Operation Suspended Due To Partial Government Shutdown

Several groups have united in calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to reopen the FAA's Aircraft Registry Office in Oklahoma City, OK to get the sales of new and used aircraft moving again. The office was shut down when some functions of the federal government were suspended October 1. Over 15,000 FAA employees were furloughed due to the partial shutdown, including the Aircraft Registry Office.

In a letter to Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Foxx, a group of general aviation (GA) leaders made a forceful argument for reopening the FAA’s United States Aircraft Registry on the grounds that it is necessary for the FAA to provide “essential services” to ensure aviation safety, protect security and to fulfill U.S. international obligations.

“We respectfully submit that DOT has authority under the Anti-deficiency Act to staff the U.S. Registry, as it is vital to protection of human life and property, and necessary for the U.S. to fulfill its ongoing international legal obligations under the Chicago Convention and the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment (‘Capetown Treaty’) relating to the registration of aircraft,” the letter reads.

"Both the FAA and Members of Congress are aware of the impact that the shutdown is having on the general aviation industry, especially small businesses. Our industry is heavily regulated and NATA member companies cannot comply with all the federal rules and requirements when the FAA's aircraft registry office is closed. The backlog is growing every day, costing us jobs, so we need to get this addressed as soon as possible," said NATA President and CEO Thomas L.  Hendricks (pictured).

General aviation aircraft and parts cannot be produced, financed, bought, or sold without the written approval of the federal government, which has to register every aircraft. According to the FAA, 10,000 aircraft registrations expire each month.

The GA leaders’ letter argues that the closing of the aircraft registry as “nonessential” during the partial government shutdown is having an increasingly detrimental impact on the industry, and on the FAA’s ability to carry out its legal obligations in the areas of safety, security and international treaty functions. “The FAA has long recognized the importance of accurate U.S. Registry information in carrying out its responsibilities in overseeing the safety and operation of aircraft on the U.S. Registry,” and “in fulfilling its obligations under international treaties governing aviation,” the letter notes.

Citing the legal framework for FAA’s reliance on the registry to meet these binding obligations, the letter notes:

• FAA officials have made clear that accurate, current U.S. Registry information is required for the agency to carry out its safety responsibilities. The GA leaders’ letter is accompanied by a document detailing regulations making clear the importance of the registry in the FAA’s ability to meet its safety duties.
• The continuing operation of the U.S. Registry serves an important security function. In the document accompanying the GA leaders’ letter, the point is made that, “While various levels of law enforcement have used and continue to use registration data for drug and other law enforcement purposes, their efforts now have expanded to include matters of homeland security.”
• The U.S. Registry is obligated, under international treaties relating to aviation, to provide information, including ownership data, on aircraft in a timely manner whenever requested by other contracting nations.

GAMA reports that in just the first two days of the shutdown, deliveries of 12 newly manufactured general aviation aircraft were halted. If the shutdown continues until mid-October, it will affect the delivery of an additional 130-plus newly manufactured general aviation aircraft, for a total of $1.5 billion. It could also significantly threaten deliveries for the entire fourth quarter, which typically account for 35 percent of annual general aviation aircraft deliveries and are worth roughly $8 billion. Moreover, the longer the shutdown continues, the more likely it is to cause economic difficulties and job losses.

“The Registry closing threatens our economic recovery and our ability to provide good, high-paying jobs at a time when the industry is making a comeback,” General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President and CEO Pete Bunce said. “We hope the FAA will extend its recall of furloughed workers to employees who do the important work of the Registry office supporting safety and security, and allow our companies to deliver the aircraft their customers want. We also urge our political leaders to end the government shutdown as soon as possible.”

Signing the letter were: Ed Bolen, president and CEO, NBAA; Mark Baker, president and CEO, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; Jack Pelton, president and CEO, Experimental Aircraft Association; Pete Bunce, president and CEO, General Aviation Manufacturers Association; Matthew Zuccaro, president and CEO, Helicopter Association International, and; Thomas Hendricks, president and CEO, National Air Transportation Association.

FMI: www.dot.gov, www.faa.gov