FAA Proposes $1.2M in Civil Penalties Against Five Companies

The FAA has proposed civil penalties totaling $1,228,671 against five companies for allegedly conducting illegal charter flights.

The cases are as follows:

PottCo Airlease, $344,672: The FAA proposes a $344,672 civil penalty against PottCo Airlease of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The FAA alleges that PottCo Airlease conducted 16 paid passenger-carrying flights in a twin-engine Cessna Conquest without a required air carrier or operating certificate. Furthermore, the company had no FAA-issued Operations Specifications, which describe what an operator is authorized to do.

The FAA further alleges that the company lacked required personnel, including a qualified director of operations, a chief pilot and a director of maintenance. The company also allegedly employed pilots who had not passed the required written or oral tests, competency and proficiency checks, nor had they completed the required training.

The flights allegedly occurred between July 11 and Nov. 20, 2019, using airports in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota and Tennessee.

The FAA alleges the flights were careless and reckless, endangering lives or property.

PottCo Airlease has been in communication with the FAA about the case.

PottCo Tactical Air, $301,676: The FAA proposes a $301,676 civil penalty against PottCo Tactical Air of Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The FAA alleges that PottCo Tactical Air conducted 43 paid passenger-carrying flights in a twin -engine Cessna Conquest without a required air carrier or operating certificate. Furthermore, the company had no FAA-issued Operations Specifications, which describe what an operator is authorized to do.

The FAA further alleges that PottCo Tactical Air lacked required personnel, including a qualified director of operations, a chief pilot and a director of maintenance. The company also allegedly employed pilots who had not passed the required written or oral tests, competency and proficiency checks, including passing a check ride during the preceding 12 months.

The flights allegedly occurred between Feb. 20, 2018, and Feb. 6, 2020, using airports in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Dakota.

The FAA alleges the flights were careless and reckless, endangering lives or property.

PottCo Tactical Air has been in communication with the FAA about the case.

Wikert Air, $233,133: The FAA proposes a $233,133 civil penalty against Wikert Air of Omaha, Neb.

The FAA alleges the company conducted 21 paid passenger-carrying flights in a single-engine Pilatus PC-12-45 but lacked a required air carrier or operating certificate. The company also did not have FAA-issued Operations Specifications, which describe what an operator is authorized to do.

The FAA further alleges that Wikert Air lacked required personnel, including a qualified director of operations, a chief pilot and a director of maintenance. The company also allegedly employed pilots who had not passed the required written or oral tests, competency and proficiency checks, including passing a check ride during the preceding 12 months.

The flights occurred between April 19, 2018, and Oct. 13, 2019, using airports in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

The FAA alleges the flights were careless and reckless, endangering lives or property.

Wikert Air has been in communication with the FAA about the case.

Oracle Aviation, $191,536: The FAA proposes a $191,536 civil penalty against Oracle Aviation of Omaha, Neb.

The FAA alleges the company conducted nine paid passenger-carrying flights in a single-engine Cessna 172M and a single-engine Pilatus PC-12/45 when it did not have a required air carrier or operating certificate. The company also did not have FAA-issued Operations Specifications, which describe what an operator is authorized to do.

The FAA further alleges that Oracle Aviation lacked required personnel, including a director of operations, a chief pilot and a director of maintenance. The company also allegedly used pilots who had not passed required written or oral tests, competency and proficiency checks, and had not completed required training.

The flights occurred between November 2018 and June 2019, using airports in Nebraska, Kansas, Washington State, and Iowa.

The FAA alleges the flights were careless and reckless, endangering lives or property.

Oracle Aviation has been in communication with the FAA about the case.

East Shore Aviation, $157,654: The FAA proposes a $157,654 civil penalty against East Shore Aviation of North Charleston, S.C.

The FAA Alleges that between Jan. 20 and June 25, 2020, East Shore Aviation conducted nine passenger-carrying charter flights in three, single-engine Pilatus PC-12s. The agency alleges that two of the planes were not on the company’s FAA-issued Operations Specifications, which describe what a company is authorized to do. The FAA authorized East Shore Aviation to use the other plane only under visual flight rules, but the company operated it under instrument flight rules, the FAA alleges.

Furthermore, East Shore Aviation operated under an Aircraft Interchange Agreement for which the Pilatus was not eligible. Such interchange agreements allow owners of aircraft to effectively share planes but apply only to large multi-engine jets. The Pilatus PC-12 is not that type of aircraft.

The FAA further alleges that the pilots of the nine flights had not completed required training and passed required annual, written, oral and competency checks.

The flights used airports in South Carolina, Louisiana, Maryland, and Florida.

East Shore Aviation has been in communication with the FAA about the case.

FMI: www.faa.gov