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  • Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP

  • Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity

  • U.S. airlines move 50,000 tons of cargo per day

  • In 2011, the average value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air was 117 times the value exported by sea

  • For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry

  • Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket

  • From 2000-2010, U.S. airlines carried 15% more traffic while using 2.1 billion fewer gallons of fuel

  • Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions

  • From 2000-2010, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 10% while transporting 15% more passengers and cargo

  • From 1975-2010, the number of U.S. residents exposed to significant noise levels fell 95%

  • Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States

  • In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s

  • From 2000-2010, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 79.8%

  • From 2000-2010, U.S. airlines halved the flight cancellation rate from 3.30% to 1.76%

  • Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2010, U.S. CPI rose 27% while average domestic fare (excl. taxes) rose just 1%

  • Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic fare in 2010 fell 21% (from $398 to $316) compared to 2000

  • 2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion

  • In 2011, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $424B

  • In 2011, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $36.7B, driving the largest trade surplus in this category since 1992

  • In 2011, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent $50.5B on fuel, up $11.7B ($32M/day) from 2010

  • In 2011, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded

  • In 2011, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of involuntary denied boardings ever recorded

  • In 4Q 2011, U.S. airlines posted the second-lowest quarterly on-time arrival rate ever recorded

  • FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2024

  • In 2011, US airlines flew 80 million passengers in scheduled international service- a record high

  • In 2011, US airlines flew at 241.2 billion revenue passenger miles in scheduled international service- a record high

  • In 2011, US airlines operated 299.9 billion available seat miles in scheduled international service- a record high

Safety & Operations - Engineering & Maintenance

Safety & Operations section: man refueling a plane

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>> Engineering and Maintenance
Airline engineering, maintenance and materiel (EM&M) programs keep aircraft in working order and preserve the airlines' valuable physical assets by keeping aircraft in safe, reliable, and customer-worthy condition, enabling safe passenger and cargo transportation services. A4A maintains close liaison with FAA leadership to serve as the premier source of advice, coordination and consensus-based leadership for public policies pertaining to airline engineering and maintenance, including safety, airworthiness, reliability and cost effectiveness aspects.
Flight Data Recorders
All large commercial airliners are equipped with two types of devices to record information for the purpose of investigating accidents and incidents.
 
Portable Electronic Devices on Aircraft
A review of the growth of laptops, cell phones, and other electronic devices, and policies on their use onboard airplanes. 
 
Questions and Answers on Contract Maintenance
Answers to commonly asked questions about contract maintenance. 
 
EMMC Objectives
EMMC Charter, Mission, and Vision. 
 
EMMC Organizational Chart
Schematic of the EMMC organization. 
 
EMMC Groups, Task Forces, and Networks
A listing of industry groups that serve as standing bodies or communication networks. 
 
Airworthiness Committee
This committee is chartered under the EMMC to provide technical assistance, advice, and coordination among A4A member airlines.

Aviation Associations Commend EPA Recognition of Industry Voluntary Pollution-Reduction Program (4/30/2012)
A4A, ACI-NA, AAAE and RAA today commended the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for finalizing new aircraft deicing regulations that recognize and build on the industry’s strong safety and environmental record while recognizing its unique operations.
A4A Calls for Disciplined, Data-Driven Approach to Safety (4/25/2012)
A4A today urged the government to take a disciplined approach to future safety regulatory changes and build on the industry’s solid foundation of increased accessibility to available operational data in order to further our extraordinary safety record.
A4A Testimony by Tom Hendricks, SVP for Safety, Security and Operations Before U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Aviation (4/25/2012)
A4A discussed the importance of data-driven analysis programs conducted by airline employees, airports, and the FAA to ensuring the highest levels of aviation safety, as well as the industry’s progress in implementing recent FAA safety initiatives.
2012 Annual A4A NDT Forum (4/19/2012)
55th Annual A4A NDT Forum
A4A Writes the FAA to Discuss the Fuel Tank Flammability Reduction Means (FRM) Rule. (4/13/2012)
A4A has notified FAA of a significant delay in the availability of service instructions that operators need to start retrofitting fuel tank inerting kits, and has asked FAA to extend the regulatory deadlines for retrofitting kits.
A4A Committed to Safety Partnership with FAA (4/3/2012)
A4A today reaffirmed its commitment to robust data-driven safety initiatives along with the deployment of infrastructure enhancements to ensure that commercial aviation remains the world’s safest form of transportation.
2011 NDT Forum Presentations (10/24/2011)
2011 NDT Forum Presentations, 54th Annual ATA NDT Forum Agenda, Sheraton Charlotte Airport, Charlotte, NC
Line Operations Safety Audits (LOSA) (10/12/2011)
Line Operations Safety Audits are voluntary programs that use anonymous, confidential, and non-punitive data collection to improve maintenance and ramp safety.
2011 NDT Forum (4/20/2011)
The 2011 NDT Forum will be held on September 26-29 at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel in Charlotte, NC.
9th Annual NDT Forum "Better Way" Award (4/20/2011)
9th Annual FAA-ATA NDT Forum "Better Way" Award
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Safety is the number one priority for our airlines.

What the Experts Say:
“By recognizing the voluntary pollution-reduction program, the EPA is enabling airports and airlines to design effective environmental-protection strategies for their communities and specific circumstances that put safety first.”
Airlines for America (A4A), Airports Council International - North America (ACI-NA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and the Regional Airline Association (RAA),

​A4A press release

04/30/2012
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