Contributor - Accidents and Regulations

Contributor - Accidents and Regulations

Gordon Gilbert

Campbell Oil Company and&nbsp;its related&nbsp;Executive Aircraft Services “strongly disagree” with an FAA&nbsp;notice&nbsp;that proposes a $1.38 million penalty against the companies for allegedly conducting illegal charter flights. In the October 8&nbsp;notice,&nbsp;the FAA alleges that between April 2017 and March 2019, the&nbsp;companies&nbsp;conducted approximately 154 paid illegal passenger-carrying flights in&nbsp;two&nbsp;Cessna Citations&nbsp;and Beechcraft King Air.

 


The agency&nbsp;claims&nbsp;that the&nbsp;Elizabethtown, North Carolina headquartered&nbsp;companies “did not have the required FAA operating or air carrier certificate and conducted the flights without appropriate operations specifications, which outline what a company is authorized to do.”&nbsp;The FAA further alleges that the parties conducted operations with “unqualified pilots who did not complete FAA-required training, testing, and competency checks.”&nbsp;

 


A&nbsp;spokesperson for Campbell Oil told&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;that the aircraft being referred to are a Citaion 525 owned by Campbell Oil, and&nbsp;a&nbsp;Citation 525 and&nbsp;Beechcraft&nbsp;B200&nbsp;King Air&nbsp;owned by Executive Aircraft. “The aircraft were not operated by Executive Aircraft, but rather were operated by lessees under various Part 91 compliant lease agreements,” according to the spokesman. “Executive Aircraft provides aircraft and aircraft related services, but not pilots, to Campbell Oil and other aircraft operators.”

 


“We take regulatory compliance very seriously and because of this, we have stayed in constant contact with the FAA’s Greensboro FSDO to ensure that the operations of our aircraft comply with the applicable regulations,” said Brian Campbell, President and CEO of both Campbell Oil and Executive Aircraft in an October 8 response to the charges. “Despite thorough review of the operations involving our aircraft, at no time has the Greensboro FSDO indicated that these operations were in any way contrary to the regulations. This certainly leads us to question the motives behind the FAA’s investigation and present actions.”

 


Campbell added, “We have welcomed oversight and scrutiny of the operations involving our aircraft from the beginning, and we have been transparent in notifying the FAA of such operations since 2013. It is very frustrating that we have received from the FAA conflicting interpretations with respect to the regulations applicable to the operations of our aircraft and are now suffering as a result of this inconsistency.”

 


Although Campbell said he is disappointed with the agency’s actions, “we are hopeful that we will be able to reach a reasonable and satisfactory resolution with the FAA. If that is not possible, we will vigorously defend ourselves against these false allegations and believe a court will agree with our position and reject the FAA’s actions.”&nbsp;The&nbsp;companies have&nbsp;30 days to respond&nbsp;directly&nbsp;to the FAA.&nbsp;

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Companies Deny FAA Allegation of Illegal Charter

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

Kaleyesus Bekele

News and issues concerning the aviation charter and fractional-ownership industries and markets, including company announcements, regulations, new developments and labor issues.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Industry group presses for regulatory progress and continuity across the continent 

African Bizav Strives for Greater Market Opportunity

Amy Wilder

News about simulators and training procedures, as well as workforce.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Rule would not apply to insulin-treated diabetes

FAA Proposes Easing Medical Approvals for Diabetic Pilots

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Regulations and Government

African Bizav Strives for Greater Market Opportunity

Industry group presses for regulatory progress and continuity across the continent

FAA Proposes Easing Medical Approvals for Diabetic Pilots

Rule would not apply to insulin-treated diabetes

Congress OKs Stopgap Government Funding Measure

Move averts potential shutdown

Longtime Bizav Attorney Gary Garofalo Flies West

His career spanned more than five and a half decades

New Treasury Rule Limits LLC Information Reporting

The revision relaxes some provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act

Nancy Kassebaum, Architect of GA Product Liability Reform, Dies

Kassebaum pushed through the General Aviation Revitalization Act

Nav Canada Increases ATC Service Charges

Increased fees are to recover pandemic shortfall

FAA InFO Outlines CVR Upgrade Deadlines

Larger new bizav aircraft face 2027 deadline, while small new turbine bizav aircraft have 2029 deadline

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN