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AIA Working to Change Foreign Repair Station Provision
AIA is continuing its efforts to change a harmful provision in the FAA reauthorization bill that could damage U.S. relations abroad and put thousands of U.S. jobs at risk.
The bill cleared the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in March with language that requires the FAA to conduct at least two annual inspections of foreign repair stations used by U.S. airlines and already certified by the agency.
The provision jeopardizes the aviation safety agreement between the U.S. and European Union in which the governments recognize inspections by their counterpart’s aviation authority for local stations.
European governments have said they will respond in kind if the provision becomes U.S. law, impacting American repair stations that now rely on European business and threatening an estimated 130,000 jobs.
There are also concerns that the European Aviation Safety Administration does not have sufficient staff to conduct the inspections of more than 1,200 U.S.-based repair facilities.
AIA is working with airlines, manufacturers, repair stations and cargo operators to change the provision or remove it altogether.
AIA Source: brian.elson@aia-aerospace.org
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