Aircraft, Pilots and Operations Safety
Safety is the first thing we consider on any Delaware charter flight, and it is the part of this job we will not rush.
The word gets used loosely in the charter industry. Almost anyone can call themselves a broker: there are more than 4,000 of them worldwide, and most are not required to hold a license, carry insurance, or pass any test. We hold ourselves to standards nobody makes us meet, and the paragraphs below set out exactly what that involves, so you can judge it for yourself.
What we check before you fly
Every flight we arrange is operated by an FAA-certified FAR Part 135 air carrier, or by FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and large group trips, or the foreign equivalent on international legs. 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.
Once we have found aircraft that suit your trip on size, range, baggage and budget, we check the following before anything is confirmed:
- That the operator holds a current FAR Part 135 certificate, or Part 121 where the trip calls for an airliner-size aircraft
- The operator’s safety and incident history
- That the operator carries substantial insurance
- That the pilots are experienced, qualified and current on the aircraft type you will be flying on
- Third-party audit status where the operator takes part in one, such as Wyvern Wingman, Wyvern PASS, or ARGUS Gold, Platinum or Platinum Elite
FAR Part 135 sets minimum crew requirements by aircraft type. Some types are certified for single-pilot operations and some require two pilots, so we confirm the crew for the aircraft you are actually flying on rather than making a blanket promise. Responsibility for maintaining the aircraft sits with the certified operator, which is where the FAA places it.
Air Charter Advisors is a Premium Wyvern Broker Member. Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold that status, and it is a step we added to our own due diligence rather than one the regulator asked for.
Transparency: who are the advisors?
You are handing someone your travel plans, your passenger list and a large payment, often on the strength of a phone call. It is fair to ask who is on the other end of it.
We can only speak for ourselves. Every employee and every 1099 contractor on this team goes through pre-employment screening before they handle a booking. Those checks can include a national criminal search, the national sex offender register, the terrorist watch list (OFAC), address history, other names used, and a search for lawsuits, judgments, liens and bankruptcies.
Your trip details stay with the people arranging your trip. We do not sell passenger information, and we do not share your itinerary beyond the operator and the handling agents who need it to run the flight.
Where Delaware fits
Two of Delaware’s three public airports have no control tower, and Delaware Coastal at Georgetown is attended only from 8:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. That is normal for airports of this size. It does mean the timing of a departure or arrival is worth settling early rather than on the day, particularly through the summer when the Sussex County beaches are busy.
If a flight needs to move for weather, crew duty limits or an operational issue, we will tell you as soon as we know and we will work the problem with you. We would rather have that conversation than watch a schedule slip quietly.
Ask us anything
If there is something here you want explained, ask. Call an advisor, or send us a message, and we will talk you through how we vetted the operator on your trip. You can also read our frequently asked questions or browse the aircraft we arrange. The National Business Aviation Association sets the broader operating standards we work within.