RAA Leaders Conference Report: Updates and Perspectives Across the Community Enterprise

I attended the Regional Airline Association’s Leaders Conference in Washington DC, which convened this September 24-25.  As a former chair of the RAA’s Flight Training Committee and chief instructor at an RAA member airline before I retired, I’m aware of the importance of the regional airline industry. Regional airlines are the sole supplier of commercial service in many communities, and they are often the next step for a flight instructor to take on the path to an airline career. Just as the regionals draw applicants from the nation’s flight schools, the mainline carriers pull from the regionals to meet their staffing needs created by retirements and fleet expansions. So, the regionals represent the critical balance point in the supply and demand equation.

Relevant, Vital Leadership Perspectives

RAA President and CEO Faye Malarkey Black moderated the conference. Attendees included CEOs from regional airlines, the NTSB, aircraft manufacturers, trade associations, congressional representatives, financial analysts, and other leaders and aviation advocates.

Ms. Black’s opening comments acknowledged that there is a temporary slowdown in hiring due to supply chain issues and aircraft deliveries. However, she stressed that this slowdown is not permanent. Planned retirements coupled with resumption of aircraft deliveries point to continued growth in aviation hiring.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy discussed some of her agency’s priorities and challenges. She noted that increased training of all airline personnel is key to safety. She characterized deployment of Safety Management Systems (SMS) as the safety “cornerstone” not only in aviation but in all modes of transportation. Chair Homendy also noted the vital role of data in efforts to understand and mitigate risk in aviation, provided that stakeholders act on the data they have.

The NTSB has several open investigations on recent runway incursions and other close calls. The agency is reviewing training methods, the impact of fatigue, and the importance of leveraging new technology (e.g., direct pilot alerting technology in the flight deck). In addition, Ms. Homendy emphasized the importance of maintaining a culture of professionalism and stressed the need to empower junior crewmembers to speak up whenever a perceived safety issue exists.

The Chair of the RAA Board of Directors, Chip Childs, CEO of SkyWest, and a panel of regional airline CEOs discussed their priorities during the meeting. Participants included Bryan Bedford of Republic Airways, Jim Graham from Endeavor Air, Rick Hoefling from CommuteAir, Linda Markham of Cape Air, Rick Leach, GoJet Airlines, and Tim Komberec of Empire Airlines. Discussions focused on the need for continued efforts in the Aviation Workforce Development Program, timely implementation of the recently approved FAA reauthorization bill, and returning air service to small communities that lost service during the pandemic. The implementation of the Enhanced Qualification Program (EQP) was seen as an initiative of great importance. The panelists noted that maintenance technicians are also in high demand. Qualified maintenance technicians require extensive training and several years of experience to be fully effective in the workforce.

Serving Smaller US Communities and More

Regarding returning service to smaller communities, it was noted that equipage is a major barrier. The number of 50 seat RJs is less than it used to be, and there are few, if any, smaller aircraft in the 20-35 seat range. There is a growing gap between the larger regional aircraft and the availability of smaller airframes used to serve smaller, more rural communities. Several suggested that this might be a market for eVTOL as they develop.

Rich Santa, President, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, acknowledged the media reports that indicated hiring of air traffic controllers has been on-going and successful. But he cautioned that hiring cannot stop as the numbers do not take into consideration retirements, and the likely failure of some new hires to complete training successfully. Further, he reported significant delays in implementing new technology and significant physical deterioration of many ATC facilities.

Congressional Representatives Rick Larsen (Democrat-Washington) and Garret Graves (Republican-Louisiana) both acknowledged the bi-partisan effort in support of the FAA reauthorization bill. They encouraged the FAA to devise an implementation strategy by the congressionally mandated deadlines; they also observed that many mandates from 2016, 2018, and 2020 have not yet been implemented.

For more information on this conference, click here.

[Editor’s Notes: Paul Preidecker is President, National Association of Flight instructor. He has been a flight instructor for almost 35 years. He recently retired from Air Wisconsin Airlines, where he held the positions of Chief Flight Instructor and captain. In those roles, he served as an Aircrew Program Designee, Line Check Airman, and was qualified as a simulator and ground school instructor.

Preidecker has served as a member of an FAA Aviation Rulemaking Committee and was an invited speaker at the NTSB Symposium on Professionalism. He provides invaluable support and contributions in different capacities to Halldale Group.

Representative Graves will depart Congress after this session. Graves has been a strong proponent of US aviation.

Robert Moorman will file an article for CAT on air traffic control training later this month – a complement to Mr. Sanatan’s remarks at this RAA conference.]