2022 is off to quite a start and we may be living in one of the most historic times in civil aviation. Prior to this, we have to look back to October 24, 1978, when the U.S. Congress passed the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978.

The Act amended the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. The adopted law removed the U.S. government from oversight of airlines fares, routes, and entry and exit of consumer markets. In essence, the Act brought about competition within the airline industry and created a free-market approach within the airline industry. Competition was now part of the daily airline operating fabric.

Fast forward to today and we have an incredible new puzzle within the civil aviation industry. There are new airline start-ups in America coupled with an incredible amount of pressure on capacity at our nation's airline airports. Airline seats are full and in many cases, flights are oversold. Airline pilot hiring is brisk and the competition for new First Officers is fiercely building.

In the GA segment, flight schools have challenges acquiring flight training aircraft and the GA training fleet continues to get older with each passing year. Charter operators face pilot shortages and all of this is before we see the launch of the E-VTOL consumer segment with companies like Joby Aviation in 2024 and beyond.

Aviation insurance has firmed up and is no longer a quiet line item in the annual budgets for all segments of civil aviation. There is over $30B plus in airline aircraft leases that are currently considered non-performing assets due to Russian take over of aircraft. Airline aircraft lessors are charting new waters with the global challenges that have happened due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

I may be wrong but it appears that we are watching aviation history unfold in front of us.

Staying focused with management by objective (MBO) approach can help aviation business owners and managers remain on their toes as we navigate through this new business airspace.

FSANA remains committed to helping our members to continue to advance during this historic time. And first and foremost, aviation safety needs to be brought forward with a newly found emphasis, especially as the GA aircraft operators start to head back to the skies post-COVID. Many GA pilots have flown very little or not at all since March 2020.

Flight schools should be openly inviting local aircraft owners and/or pilots to spend some time with the school's CFI team and get some recurrent training as they head back to the skies. The AOPA "Rusty Pilot" program is another opportunity to help airmen become re-acquainted with the world of flight.

Those of us that are involved with the aviation and aerospace industry are blessed to be in one of the most dynamic and fun career pathways within the global workforce. Stay safe and be well as we head to a new era in the aero industry.

Robert Rockmaker

President & CEO

FSANA

March 30th @ 8:00 pm EST

This presentation is about human culture with major elements focused on both aviation business and safety. This presentation is suited for both aviation business owners along with the General Aviation (GA) pilot and student pilot community.

For more information and to register, click here.

Each year Women in Aviation (WAI) hosts a conference that brings together the aviation industry with a focus on promoting the inclusion and advancement of women in aviation sectors. This is certainly a goal that FSANA supports and encourages!

FSANA was bestowed with a special visit at the Women in Aviation (WAI) Conference in Nashville, TN when recent astronaut, Wally Funk took time to visit the FSANA booth.

A long-time proponent of women in aviation, her example is one that many women have taken to drive their own aviation careers.

In what could only be the most fitting of starts to the trip to Nashville, FSANA representatives were ferried to the conference by an all-female crew on PSA. It certainly is a good sight to see flight decks crewed by all-female pilots more frequently.

As this industry continues to grow its female pilot population, this will continue to help meet pilot demand needs. A greater percentage of female professional pilots is without a doubt at least part of our workforce landscape solutions going forward.

It was a pleasure to see an example of this on our flight en route to the conference.

It is never too early to start planning, and FSANA is already planning ahead for the 2023 International Flight School Operators Conference that will return to the Rosen Plaza in Orlando, FL.

The 2023 conference will be March 1st - 3rd, 2023.

More information will be coming in the future, but for now, set the date in your calendars to join FSANA and a wide variety of industry partners and fellow flight training providers for the conference that each year brings these groups together. We are confident there will be loads of content to discuss as the aviation industry continues to come back from COVID 19.

Notice Number: NOTC2305

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently reviewed two legal interpretation and determined they were overly restrictive. The Glaser (2008) and Pratte (2012) legal interpretations focused on the requirements of an instrument rating under § 61.65. Specifically, the requirement to use three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems to meet the requirements of § 61.65(d)(2)(ii)(C). These interpretations inaccurately concluded that an applicant for an instrument rating must use three different kinds of navigation systems to meet these requirements.

On February 28, 2022, the FAA rescinded both the Glaser and Pratte legal interpretations, stating the regulation’s plain language requires three different types of approaches, not three different navigation systems. Certificated flight instructors (CFI) and designated pilot examiners (DPEs) should be aware that the requirements for an instrument rating may be met by performing three different approaches, regardless of the source of navigation.

More information is available at: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2022/Mar/61.65_Recission_memo.pdf

Sheltair and Avfuel desire to re-invest in the aviation community by providing meaningful financial support to aviators pursuing a greater commitment to business aviation.

