TAG Aviation Asia has become the first company in Asia to gain an air operator certificate (AOC) from San Marino, the independent microstate that is surrounded by Italy. TAG Aviation San Marino has opened a dedicated office and sourced its launch aircraft, a Gulfstream G650ER. TAG Aviation Asia, itself a subsidiary of TAG Aviation San Marino, already has a Hong Kong AOC and manages a fleet of 48 business jets in the Asia Pacific region.
Jolie Howard, CEO of TAG Aviation Asia, said, “We are delighted to have obtained this AOC from the San Marino Civil Aviation Authority [SM-CAA], enabling us to expand commercial aircraft operations for our clients.”
Simon Bambridge, TAG Aviation Asia project manager of the San Marino AOC, added, “The San Marino CAA certification team has worked both professionally and proactively with TAG Aviation throughout a constantly changing aircraft delivery time to facilitate the AOC process, while ensuring compliance with the San Marino regulations." He further noted that those regulations conform to international standards.
Congratulating TAG Aviation Asia on the completion of its AOC application process, Marco Conti, director general of the SM-CAA, noted, “The Republic of San Marino has recently been recognized by ICAO for adhering to regulatory standards and maintaining a robust safety oversight program.”