California Pacific Air Did Not Meet Minimum Standards For Safety, Maintenance

The FAA has scotched a bid by California Pacific Air to begin scheduled air service out of McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, CA. The agency said the airline did not meet minimum standards for safety, maintenance, and inspections.

U-T San Diego reports that the airline did not answer some of the agency's questions, and left out entire portions of the official application. FAA Spokesman Ian Gregor said the agency had rejected the application "due to a number of deficiencies."

The FAA has given CP Air until September 13 to re-file the application. If it has not done so by that date, the certification effort will be terminated. Gregor said the FAA plans to meet with airline officials "within the next few weeks" to discuss the application.

Cal Pacific owner Ted Vallas has been trying to get the airline off the ground since 2010, when at age 91, he submitted his initial statement of intent to launch the airline with the FAA. CEO John Selvaggio told the paper that the airline is working with the FAA to correct the mistakes on the application. The airline reportedly failed in four of nine categories on its application form.

FMI: www.faa.gov