NATA Compliance Services Blog

Military veterans, especially pilots, have long chosen to pursue a second career in civil aviation. The Washington Post, this year, reports a little more than 80 percent of U.S. civil pilots served in the military during the 1960s. Many saw the military as a gateway to an aviation career; the military provided superior training and the opportunity to fly aircraft that was second to none. Having a military background gave pilots a clear advantage over other applicants within the general aviation industry. 

Today, military veterans continue to be valuable to commercial airlines and aviation operators, but the number of veterans transitioning from the military to general aviation has decreased significantly. As a result, only “a third of private-sector U.S. pilots have military backgrounds.” Why the change?

Human trafficking is a worldwide epidemic. According to the International Labour Organization, an estimated 40.3 million people are victims of modern-day slavery. Of those 40.3 million people, 24.9 million people are in forced labor and 15.4 million are in forced marriage. Contrary to popular belief, this is not just an issue overseas, it is happening right in our own backyard. The image below from the Polaris Project shows the largest hot spots for human trafficking here in the United States.

Safety…security: they sound like they are the same thing, right? After all, they both work with the purpose of protecting someone or something from harm. So why are safety and security separated with respect to government authority and oversight?

Knowing when a company needs to set up a drug program, or when safety-sensitive employees should be administered a drug or alcohol test, is not always intuitive. But what if you have safety-sensitive employees who are subject to more than one agency? In Part 1 of our blog series, we discussed the differences between the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drug programs. For Part 2, we’re diving into when a safety-sensitive employee reports to both agencies and what you should know.

Drug programs: FMCSA vs. FAA, part 1

Complying with the guidelines of more than one U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) agency is challenging, especially when it concerns drug testing. How do you know if you need multiple drug programs? When should employees be tested? What should you do if you have employees who fall under more than one DOT agency? In our first of two blogs, we discuss when a drug program is needed, testing requirements, and the differences between drug programs for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In the fall of 2001, four commercial airliners were turned into weapons of mass destruction, the first time in history. This event, known as 9/11, left the nation shaken to its core and generated significant changes in national security protocols and policy. One of these changes was the creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

Every business experiences employee turnover, some more than others. Aviation businesses especially, are struggling to retain its pilots, technicians, service personnel, etc. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) provided great insight from a recent survey they conducted regarding workforce retention. Whether it is from employees transitioning to major airlines, retirement or the lack of qualified talent, they all impact the success of an operation. Implementing processes to mitigate the negative impacts of employee turnover will help operations stay flying. 

Cable shows like Intervention, news stories from national media outlets and documentaries all show the extent and effects of opioid abuse throughout the world. Many personal stories start in the same fashion: the person suffered a traumatic event, was prescribed an opioid like Percocet^® or OxyContin^®, found that they liked the way they felt on the drug and then became addicted. For some, the prescription addiction may lead to a dark path of deceit, theft, and use of harsher drugs. For others, the result can be fatal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has officially termed this wave of addiction as a national opioid epidemic.

How many times have you turned on the TV or went online, only to hear of an individual impersonating someone else? In December 2017, the New York Post reported on a woman who walked into a major retail store, dressed as an employee, and then exited the store with more than $40,000 worth of iPhones. Law enforcement is still trying to identify her, but the most shocking detail about this story is the woman was never questioned or stopped.

On December 11, 2017, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published the following information on their website regarding the recent changes to its drug testing panel. If you are enrolled in a DOT drug testing program, make sure you read their responses to the four most frequently asked questions.