NATA scolds FAA for revocations

National Air Transportation Association (NATA) president James Coyne last month criticized the FAA for issuing another emergency suspension order for a Part 135 operator, this time grounding Punta Gorda, Fla.-based aeromed transport company Air Trek. According to NATA, the FAA’s use of emergency suspensions calls into question fairness in regulatory oversight of Part 135 on-demand aircraft operators versus the Part 121-regulated scheduled airlines. In a letter to FAA Acting Administrator Robert Sturgell, Coyne said, “[While] Part 135 air carriers have received the ultimate penalty for operational infractions, their Part 121 counterparts are simply fined and permitted to operate.”