Lawsuit Claims that the Company Skirted FAA Air Carrier Certification

Federal prosecutors recently filed a lawsuit against an uncertified charter flight company and its owner, citing at least 237 flights with suspicious operations. If their allegations prove true, each flight comes with at least 16 violations of FAA regulations.

“Today’s announcement should cause people to think twice before choosing to intentionally ignore federal aviation regulations and requirements,” stated DOT-OIG Special Agent in Charge Joseph Harris. “We will continue to partner with law enforcement and prosecutors to pursue those whose actions jeopardize the safety and integrity of the nation’s airspace.”

The company, Texas-based Prairie Flower Air Assets, was owned by Walter Benjamin Bius. Its services were advertised as ‘dry leases,’ in which the customer leases an aircraft with their own crew, maintenance, and management. In a ‘wet lease,’ on the other hand, the lessor would maintain control over the operation, crew, and aircraft.

To provide wet leases, Bius and his company would have had to be certified as a direct air carrier. This is a lengthy process for a reason - the FAA needs to ensure that these lessors are operating under high safety standards before giving them the green light.

Buis allegedly skipped this certification altogether yet maintained control over his so-called dry-leased aircraft. Prosecutors claim that Buis and his company arranged upwards of 237 illegal charter flights under this scheme between 2019 and 2023. Each one of these may have broken at least 16 FAA regulations since several pilots had not passed the required competency or instrument proficiency checks.

“When people choose to book private charter travel, they need to feel confident that the company transporting them meets all applicable safety and regulatory standards,” explained US Attorney Nicholas Ganjei. “This action will help ensure the safety of air transportation and safeguard the public from carriers that might endanger passengers by cutting corners.”

FMI: www.justice.gov