About

2. Stewardship

GOAL: Enhance Safety and Security, Protect the Environment and Operate with the Highest Ethical Standards

AIA is dedicated to proper stewardship towards our customers, our workers and the environment by enhancing aviation safety and security and aerospace and defense worker health and safety, protecting the environment and operating with the highest ethical standards.

Enhance Safety, Security and Performance

AIA is dedicated to ensuring aviation safety, security and performance in the U.S. and abroad.  We are working with TSA to ensure security regulations in the U.S. and at ICAO follow a pragmatic, risk-based approach. Through our active involvement on FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committees and numerous government/industry organizations such as the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, we will continue to promote the expansion of Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), consistent regulatory interpretation and safety management systems.  AIA will work to lessen the burden on civil aviation inspectors while enhancing overall production safety and efficiency. 

AIA is working with the government to develop consistent and efficient safety management and aerospace security systems.  AIA will also offer guidance to the supply chain to better safeguard their information technology and computer systems from internal and external threats. 

Addressing growing cyber threats to critical elements of American defense and commercial infrastructure will require new strategies, policies and regulations in order to minimize the impact to our business systems and protection of our intellectual property.   AIA’s efforts toward effective legislative and regulatory engagement between the government and industry will ensure that cyber awareness is maximized and industry adopts efficient strategies to combat this dangerous and growing threat to our nation’s systems and supply chains.

In 2012, AIA expanded the participation rate and benefits of the AIA Safety and Award Benchmarking Program.  In 2013, the EHS Committee will expand our efforts to use the data generated and trends noted through the collected benchmarking data.  Benchmarking of industry safety practices and policies, promoting and recognizing superior safety records among members will continue.  AIA is working with the government to develop consistent and efficient safety management and aerospace security systems.  AIA will also offer guidance to the supply chain to better safeguard their information technology and computer systems from internal and external threats.

Set the Standard for Environmental Protection in Aerospace

The aerospace industry is committed to environmental protection.  AIA has joined an international civil aviation industry coalition to address an aggressive set of targets aimed to reduce aircraft CO2 emissions through 2050 and beyond.  AIA works both domestically and internationally to: support standards, regulations and legislation designed to reduce or mitigate environmental impact; share leading industry best practices; and advance programs such as NextGen.  In 2013, we will continue to promote aviation’s outstanding environmental record.

AIA’s overarching goals of a transformed, harmonized global air transportation system and real system growth while reducing CO2 emissions will not be accomplished in a single year.  So, while our targets and milestones are designed to be evaluated after 12 months, they are steps in a process toward the achievement of those goals.

Through its engagement in ICCAIA, AIA will continue to work towards achieving a CO2 certification standard for new aircraft.  Work on this unprecedented new standard is conducted under ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection.  Our plan in 2013 will leverage our involvement in government-industry organizations like CAAFI (Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative) and support FAA’s CLEEN (Continuous Lower Energy and Emissions Noise program) initiative to ensure that we make progress on our environmental commitments in a way that allows continued industry growth.  AIA will support innovative environmental policies that help streamline FAA’s development and implementation of NextGen terminal procedures and we will continue working with EPA to ensure current and future emissions regulations do not compromise aviation safety or distort the market.

AIA will monitor the development of chemical rules proposed by EPA and states that will impact the ability of the industry to meet its safety and performance requirements. We will work with EPA and its customers, including DOD, to responsibly manage, track and minimize the use of hazardous materials in aerospace industry products.

AIA will also assist its members to define and promote environmentally sustainable practices, protect its workers and ensure that product performance is not compromised.  AIA will work with the EPA to identify appropriate emission risk and control technology for the aerospace and defense manufacturing facilities regulated by EPA’s Hazardous Air Pollutant program.  Nine companies, including six AIA members, were required to submit emissions test plans and the resulting data to EPA.  Members of the Risk Technology Review Working Group are reviewing test methods, logistics and protocol with EPA. The data collected from this test program will be used in developing future emissions standard for aerospace manufacturing facilities as required by the Clean Air Act.  This effort is important to ensure that the standards developed are based on the true risk of aerospace and defense operations to the public.

Operate with the Highest Ethical Business Standards

The widespread adoption of ethical business standards is critical to maintaining a strong national and international aerospace industry.  In collaboration with our European counterparts, AIA plans to expand adherence to the Global Principles of Business Ethics for the Aerospace and Defense Industry and related best practices in 2013 through the activities of the International Forum on Business Ethical Conduct (IFBEC).

Target 4: Continue to improve aerospace and defense safety and security		Ensure AIA demonstrates leadership by the promotion of agendas and messages at key regulatory and safety venues as directed by the CARS committee, including US/EU International Safety Conference, EASA SSCC, US/EU/TC Certification Oversight Board Industry Day and others, as necessary Maintain regular engagement with FAA and EASA through scheduled meetings and teleconferences Distribute regular dashboard reports to members on proposed rulemaking and policy issues (FAA, EASA, ICAO) for comment and feedback Increase business value and resilience from cyber security throughout aerospace and defense and the global supply chain with information protection best practices (planning, implementation, operations and maintenance) Foster and recognize outstanding industrial health and safety practices
Target 5: Implement environmental solutions that ensure continued aerospace and defense growth		Hold quarterly AIA Environmental Committee meetings with relevant agencies and regulatory bodies, ICAO, FAA, OMB, EPA, Commerce, etc. Draft issue paper on how manufacturers have decreased noise from aircraft and continue to address noise issues Continue to engage in work at ICAO on issues of noise and emissions within CAEP by representing manufacturers interests in CAEP/9 meeting Work individually and along with industry stakeholders (ATAG, airlines, etc.) to promote and continue progress of alternative fuels, and emissions reductions (including coalition letters, e-updates, published articles, and other communication vehicles) Prepare space debris white paper Effectively advocate public environmental policies on manufacturing issues that ensure sustainability and competitiveness in an international market
Target 6: Demonstrate industry commitment to global best practices for ethical conduct of aerospace and defense business		Conduct IFBEC Task Force Meeting Conduct the 2013 IFBEC Conference Update Global Principles as needed Secure endorsement of Global Principles by 6 key U.S. and European companies Execute international air show and government educational outreach efforts in accordance with the Honest Government Open Leadership Act