The due-diligence file for a new operator.

A flight department shouldn't approve a new operator because the price or the availability happened to be convenient. It should build a repeatable file that someone else could review later and understand exactly what was checked, when, and against which source.

Authority and counterparty

• Confirm legal name, DBA, jurisdiction, and certificate number.
• Verify the certificate authorizes the type of operation planned.
• Confirm the aircraft on the applicable OpSpecs and D085.
• Review DOT economic authority where applicable.
• Identify who signs, who invoices, and who exercises operational control.

The FAA lets you search Part 135 operators and authorized aircraft directly, and NBAA recommends requesting a copy of the certificate, checking it against the FAA record, and reviewing the D085 before placing a client on the aircraft.

Operational safety

• Obtain the most recent independent audit.
• Record the program, level, date, scope, and expiration.
• Review material findings and the status of corrective actions where available.
• Confirm SMS, emergency response plan, and internal evaluation program.
• Review the history of accidents, incidents, and regulatory actions.

The absence of a rating doesn't prove an operator is unsafe, but it raises the burden of diligence. A current rating doesn't eliminate the need to check the specific flight either.

Aircraft and maintenance

• Confirm tail number, configuration, and airworthiness.
• Review the maintenance program, relevant inspections, and deferred defects within what the operator can disclose.
• Confirm the published capacity matches the actual configuration.
• Evaluate airports, performance, runway restrictions, and alternates for the mission.

The FAA notes that Part 135 maintenance requirements can be stricter than Part 91's, and vary depending on passenger configuration and the approved program.

Crew and operation

• Confirm licenses, type rating, medical certificate, recurrent training, and currency.
• Review experience on type and on the mission, without asking for unnecessary personal information.
• Confirm fatigue policy, crew composition, and operational control.
• Ask who makes the final call on weather, maintenance, or an airport change.

Insurance and contract

• Current COI matching the tail number.
• Limits, jurisdiction, charter use, and endorsements.
• Identification of insured, certificate holder, and additional insured where applicable.
• Clauses covering substitution, cancellation, delay, force majeure, privacy, and liability.
• Incident and notification procedure.

Insurance should line up with the real operator. For carriers subject to Part 205, evidence is filed with the FAA and has to stay accurate.

Decision and renewal

Assign an internal rating per dimension, authority, safety, maintenance, crew, service, insurance, and transparency, without turning it into a false safety score. Record open items, an owner, and a renewal date. If the operator can't answer something, the file should say "not verified."