The FAA approves the maintenance programs for all aircraft operating on air charter operations specifications however, passengers should still confirm who is responsible for maintaining the operator's fleet: whether it is a factory service center, an in-house mechanic, a local repair facility, or some combination thereof. Regular, proper maintenance and care of the aircraft is another key component to safe operations. Good questions to consider during the research process include: Does the operator have any accidents or incidents in its history? How long has the operator been in business under its current name? What is its fleet size and scale and scope of its operations? How frequently are safety inspections conducted, and how many were failed in recent years? Has the operator or its flight crew ever received an FAA Enforcement Action or Letter of Correction?Īdditionally, as charter passengers and crew typically do not pass through traditional security procedures, as in commercial terminals, operators should have documented security protocols, including background checks for all employees, security systems and/or personnel where the aircraft are hangared, ID checks of passengers, etc. The charter operator should be able to provide audit ratings, or you may be directed to third-party safety auditors (e.g., International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), Aviation Research Group U.S. The single most important risk mitigation step a potential charter user can take is to research the audit history, ratings, and accidents or recordable incidents of any potential charter operator. Guidelines for limit requirements and best practices can be found below under University Policy. Copies of the certificate, the FAA DO-86 (authorized aircraft document), and evidence of current hull and liability insurance for the tail numbers to be flown should all be requested in advance of a contract signing. The FAA's air carrier certification process helps the agency ensure that certificated entities are able to "design, document, implement, and audit critical safety processes." The type of certificate a flight operates under is dictated by how it's being used and how many passengers certificates for larger planes and those being used for transport services have more stringent safety and compliance standards. Within the US, charter aircraft operators that provide transport services for-hire must be certificated by the FAA. Particular areas on which to focus your efforts include certification safety, security, and maintenance history pilot requirements and location-specific expertise. Other material causes of crashes include mechanical failure, weather, and sabotage these risks can be mitigated by excellent maintenance and airframe upkeep, strict procedures for adverse weather conditions, and ample security. Because pilot error accounts for over 50% of fatal airplane crashes, it is important to select operators who have rigorous training and rest requirements for their pilots. Additionally, the safety of traveling in chartered and privately operated aircraft falls far short of what passengers of commercial aircraft can expect the numbers of accidents and fatalities bear this out: over the past 20 years, charter and private aircraft have a far greater probability of crashing over commercial airliners–9.4 times and 32.9 times, respectively (see charts below).ĭue to the limited external scrutiny of charter operators, it becomes incumbent upon users to be informed about best practices for safety and protections and to do ample research before engaging a charter operator. Therefore, passengers generally engage a private jet or charter service at their own risk. The FAA and DOT aim to review and enforce best practices among aircraft operators however, there is no governmental quality rating for these entities. Unlike commercial carriers, charter aviation ventures and private pilots are subject to much less regulatory (and consumer) scrutiny. Travel on commercial airlines affords passengers substantial protections, including extensive, ongoing pilot/crew training requirements strict fitness-for-flight policies on pilots/crew regular, qualified aircraft maintenance, broad safety standards, and close oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) in the USA and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as the blanket regulatory agency over the EU. While air travel is a remarkably safe mode of transportation–far fewer aviation fatalities than automobile fatalities occur each year, both in terms of actual numbers and per vehicle-miles traveled–the safety of such travel is inextricably linked to the safety of the aircraft and its operators.
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