Story ID: 1020812MxReports
Organization Aims To Unify FAA Designees
By: David A. Lombardo
Caption: 
Word Count: 314
The U.S. civil aviation community has long been supported by a host of FAA designees tasked with keeping the civil aircraft industry in motion. Despite the magnitude of the task there has never been a unifying organization to support or represent them collectively until now.

Susan Fournier of Freeport, Maine, has started the Aviation Designee Association (ADA). The mission of the trade organization is to guide and represent FAA-appointed maintenance, manufacturing and other interested entities and individuals through the complexities of the aviation designee environment and to provide assistance in navigating the dramatic changes occurring.” 

“I actually started the organization about two-and-a-half years ago, but it lost momentum due to other projects I had going at the time,” Fournier, ADA’s managing director, told AIN. “About six months ago I met Sam Strickland. He’s good at creating websites and marketing. He was positive about what I was doing and has become ADA’s communications director; he’s reenergized us and given the organization a brand.”

Fournier said the intent is to provide a collective voice for the organization’s members representing them to the FAA. “The biggest thing is to bring everyone together and get things going in a standardized fashion. We intend to become a training hub for DARs,” she said.

ADA’s website features a public blog where general aviation knowledge and articles are published weekly. The site also includes a members-only area with a private blog consisting of the latest news in the field. Members also have access to a growing library of regulations, forms, renewals and travel tools designed to enhance productivity.

Fournier said the organization has signed approximately 60 members since it relaunched last November and continues to grow. A one-year membership costs $99, and she’s working out the details to offer corporate sponsorships.