Governmental administrative agencies possess considerable expertise. With the recent exception of the Boeing 737 MAX debacle, the US Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), has been regarded as the “gold standard” in its regulation of air safety and the certification of aircraft, airmen, air agencies and airports. However, in a recent case (Erwin v. FAA, U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit, No. 20-1443, December 28, 2021), the Court referred to that agency as “a repeat offender”, admonishing it that it “cannot simply declare its expertise; it must exercise that expertise and demonstrate sufficiently that it has done so”.
John’s affiliation with Avialex Law Group, LLP will continue. But effective June 22, his position will be “Of Counsel”.His relationship with long-standing clients shall remain.
The FAA released clarification on the exemption to “holding out” for “compensation or hire” and provided some necessary guidelines for expense sharing.
On March 30, 2020, the FAA issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) providing the public with a 90-day period to review and comment on the proposed rules surrounding the Pilot Record Database which brings PRIA towards its sunset. We are discussing the new reporting requirements and how it will affect corporate flight departments.
According to the FAA’s newly issued Notice of Enforcement Policy, as a result of the CDC’s advice against elective and non-urgent medical visits, the FAA has decided it is against the public’s interest to maintain the requirement for FAA medical examinations for the time being and will not be taking legal enforcement actions against required pilot flight crewmember or flight engineer based on noncompliance with medical certificate duration standards when the expiration of the required medical certificate occurs between March 31, 2020, through June 30, 2020.
NBAA President and CEO, Ed Bolen, presents Top 40 Under 40 Award to John T. Van Geffen.
“At a time when the aviation community is as focused as ever on attracting and keeping tomorrow’s leaders and visionaries, NBAA is honored to have this opportunity to shine a spotlight on these outstanding young people, who are changing our industry in innovative and profound ways,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
Recently, our firm was lucky enough to be in a position to provide pro bono service to the Aspen Flight Academy, a 501(c)(3) to assist in getting their Every Student Flies program 'off the ground'. https://ahlfa.org Not only has the Aspen Flight Academy seen their dream realized of initiating a program that provides a free hour of dual flight instruction for every student and faculty member at the Aspen High School but Diamond Aircraft has partnered with the academy to provide brand new aircraft for these lucky students.
The NBAA’s Top 40 Under 40 shines a light on young professionals making their mark in the business aviation industry. Avialex Law Group, LLP’s Partner, John T. Van Geffen, was nominated for his work in business management and chosen by the NBAA Young Professionals (“YoPro”) Council, a group of business aviation professionals and NBAA staff liaisons working to build relationships between the industry’s emerging leaders.
John Van Geffen is making an impact. When he’s not assisting clients with a wide spectrum of aviation legal needs, he serves as an AOPA panel attorney, regional vice president for the International Air and Transportation Safety Bar Association, and provides pro bono assistance to help local flight schools offer free discovery flights to students. In other spare time that somehow exists, Van Geffen volunteers on the Board of Trustees for the Oakland Aviation Museum, helping to preserve its 80-year-old hangar and coordinating STEM education opportunities for young people.“I want to bring back that old view of aviation – the sense of it being a really majestic, inspiring thing,” he said. “Any way I can help get the next generation on board with that, I’m going to do it.”
