FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 18, 2000

Washington, D.C. – The National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) renewed its historic partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the signing of an extension to their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during NASAO’s Washington Legislative Conference this week. FAA Administrator Jane Garvey signed the MOU during a meeting with the state aviation directors, held at FAA Headquarters. NASAO Chairman Ken Wiegand, director of the Virginia Department of Aviation, signed on behalf of the states.

The Memorandum of Understanding offers an opportunity for NASAO and the FAA, as aviation service providers, to address challenges and to develop innovative systems to enhance the safety and efficiency of the national transportation system. Appendix IV to the MOU focuses on a Runway Safety Program and the creation of a partnership to enhance the management of the State Block Grants under the Airport Improvement Program.

The FAA/NASAO Runway Safety Program is a joint effort to reduce runway incursions at the nation’s controlled airports. The MOU ensures that up-to-date information will be provided to the states regarding runway incursions and that the organizations will share solutions and strategies on a regular basis including involvement with national the Runway Incursion Aviation Team (RIAT) at meetings and various other forums. The state aviation directors will be included in the FAA regional and RIAT meetings and be included in FAA national Runway Safety Program Order 7210.58 as a participating organization. The state aviation directors will disseminate runway safety program information via state aviation newsletters, state-sponsored safety seminars and conferences held in the states.

NASAO and the FAA will work in partnership to demonstrate the success of the various State Block Grant Programs and use this collective experience to improve the quality of national aviation transportation system for the traveling public. By working cooperatively to identify and coordinate issues, the State Block Grant Program will become even more efficient and effective.

During the signing ceremony, Marlin Beckwith, program manager for the California Aeronautics Program, also presented Administrator Garvey with the first copy of a recently completed survey of the states and eight FAA regions entitled "Cooperative Partnership to Help Resolve Aircraft Noise Problems." A task presented in the 1998 MOU between NASAO and the FAA, this survey offers examples to reduce community concerns over aircraft noise and overall conclusions drawn from the responses.

NASAO is the only organization of its kind to have a Memorandum of Understanding with the FAA. The first NASAO-FAA MOU was signed in 1996 by Administrator David Hinson and NASAO Chairman Gary Adams, director of the Arizona Division of Aeronautics, and has been renewed every year since.