CLEVELAND, February 7, 2017 – Flexjet LLC, offering travelers access to the world’s most luxurious fleet of private jets, today announced it has again received the most prestigious aviation safety rating in the United States, the Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US) Platinum Safety Rating. Flexjet, which flies some of the youngest aircraft among large operators, has now earned the biennial Platinum Rating for five consecutive two-year periods since 2008. The ARG/US rating is the result of independent assessments and a multi-day, onsite audit that measures companies against the aviation industry’s best practices for safety.
“Of all the awards and distinctions Flexjet has received through the years, none means so much to us as the ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, which goes to the heart of our mission: The safe passage of our Owners, clients and flight crews,” said Flexjet Chief Executive OfficerMichael Silvestro. “Earning this award for the fifth time is the result of the dedication of our pilots and flight crews, our operations staff and our maintenance and ground crews.”
ARG/US, an independent aviation research firm, provides safety ratings for aircraft operators based upon onsite audits and analyses using recognized benchmarks. Companies that have achieved the very highest safety standards earn the Platinum Rating. The ARG/US audit requires that an air carrier have a well-developed safety management system, a clear and workable emergency response plan, effective policies and procedures as well as documented records for all major aspects of operations and maintenance.
“The ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating is earned by only a relative handful of aircraft operators that meet or exceed strict standards for equipment, maintenance, flight crew experience and other factors that contribute to safety,” said Flexjet Chief Safety Officer Alan W. Ray. “We are proud of this distinction and the culture of safety it reflects, and work to earn it every single day.”
Out of the nation’s 2,159 commuter, charter and on-demand aviation companies, only 6 percent are rated Platinum by ARG/US. Companies can earn the safety rating, first offered by ARG/US in 2000, through a biennial assessment of seven demanding industry best practices including historical safety ratings, current aircraft and pilot background checks and passage of a rigorous on-site safety audit that takes several weeks to complete. The Platinum Rating is awarded only to experienced operators who meet the criteria for Gold and pass the ARGUS Platinum onsite safety audit.
With Flexjet’s growing fleet of ultra-long range aircraft, the company also pursued and completed the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) audit and is registered as complying with the global standard. IS-BAO is a global, voluntary code of best practice with a safety management system at its core. Tailored specifically for business aviation operators, it is built upon and consistent with the standards and recommended practices of the International Civil Aviation Organization. This compliance is essentially an international standard of excellence in safety programs.
In addition to the ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, Flexjet was the first fractional jet ownership program to meet the increasingly strict Industry Audit Standard of the Air Charter Safety Foundation, perhaps the toughest standard for Part 135 air carriers.
Just this month, Flexjet earned the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) coveted Diamond Award of Excellence for the 18th consecutive year, more than any other provider of private jet travel. The Diamond Award is the FAA’s highest honor for maintenance training and recognizes a carrier’s commitment to excellence in maintenance, a crucial component of safety. Flexjet also is an active participant in the FAA’s innovative Part 5 Safety Management System.
About Flexjet
Flexjet first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995, and celebrated its 21st anniversary in May 2016. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing. Flexjet’s fractional aircraft program is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 18 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence and upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating. Flexjet’s fractional program fields an exclusive array of business aircraft—some of the youngest in the fractional jet industry, with an average age of approximately six years—including their LXi Cabin Collection consisting of the Learjet 75LXi, Challenger 350, the Embraer Legacy 450 and 500, Global Express, the Gulfstream G450, G500 and G650, and the Aerion AS2 supersonic business jets. In addition, the overall jet collection includes the Embraer Phenom 300, Challenger 300 and Challenger 605. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Twitter @Flexjet.
