Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

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In a move that the National Air Transportation Association hopes will increase awareness of illegal activity, the FAA has referred its civil penalty enforcement action against Portage, Michigan-based Hinman Co. to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for resolution.

 


This summer, the agency <a href="https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2018-07-05/faa-alleges-illegal-charters-hincojet">proposed a $3.3 million civil penalty</a> against Hinman for allegedly “conducting hundreds of commercial aircraft operations in violation of the Federal Aviation Regulations, including failing to hold the required operator certificate for the flights being performed.” This activity occurred through Hinman’s subsidiary Hincojet, involving a Beechcraft Beechjet 400A and a Hawker 900XP, the agency added.

 


In its civil penalty case, the FAA alleges the company conducted more than 800 commercial charter flights without either proper FAA certification or DOT economic authority, approved pilots, or authorized training. The company had entered into time-sharing arrangements for the aircraft but operated the flights for a profit, according to the FAA.

 


Hinman representatives said they are "aware of the lawsuit and welcomes the opportunity to tell its side of the story as the legal process runs its course. We look forward to a proper resolution of the matter&nbsp;once all the facts are known."

 


&nbsp;John McGraw, director of regulatory affairs for NATA, however, said, "This case should give all aircraft owners pause and demonstrates that engaging in illegal timesharing, participating in improper leasing schemes, or establishing so-called flight department companies creates significant risk for aircraft owners.”&nbsp;

 


The FAA on October 4 referred this case to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan. “Such a referral is not common and speaks to the significance of the violations,” McGraw added. “The FAA’s decision to involve the Justice Department sends a clear message to aircraft owners and the industry that the government takes noncompliance seriously, particularly when unauthorized air carrier operations occur.”

 


NATA, which has been engaged in a multipronged effort to highlight illegal activity, including sorting out and educating what is and isn’t permissible, believes this is the first of several cases that will come to light as the FAA steps up its focus on so-called gray charter.

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