Story ID: 
Illegal Charter Concerns Aired in Nashville
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: The April 11 summit was the second such event the FAA and industry organizations staged to highlight concerns surrounding illegal charter.
Word Count: 229
FAA Flight Standards inspectors joined NBAA and NATA representatives during a recent summit in Nashville, Tennessee, as they continue their educational campaign on illegal charter. The April 11 summit was the second such event the government and industry leaders have held in the past six months to delve into concerns surrounding illegal charter. A similar meeting was held last fall in Greenville, South Carolina, as the groups attempt to inform “the clueless and the careless,” while identifying “the criminal.”

Participants at the most recent event explored challenges of education and enforcement surrounding illegal charter, NBAA said, adding attendees were encouraged to report concerns about illegal charter to an Illegal Charter Hotline maintained by the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF). Hotline calls are now directed to Ryan Waguespack, NATA v-p of aircraft management, air charter services, and MROs, rather than a basic voicemail box. ACSF will forward information collected through the hotline to the FAA but maintain the anonymity of callers.

In addition, the summit provided an overview of common forms of illegal charter, such as instances where certified carriers cut regulatory corners or where non-certified operators use dry leases to perform charter operators.

The organizations are working to line up future regional meetings on illegal charter, and NATA encouraged businesses interested in hosting such an event to reach out to the association.