AIRCRAFT, PILOTS AND OPERATIONS SAFETY
Safety is the first thing we consider for a trip. Before we send you a single option, we want to know who is operating the aircraft and what their record looks like.
“Safe” is an easy word to put on a website. What follows is the actual process a trip goes through before we put it in front of you.
HOW WE VET THE OPERATOR
We first look for aircraft that fits the trip on size, range, fuel stops, baggage and cost. Once the options narrow, our internal due diligence process runs on the operator behind each one. We confirm the operator holds the certification required for the flight. We review the operator’s safety and incident history. We confirm that the pilots are experienced, qualified and current on the specific aircraft type you would be flying on. Where an operator takes part in a third-party audit program, we reference those findings as part of the review.
Maintenance responsibility sits with the certified operator, as the rules require. Our role is to confirm that the operator we put in front of you is certified, audited where applicable, and flying crews who are current on that specific type of aircraft.
Minimum crew requirements are set by FAR Part 135 according to the aircraft type, and some types are certified for single-pilot operations. We confirm pilot experience and currency on the aircraft type being flown for your trip.
THE REGULATORY STANDARD BEHIND YOUR FLIGHT
We arrange flights with FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, and with FAR Part 121 operators for airliner-size and regional jet group trips. Part 135 is the FAA’s set of rules for on-demand, for-hire charter. It carries stricter operating, crew and insurance requirements than FAR Part 91, the rules for private, non-commercial flying that cannot be sold as charter. Either way, the operator goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options.
When a group grows beyond nineteen passengers, the aircraft required would fall into regional airliner, or airliner-size. Those trips would no longer fall under the FAR Part 135 standards but possibly operate under FAR Part 121 or foreign equivalent standards. Part 121 and equivalent generally carry stricter crew and operating requirements than FAR Part 91 and FAR Part 135.
FLYING INTO THE BAHAMAS
A flight from the United States to the Bahamas is an international operation, and the rules of the destination country apply on arrival. Under the Bahamian Civil Aviation Act, a foreign operator may not carry commercial traffic to and from Bahamian airports unless the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority has authorized it to do so. In plain terms, an FAA certificate on its own is not enough to fly you there for hire. We confirm that the operator holds the authority for the trip as part of the same review.
Your first landing in the country has to be at a designated airport of entry, where Bahamas Customs and Immigration clear the aircraft and the passengers. Every passenger needs a valid passport.
Landing permits and authorizations: many international destinations require special permissions for landing and customs. Permits are generally applied for after a trip has been secured on the aircraft schedule, and sometimes the timeline is dictated by the local airport authorities. We will always do our best to ensure departure and arrival times meet your needs, but these are sometimes subject to the approvals of the local airport authority and government.
WEATHER AND THE DECISION TO FLY
Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, and the Bahamas sits in the track. Storms in the region are a scheduling problem rather than a reason to stay home, and the planning starts well before the departure date.
Your advisor watches reported weather advisories ahead of departure and will be in touch as soon as we are aware of anything that affects your schedule. The aircraft operator and the Pilot in Command hold the decision-making authority on takeoff and landing. If conditions require a change, we may recommend expediting departure, delaying, or using an alternate airport, subject to scheduling and aircraft availability.
THIRD-PARTY SAFETY REPORTING
Wyvern is an independent aviation safety auditor, and brokers can be registered with it in the same way operators are. Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them. That membership is an additional step in our internal safety due diligence, not a substitute for it. The badge above links to the live verification record.
If you want to see how the operator on your quote was reviewed before you commit to it, ask your advisor and we will go through it with you.
Disclosure under DOT Part 295: We always act strictly as the agent for the client, never as the operator. Part 295 is the US Department of Transportation rule that governs how air charter brokers deal with customers, and it exists so you always know who is arranging the flight and who is flying it.