Continuing its efforts to crack down on loopholes in its oversight of Part 135 charter operators, the FAA is conducting mandatory special emphasis inspections through the end of the year. The inspections began last month and are in enforcement of Operational Specification A008, which took effect in March. The specification is aimed at eliminating ambiguities in operational control in charter flights.
The measure is largely in response to issues revealed by two high-profile accidents involving Part 135 carriers–the November 2004 takeoff crash of a Bombardier Challenger 601 in Montrose, Colo., that claimed the lives of three people, including the son of NBC Sports chief Dick Ebersol, and the February 2005 incident at Teterboro, N.J., which saw a Challenger 600 attempt to take off but instead cross a six-lane highway, strike a car and crash into a warehouse, injuring several people and destroying the aircraft.