Story ID: 
Touching Bases: NATA acquires Aviation Training Institute
By: Mark Phelps
Caption: The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has acquired the Aviation Training Institute (ATI) from Denver-based Aviation Resource Group Internation
Word Count: 151
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has acquired the Aviation Training Institute (ATI) from Denver-based Aviation Resource Group International. ATI was formed to deliver line service training to FBOs and will dovetail with NATA’s “Safety First” certification program for line service personnel. NATA president Jim Coyne said, “By offering this expanded program to the industry, NATA is making the reduction of ground-handling accidents its number-one safety priority. Aviation businesses nationwide have decried the increases in insurance premiums and deductibles for airport liability and hangar keepers’ coverage. At the same time, insurance companies have experienced substantial losses from these types of claim. Training and retraining are the most logical long-term solutions to improve safety, reduce claims and ultimately mitigate high insurance premiums or reductions of coverage.”Insurance broker USAIG’s executive vice president, Bill Welbourn, said, “USAIG will make training of this kind a key ingredient in our underwriting of FBOs.”