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A letter sent today by BACA, The Air Charter Association (of Europe), to its members is highlighting safety concerns in the sometimes murky world of private jet charter, which includes piston and turboprop aircraft in addition to jets.

This comes days after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said both pilots in the May 15, 2017 crash of a Learjet 35A during its approach to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey failed to follow company standard operating procedures. Both pilots died and there were no passengers onboard.

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From the written admission, we found them to be:

05DEC18 G-KARE PC12 Stapleford-Nantes 11:02-12:34 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passengers: Neil Warnock, Kevin Blackwell, Mark McKay and Willie McKay Operator: www.flexifly.co.uk

05DEC18 G-KARE PC12 Nantes-Cardiff 21:20-22:51 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passengers: Neil Warnock, Kevin Blackwell, Mark McKay and Willie McKay Operator: www.flexifly.co.uk

08JAN19 N531EA EA50 Cardiff-Nantes 16:14-17:09 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passengers: Neil Warnock, Mark McKay, Willie McKay and Callum Davies Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/

09JAN19 N531EA EA50 Nantes-Cardiff 09:35-10:40 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passengers: Neil Warnock, Mark McKay, Willie McKay and Callum Davies Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/ 14JAN19 N843TE EA50 Paris Le Bourget-Nantes 12:13-13:05 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passenger: Mr N’Diaye Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/

14JAN19 N843TE EA50 Nantes -Cardiff 13:34-14:39 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passengers: Mr N’Diaye and Mr Sala Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/

14JAN19 N843TE EA50 Cardiff-Nantes 18:23-19:23 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passengers: Mr N’Diaye and Mr Sala Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/

14JAN19 N843TE EA50 Nantes-Paris Le Bourget 19:38-20:32 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passenger: Mr N’Diaye Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/

18JAN19 N531EA EA50 Nantes-Cardiff 08:15-09:16 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passenger: Mr Sala Operator: https://www.channeljets.com/

18JAN19 N14EF P46T Cardiff-Paris Le Bourget 16:11-17:46 Flight Plan: G – General Aviation Passenger: Mr N’Diaye Operator: US Trustee Ownership, Altaclara Aviation Inc and Altaclara Aviation Ltd.

19JAN19 N264DB P46T Cardiff – Nantes 11:30-??. No IFR Flight Plan filed. Passenger: Mr Sala

21JAN19 N264DB P46T Nantes – Cardiff. Flight did not arrive. No IFR Flight Plan filed. Passenger: Mr Sala

Given that the flights all took place with a Flight Type of General Aviation; that none of the aircraft were on Air Operator Certificates or Part 135 Approvals, that the large proportion were operated on American registered aircraft and that the agent had stated he paid for the flights, we began to look into the background of each one.

That led to the concerns which we raised to the CAA, EASA and the AAIB on 27th February 2019. In light of the fact that none of the aircraft are operating on Commercial Air Transport certificates, we have asked that the CAA fully investigate the safety and commercial background to all of these flights, to ensure that no illegal charters took place.

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Before chartering a private jet, turboprop or piston aircraft, here are the questions you should ask the operator

The National Business Aviation Association’s Aircraft Charter Consumer guide offers the questions you should ask of a charter operator before you buy, and certainly before you fly.

Charter Operator Background and Experience

• Who is the FAA-certificated charter operator that will conduct our charter flights? What experience does the operator have? How long has the operator been in business: In aviation? As an air charter operator?
• What type of aircraft is on the charter certificate? When was the aircraft manufactured? What, if any, major refurbishments (interior, flight equipment, paint, etc.) were completed on the aircraft, and when?

How many crew and aircraft?

• How many aircraft and crew does the charter operator have? Has the FAA ever taken enforcement action against the operator or one of its flight crew members?
• What experience does the crew have? How many flight hours total time? How many hours in make/model of each aircraft?
• If special operations (e.g., mountain airports, extended over water) will be conducted, what experience (initial and recurrent) does the crew have with these operations?

Continued at
https://privatejetcardcomparisons.co...-pilot-safety/

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