Be An Educated Flier




Photo courtesy of the NTSB
In 2018 a Falcon 50 super mid-size jet ran off the end of the runway at Greenville Downtown Airport, South Carolina. Both pilots were unfortunately killed, and the two charter passengers were seriously injured. As the National Transportation Safety Board investigated the charter company and pilot records, they discovered serious discrepancies in the operation of the aircraft. The acting Pilot in Command was only rated to act as a copilot in the Falcon 50, and the copilot was not rated at all to be operating a jet aircraft on any flight, let alone an instrument flight rules for-hire flight. Additionally, the aircraft was found to have a multitude of maintenance issues after a prolonged stay in storage. According to the charter company's Director of Maintenance, the repairs and renovations to restore the aircraft to service were only about 60% complete. So an aircraft was provided for the trip which was not airworthy, and flown by an aircrew which was not qualified to fly the airplane in any condition, especially for hire.

The corporate aviation industry in the United States has a stellar safety record. By no means is this story meant to scare travelers away from the benefits of corporate travel. We would like to use this incident as a case study to show what you as a passenger can do to ensure your charter operator or broker is placing safety first, ahead of profits. There are several quick checks you and your flight coordinator can do to ensure your safety, as well as a gauge of a charter operator's reliability.

In order to operate "For Hire" flights, a charter operator is required to comply with Federal Aviation Regulation Part 135 requirements. These requirements are more stringent than those on privately owned aircraft to provide stricter control and oversight of companies who offer their aircraft for charter. These include mandated position and training requirements and annual checkrides for pilots, as well as stricter requirements for operation in bad weather. Operators who don't meet part 135 requirements for their crews, aircraft, and organization operate charter flights illegally, a problem becoming more prevalent and putting a stain on the safety record of corporate travel. The FAA requires that brokers ensure customers are aware of the fact that the broker is not operating the flight, and they must provide the name of the operator for your verification.

Third-party auditors are another good way to determine the professionalism of a charter operator. ARGUS conducts audits of Part 135 operators and awards ratings based on the organizations safety record, procedures, training standards, and maintenance practices by awarding a Gold or Platinum Rating. These operators will also be able to provide a report of the crew's certifications, hours of experience, and ratings held. Wyvern is another third-party which offers similar services. A reputable broker will be able to provide these trip sheets at your request to confirm the qualifications of the charter operator, aircraft, and crew. If the Trip Sheet provided does not match the crew of the flight, red flags should be raised. While ARGUS, Wyvern, and other audits are not mandatory, they show a company has a commitment to safety.

At Antaero Aviation, we guarantee all flights are operated by ARGUS or Wyvern-registered operators. We personally validate trip reports and confirm the data with the FAA Airman Database, which is public record as well. This Database can show the recency of a pilot's medical certificate and pilot qualifications. We require all aircraft be operated by two pilots, even if only a single pilot is required by the FAA. We also monitor all flights live to account for weather, airport construction, and other potential delays or concerns. It's important to confirm your broker does the same, or that your company travel department is verifying data provided by an operator or broker to ensure the use of reputable, safe charter companies. As an Army Reserve Aviation Safety Officer, safety is always first and foremost in my mind. It's our pleasure to review your charter history and validate or augment your company's safety procedures to ensure safe, reliable corporate travel.



Eric Wilkins
Co-Founder, Operations Manager
Antaero Aviation

Resources
Private Jet Card Comparisons (2019) Illegal charters pose safety hazard, says the Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved from: https://privatejetcardcomparisons.com/2019/12/20/faa-warns-pilots-consumers-about-illegal-charters-cites-red-flags/

Trautvetter, C (2018) NTSB: Crew in Falcon 50 Crash Not Qualified. AIN Online. Retrieved from: https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-10-08/ntsb-crew-falcon-50-crash-not-qualified

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