September 29, 2017

The Honorable John Thune Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee 512 Dirksen Senate Offi ce BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Bill Nelson Ranking, Senate Commerce Committee425 Hart Senate Offi ce BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairman Thune, Chairman Shuster, Ranking Member Nelson and Ranking Member DeFazio:

The Aerospace Industries Association of America represents more than 340 U.S. manufacturing, service and supply companies in the aerospace and defense sectors. Our 2.4 million employees make up 13 percent of America’s manufacturing sector and have a vital interest in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) efforts to streamline its certifi cation procedures for large transport and general aviation aircraft. Improving these procedures will enable our industry to add to the over $90 billion positive balance it already makes in our nation’s net trade position.

In 2012, Congress took a leading role in guiding these efforts by directing the FAA to identify recommendations for greater effi ciency. The FAA’s Section 312 Aviation Rulemaking Committee submitted its recommendations to the agency on May 22, 2012 – more than fi ve years ago – and many of those ideas along with other important streamlining proposals were refl ected in last year’s FAA reauthorization bills. Although not yet enacted into law, your respective committees approved a similar set of reforms this year. We believe this demonstrates strong bipartisan support for enacting comprehensive reforms without further delay.

Aviation stakeholders remember the diffi culties posed by 23 short-term extensions and four years of delay on the way to the 2012 law. With that bill now expired for almost two years and the current extension expiring at the end of this month, it is critical for Congress to enact this important legislation now. Our global competitors are gaining ground and our regulatory burdens must be reformed if we are to maintain a leadership position. Furthermore, U.S. aircraft manufacturers and suppliers need a stable and well-understood regulatory environment if we are to plan, hire and invest effectively – and with confi dence – for the future. We strongly urge Congress to enact FAA certifi cation streamlining reforms before the end of 2017.

Sincerely,

___________________________________David F. Melcher Lieutenant General, USA (Ret.) President & CEOAerospace Industries Association

___________________________________Dennis A. Muilenburg Chairman, AIA Chairman, President & CEOThe Boeing Company

___________________________________Thomas A. Kennedy Vice Chairman, AIA Chairman & CEORaytheon Company

The Honorable Bill ShusterChairman, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee2165 Rayburn House Offi ce BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Peter DeFazioRanking, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee 2163 Rayburn House Offi ce BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515

___________________________________Michael MarottaAerospace & Weapons ManagerMarotta Controls, Inc.

___________________________________Dana WatermanCEOEPTAM Plastics

___________________________________Vincent J. HrenakVP Supply ChainRaytheon

___________________________________Susan V. VrzakCorp Director Supply Chain PolicyNorthrop Grumman Corp.

___________________________________Michelle O. AllinsonV.P. SalesAerospace Alloys, Inc.

___________________________________John W PerryPresidentRocker Industries

___________________________________Patrick J. GruetzmacherCEO & PresidentLAI International, Inc.

___________________________________Michael MowinsPresidentPhillips Screw Company

___________________________________Lori A. HarperVP, Supply Chain ManagementHuntington Ingalls Industries

___________________________________Sonia VicarsDirector, Procurement Policy & SupportThe Boeing Company

___________________________________Robert RogersPresidentMid-State Aerospace, Inc.

___________________________________Earl LarkinExecutive Vice ChairmanNovaria Group

___________________________________Samuel A. SchwallVP, QualityHarris Corp.

___________________________________Gregory BloomPresidentSeal Science, Inc.

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___________________________________Jeffrey A CareyBusiness DevelopmentTech Manufacturing, LLC

___________________________________Anne D Shybunko-MoorePresident/OwnerGSE Dynamics Inc.

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___________________________________Albert D. RisoGlobal Key Account DirectorSmiths InterConnect

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___________________________________Vern M. HeyerPresident & CEOVMH International LLC

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___________________________________Kent L. SharpCompliance OfficerRolls-Royce North America

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___________________________________J. M. BoylePresidentBOB Search

___________________________________Heather BulkCEOSpecial Aerospace Services

___________________________________Larry VeigaVP Business DevelopmentPrimus Technologies

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___________________________________Charles StevensonVP ProgramsVerify Inc.

___________________________________Claudia M. JaraSupplier Diversity RepresentativeLockheed Martin

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___________________________________Steven SigfussonPresidentGamma Aerospace LLC

___________________________________Bill RoweExecutive VP OperationsLake Engineering, Inc.

___________________________________Patrick MarottaCEOMarotta Controls, Inc.

___________________________________Kenneth BramPresidentAUSCO, Inc.

___________________________________Ethan PlotkinCEOGDCA, Inc.

___________________________________Camille GeigerGlobal Supplier DiversityThe Boeing Company

___________________________________Andrew W. WhiteDirector Aerospace & Defense Business InstituteUniversity of Tennessee

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___________________________________Keith SciarraVP Business DevelopmentSupply Dynamics

___________________________________John GloverVP Sales SIFCO Industries

___________________________________Mel CrosierBusiness Development ManagerDenison Industries

___________________________________Robin LinebergerPrincipalDeloitte

___________________________________Benjamin C. HarperPartnerFairmont Consulting Group

___________________________________Marc G. FortinDirector MarketingConsolidated Industries, Inc.

___________________________________Todd MallonVP Operations and Business DevelopmentLatitude Corp

___________________________________Andres S. HolthausManager Business DevelopmentSeelex Galileo, Inc

___________________________________John HendersonPresident/CEOAmerican Metiac Bearing AMB

___________________________________Jamie ShaddicGroup VPSparton Corp.

___________________________________Luigi A. PelusoManager DirectorAlixPartners, LLP

___________________________________William PetersonCEOPeterson Corporate Services LLC

___________________________________Matthew MelaikVP SalesThyssenkrupp Aerospace

___________________________________Brian LeganManaging DirectorAccenture LLP

___________________________________Christopher LinManagerPWC Strategy

___________________________________Rodney MackSr. DirectorCrane Aerospace & Electronics

___________________________________Jennifer RogersAerospace Client Spec.Burns & McDonnell

___________________________________Terry WeedVice PresidentArrowhead Products

___________________________________Todd MackeyDirector of SalesCentury, Inc.

___________________________________Carroll VigilSr. Vice PresidentBRPH

___________________________________Roblyn S. TheodorouVP Aerospace & DefenseDXC Technology