subject: Aircraft Charter Safety Ratings And What They Mean To You [print this page] When picking out an aircraft charter service provider, it is important to establish whether the charter company you're interested in meets the highest safety specifications attainable.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) performs a long certification process prior to even granting an aircraft charter provider the authority to fly the general public. In addition, the Faa provides continuous oversight of the provider in the course of yearly base inspections, in the course of conformity inspections for adding new planes to the certificate, and during semi-annual checks of their pilots. Most charter owners make the effort to meet a greater safety standard than that regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. For example, the FAA mandates that captains have 1200 hours of actual flight experience. The majority of operators have a minimum standard of 2500 hours while the best operators require approximately 5000 hours of experience.
Various organizations have designed industry safety standards for jet charter providers to help to unify these specifications. They're ARG/US (Aviation Research Group/US), Wyvern, the Air Charter Safety Foundation as well as IBAC (International Business Aviation Council).
ARG/US is likely the most well known of the aviation safety standards agencies. They rate charter services within these categories; DNQ (does not qualify), Gold, Gold Plus and Platinum. A Gold operator meets the basic ARG/US safety specifications. The Gold Plus status is presented to a provider that meets the primary criteria and also has participated in either an ARG/US review of its business and procedures or has received IS-BAO registration. The Platinum status is given to those providers that meet the basic safety requirements, pass the on-site review and also have both a Safety Management System along with an Emergency Response Plan set up.
Wyvern has long been recognized within the charter industry for its high standards. The Wyvern Standard involves such requirements for the charter pilots as no less than 4000 hours of flight practical experience with specific additional flight time requirements connected to time in kind of aircraft. Wyvern puts out the Pilot and Aircraft Safety Survey (PASS) review on request that indicates whether the operator, crew and aircraft you have selected meet either a basic safety standard or fulfill the Wyvern Standard. Those operators who pass Wyvern's rigorous review procedures will become Wyvern "recommended". The phrase "recommended" is the only expression that implies the jet charter service has satisfied Wyvern's increased standard.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation seeks to encourage basic safety standardization throughout the charter sector. The ACSF Industry Audit Standard was established with the input and assistance of leading safety auditors, charter services, shared aircraft ownership businesses and also charter consumers.
One particular standard involves global aircraft charter standards - the IS-BAO, which is short for International Standard of Business Aircraft Operations. This code of best practices was introduced by the International Business Aviation Council and has been generally followed as the gold standard for company aircraft operations. It has been backed by the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) as well as multinational organizations around the world. Audits aren't offered from the organization, but rather by impartial, third party auditors who are certified by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC).
Be sure that the aircraft charter operator you're looking at meets at the least one, if not more, of these standards.
