The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has praised senators for co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation that contains a number of provisions aimed at bolstering the USA’s general aviation community.
For example, the Securing and Revitalizing Aviation (SARA) Act of 2018 (S.3270) calls for the creation of an aircraft pilot education program that would allow high school students to get a head start on their flying careers by taking aviation-related courses for credit.
The bill also includes reforms to existing FAA regulations to ease the shortage of qualified designated pilot examiners (DPE) needed for initial and recurrent pilot training.
Additional provisions would enhance existing due process protections for pilots; extend limited liability coverage for FAA designees performing agency duties but who are not covered under immunities for government employees, as well as for pilots performing volunteer missions; and grant the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) the authority to review denials of airman certificates by the FAA.
Ed Bolen, president and CEO at NBAA, commented, “We commend Senators Inhofe and Duckworth for sponsoring this important legislation, which will greatly benefit the general aviation community, and help preserve America’s world-leading position in all sectors of the industry. We look forward to working with them and the other co-sponsors of this bill in gaining prompt Senate passage.”
