Air Trek, an air ambulance company based at the Charlotte County (FL) Airport, had its operating license revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration on June 10. The FAA action comes less than a month after the federal agency suspended Air Trek's carrier's license on May 23
Further inspections, which turned up more serious problems than those cited previously, led the FAA to revoke Air Trek's license. "Our findings as a part of that investigation indicated that revocation was in order as opposed to the suspension," said Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the FAA's southern region.
Further inspections, which turned up more serious problems than those cited previously, led the FAA to revoke Air Trek's license. "Our findings as a part of that investigation indicated that revocation was in order as opposed to the suspension," said Kathleen Bergen, a spokeswoman for the FAA's southern region.
The FAA's emergency revocation letter cited 14 air traffic safety regulation violations, including flying aircraft that had not been deemed safe, failure to follow weight guidelines, deceptively recording maintenance shortfalls, allowing pilots to make international flights without proper training or certification, and letting pilots fly after they had failed required tests.
"Air Trek's systemic noncompliance with regulatory requirements is unacceptable and a danger to the flying public," the FAA's letter said.
Air Trek saw its operating license suspended in May for alleged air safety violations.
According to the FAA's emergency order of suspension, the company: failed to abide by guidelines regulating aircraft weight and balance; allowed unqualified pilots to command international flights; allowed pilots to fly after they failed required competency/proficiency checks; did not provide pilots adequate rest time; did not maintain equipment and records as required by airworthiness directives; did not perform timely inspections; and, lacks sufficient qualified management and technical personnel to ensure the safety of its operations
A company spokesman said the firm had not kept proper records, but followed federal safety guidelines and fixed "clerical" errors that prompted the suspension, according to a local press report.
Air Trek transports sick or injured people between clinics and hospitals both in and out of the United States, using seven Cessna aircraft, including four Cessna 500s, and a Westwind 1124A.
The FAA noted that three Air Trek aircraft crashed over the past three years, with one resulting in six fatalities.
The suspension order resulted from an FAA inspection of the EMS provider in early May.
Air Trek has appealed the FAA's action to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and will go before an administrative law judge in July
Labels: News-and-Society
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