Aircraft, Pilots and Operations Safety
Safety is the first thing we consider on any Nantucket 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, which are 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 that is required of us.
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.
What shapes a Nantucket trip
Aircraft with more than nine passenger seats need two hours’ prior permission at Nantucket Memorial Airport, which covers most midsize and larger charter jets. Your advisor makes that call. It is one of the reasons we ask for your timings as early as you can give them, rather than on the morning of the flight.
The airport’s rescue and firefighting cover runs from 6:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night, and cover outside those hours has to be arranged in advance. The tower keeps seasonal hours: 6:00 to 10:00 at night from May 15th to September 30th, and 6:00 to 9:00 at night through the winter.
Fog and summer thunderstorms are the two weather patterns that move a Nantucket departure. There is an ILS approach to both ends of the main runway, which helps, but neither we nor the operator will push a trip that the conditions do not support. If a flight needs to move, we will tell you as soon as we know and we will work through the problem with you.
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.