This scholarship program will provide $30,000 in educational funds annually, divided into six $5,000 scholarships across three categories: learning to fly or advanced pilot ratings; aviation technicians; and continuing education.

Learn more and apply by visiting Avfuel.com/Scholarships.

The process for a student to apply to the Flight Training Security Program (FTSP) is a long one and students can easily become confused by its requirements. Therefore, it is important for flight schools to help their students understand and avoid these 5 common mistakes:

More about NATA Compliance Services at: https://info.natacs.aero/.

In a February 23, 2022 press release, the FAA announced a new initiative that “outlines how our country can safely eliminate the use of leaded aviation fuel by the end of 2030 without adversely affecting the existing piston-engine fleet.” There is no doubt that this effort will be of interest to the flight training community since the overwhelming majority of training aircraft are piston aircraft powered, currently, by 100LL fuel.

A mere 8 years from now seems as though it may be an ambitious effort to convert or replace the literally thousands of aircraft currently used to provide base flight training needed to gain the skills and experience for pilots seeking professional jobs in larger passenger and cargo aircraft. We are already facing a pilot shortage by all accounts. We are in need of infrastructure to train pilots, and if we undermine that infrastructure by limiting the aircraft we can use, our industry will be facing a new challenge to provide pilots needed.

The release indicates that efforts will include the development of fuels infrastructure, support research and development, and technology innovations, continue to evaluate and authorize safe unleaded fuels, and establish “any necessary policies.” This sounds great, but making such a change comes with challenges and takes time. A potential solution that has been attempted and continues to be studied is the creation of fuels that work in currently operating piston engines. To date, a viable solution has not been produced.

There is no doubt that adapting to new technology is a goal of the flight training industry. Mark Baker, President and CEO of AOPA note that “While the industry has a shared vision of a lead-free aviation future, the transition must be done in a smart and safe way, and in a manner that works for the entire general aviation fleet.” FSANA agrees. As a significant percentage of the takeoff and landings and overall fuel usage of the piston fleet in general aviation, the progress on these efforts is of significant interest to the members of FSANA and the flight training industry.

FSANA will continue to monitor these efforts, work with manufacturers, and help drive discussion with regard to how the flight training industry will be served and continue to operate effectively and efficiently.

To see more of the information in this release, visit: https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-industry-chart-path-eliminate-lead-emissions-general-aviation-end-2030

The General Aviation Awards announced the recipients of the National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year, National Aviation Technician of the Year, and FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year for 2022.

“It gives me great pleasure to announce the names of the National Honorees for the 2022 General Aviation Awards,” says GA Awards Board Chair Sandya Narayanswami, “These awards highlight the critical roles that committed individuals play in promoting aviation safety and education,” she added, “The Board and our many generous sponsors are pleased that these outstanding aviation professionals will receive public recognition of their extraordinary accomplishments before their peers at AirVenture.”

Dr. Amy Hoover of Spokane, Washington has been named the 2022 National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year. Amy graduated from Texas Christian University in 1983 with a B.S. in Geology and has since completed her Masters in Geology at Oregon State University in 1987, as well as her Ph.D. in Education in 2005 from Oregon State University. Amy has dedicated over three decades of her life to advancing aviation education with 3,000+ hours of instruction time given in aircraft and an astounding 15,000+ hours of ground instruction given.

Michael Everhart of Charlotte, North Carolina has been named the 2022 National Aviation Technician of the Year. Michael’s professional aviation maintenance career began in 1981 as an aviation machinist mate while serving in the United States Navy. However, Mike’s passion started at an early age while watching his father, an engineer, fix anything and everything around the house. At an early age, Mike’s father taught him how to disassemble and reassemble items such as his bicycle. Sadly, Mike’s father passed when he was only 11, but the passion had already been passed from father to son.

Laura Herrmann of St. Bonifacius, Minnesota has been named the 2022 FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year. Laura is currently an instructor at the Hennepin County Medical Center who conducts lecture and scenario-based training for paramedic students. She also instructs nurses, doctors, and others in advanced adult and pediatric life support techniques. Laura earned her B. S. in Nursing from St. Olaf College and graduated Cum Laude. She went on to earn her Masters of Science in Nursing from the Minneapolis Veterans Administration School of Anesthesia at the University of Minnesota.

The FAA will present individual awards to each National Honoree in July during EAA AirVenture 2022 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and their names will be added to the large perpetual plaque located in the lobby of the EAA AirVenture Museum. In addition to being recognized at AirVenture and highlighted in the aviation media, National Honorees also receive gifts provided by sponsors and contributors.

For more about the GA Awards Program and this year's winners, visit http://generalaviationawards.com/news/.