Air-taxi Operator’s Certificate Revoked

The FAA last week revoked the Part 135 certificate of American Air Network (AAN) of Chesterfield, Mo., saying the company permitted flights for hire to be conducted on its air carrier certificate but allowed individuals who did not hold such a certificate to have operational control of those flights. This action is part of an FAA review of air-taxi operational control issues that intensified after a Challenger 600 runway overrun accident at Teterboro, N.J., in February last year. In this accident the FAA revoked the operating certificate of a company that permitted a non-certificated carrier to operate under its certificate. These cases send a “clear message that the FAA will act when it finds evidence that any air carrier is engaged in the franchising or rental of its air carrier certificate,” the agency said. “Federal Aviation Regulations require that an air carrier maintain operational control of the aircraft and crews on its certificate.”