of the association through its regulatory and legislative advocacy – signed the letter: Aerospace Industries Association Air Line Pilots Association Air Medical Operators Association Air Traffic Control Association Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Airport Consultants Council Airports Council International-North America American Association of Airport Executives Association of Air Medical Services Association of Flight Attendants - CWA Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems Int’l Aviation Suppliers Association Aviation Technician Education Council Cargo Airline Association Commercial Drone Alliance Commercial Spaceflight Federation Experimental Aircraft Association General Aviation Manufacturers Association Helicopter Association International International Air Transport Association International Brotherhood of Teamsters - Airline Division Modification and Replacement Parts Association National Air Carrier Association National Air Traffic Controllers Association National Air Transportation Association National Association of State Aviation Officials National Business Aviation Association Professional Aviation Maintenance Association Regional Airline Association Security Manufacturers Coalition Travelers United U.S. Travel Association Stay tuned for updates on the shutdown and the industry’s efforts to bring it to an end. How are You Impacted? Help ARSA Tell Your Story ARSA is gathering information about the impact the FAA shutdown is having on our members. (Click here to respond to the current “quick question” survey.) The association will use your response to help show Congress and the president the consequences for the maintenance industry. If you have questions or want to share more details about how the shutdown is impacting you please, contact ARSA using the member portal.

January 8, 2019 The Department of Transportation has published information about which FAA functions are continuing and which are suspended. Off the 24,208 FAA employees working without pay during the shutdown because their function is essential to “life and safety,” almost all (23,856) work in air traffic control; an additional 216 work in the Office of Aviation Safety, 61 work for the Office of Security and Hazardous Materials and 75 are in miscellaneous positions within the agency.

To review the agency document, click here.

According to the DOT summary document, aircraft certification services are continuing during the shutdown, but on a limited basis (no explanation of what “limited” means). Although “Flight Standards field inspections” are a function that will continue as exempted activity during the appropriations lapse, DOT notes that just “[o]ne manager per facility is excepted and inspectors are recalled over time; [f]acility manager will recall inspectors as necessary to maintain safety of the system.” FAA activities that are suspended include airman certifications and rulemaking. ARSA is gathering information about the impact the FAA shutdown is having on our members. (Click here to respond to the current “quick question” survey.) The association will use your response to help show Congress and the president the consequences for the maintenance industry.

January 22, 2018 On Jan. 22, the president signed a short-term deal to end the three-day old federal government shutdown. The current bill reinstates funds for government programs only through Feb. 8, meaning the White House and Congress will be in the same position in just three weeks' time. Considering this state of affairs and relative instability, it behooves anyone working in a regulated industry - businesses that regularly deal directly with the government - to understand how services will change during times when regulators may not be able to go to work (or at least have a full workforce). For the aviation maintenance community, what is the impact of a government shutdown? Given the large number of services considered “essential” – those related to security and public safety – some parts of the government that deal with aviation matters will remain open. Air traffic control and TSA security at airports won’t be affected. However, more 17,000 FAA personnel will be furloughed.  The Department of Transportation has released a document that provides a comprehensive overview of how it and its subsidiaries will be affected by the shutdown. The following activities at FAA will be suspended until normal government operations resume:

• Development of new air traffic control specialists not certified to work a position.
• Issuance of airmen certificates.
• Approval of exemptions for unmanned aerial systems operations.
• The FAA’s aircraft registry will close, delaying deliveries of new aircraft, and stopping the sale of used planes.
• Aviation rulemaking.
• Facility security inspections, evaluations, audits and inspections.
• Routine personnel security background investigations.
• Development, operational testing, and evaluation of NextGen technologies.
• Development of NextGen safety standards.
• Air traffic performance analysis.
• Capital planning for FAA facilities and equipment.
• Investment planning and financial analysis.
• Dispute resolution.
• Audit and evaluation.
• Financial operations, controls, reporting and accountability.
• Most budgeting functions (except those necessary to provide necessary services to offices funded with multi-year appropriations and contract authority).
• Employee drug testing program.
• Law enforcement assistance support.
• Most administrative support functions not required for support of life and safety “excepted” positions.
• Congressional liaison services.

The following FAA activities are exempted and will continue during the shutdown:

• Air traffic control services.
• Maintenance and operation of navigational aids and other facilities, including support to reimbursable Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security activities.
• Flight Standards field inspections (limited).
• Airmen medical certifications.
• Aircraft certification services (limited).
• Hazardous materials safety inspections.
• Security information communication services.
• Continuity of Operations Planning.
• Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) medical clearances.
• Air traffic safety oversight (limited).
• On-call accident investigations.
• Commercial space launch oversight.
• Command, control, and communications (i.e., Regions and HQ Operations Centers).
• Foreign relations on aviation safety-related matters.

As part of our on-going advocacy on the industry’s behalf, ARSA is in constant contact with policymakers in the administration and Congress. Be ready to help the association provide real-life feedback on impacts of government work stoppages. If (or when) the government shuts down again, send emails to christian.klein@arsa.org advising about the impact on your company and its ability to serve customers.