This year’s 2016 Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA) spring conference takes place April 26-28 at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort near Phoenix. More than 50 air carriers—both Part 135 and 121 operators—are members of RACCA, and the association represents the “policy, communications and information needs of on-demand cargo aircraft operators in the United States.” 

The pilot shortage remains a critical issue for RACCA members, and is the subject of the keynote address—"Yes, there is a pilot shortage. How do we deal with it safely?”—by John DeLisi, director of the NTSB’s Office of Aviation Safety. Another session by Kent Lovelace, director of aviation industry relations at the University of North Dakota, will provide more detail about the pilot shortage, with the latest data and projections. The shortage of mechanics will also be addressed during a session with Chuck Horning, chairman of the Aviation Maintenance Science department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

John Duncan, FAA’s director of Flight Standards, will update members on FAA safety and regulatory activities. Cargo Airline Association president Steve Alterman will also provide an update on Washington, D.C. activities. Leading a discussion titled “FAA Enforcement Version 2.0–Has everything or nothing changed?” is attorney Mark Dombroff of Dentons LLC.

App developer ForeFlight will lead a panel session on electronic flight bag implementation, and this will be followed by an update on ADS-B equipage by Garmin.

RACCA member Cape Air, which has many years experience operating and maintaining a fleet of Cessna 402 piston twins, is hosting a discussion on aging aircraft issues. Cape Air president and Regional Airline Association president Linda Markham will also speak about the Jet Blue Gateway program as well as provide an update on pilot labor and negotiations issues.