VAULT AVIATION SAFETY

Vault Aviation Safety Standards

While exceptional pricing and unmatched service are how we provide value to our clients, safety truly is our top priority. With this in mind, we abide by the Platinum Rule: Never book a client on a plane we wouldn’t board ourselves. Because we value getting you and your family home safely, Vault Aviation uses a select group of safety-audited operators who comply with ARGUS and/or Wyvern safety standards. Vault only sources aircraft from FAR Part 135 Charter Operators, and we mandate that they carry a minimum of $50,000,000 in insurance and show no history of damage or irregular maintenance events. From turboprops to heavy jets (and everything in between), all of our aircraft are flown by 2 highly qualified pilot crews. Vault Aviation will never charter a plane with only a single pilot – no exceptions.

Aircraft Safety Auditing

Vault Aviation only charters aircraft that have been audited by The Aviation Research Group/US (“ARGUS”) or Wyvern. ARGUS audits an operator’s maintenance records, flight history, insurance coverage, the frequency of aircraft inspections, and a program’s ability to meet or exceed FAA standards. Other considerations include pilot training, flight hours, and pilot medical records.

For operators, ARGUS has a four-tier rating system: (1) Does Not Qualify, (2) Gold, (3) Gold Plus, and (4) Platinum. All ARGUS-rated operators must provide the auditing firm with its latest records to ensure that they’re cleared before each flight. Prior to any flight, Vault Aviation can request an ARGUS TripCHEQ to ensure that the aircraft, crew, and trip meet the ARGUS standards.

Pilot Safety and Credentials

All of the aircraft that Vault Aviation charters must be piloted by 2 highly experienced pilots: a Pilot-In-Command (PIC) and Second-In-Command (SIC). And while the operators ARGUS Rating is highly important to us, we go one step further to ensure our client’s safety.

Vault Aviation also references Wyvern Safety Ratings as an additional layer of safety. Independent of ARGUS, Wyvern allows us to perform a second audit on the operator, the aircraft, and the pilots by running a Pilot & Aircraft Safety Survey (“PASS”) report. The “PASS” report details everything from pilot hours to medical certifications. The following information is included in a “PASS” report:

Qualification

Verification that a charter operator holds a current Air Operating Certificate

Verification

Verification that the aircraft being chartered is listed on the air carrier’s Operations Specifications

Confirmation

Confirmation of current insurance for the aircraft

Safety

Confirmation that each crew member’s experience meets a specific safety standard

Up to Date

Confirmation that each crew member’s medical and license information is current

Approval

Confirmation that the operator has Civil Aviation Authority approval for international operations at chosen locations

The Aircraft Charter Operators

Vault exclusively sources aircraft from FAA approved FAR Part 135 Charter Operators. FAR Part 135 is a set of federal laws governing everything from airworthiness of an aircraft to record keeping practices. The Charter Operators employ the pilots, handle the maintenance, and remain in operational control of the charter flights at all times.

Operational Control refers to the safe operation of an aircraft during a charter flight. Essentially, it means that the pilots are in control and all decisions about the flight are made by them to assure the safety of the passengers and the aircraft. Under operational control principles, nothing the client says and nothing Vault says will affect the safe operation of an aircraft. For example, if a flight to Aspen must divert to Vail due to weather conditions, neither Vault, nor the passengers, can override the judgment of the flight crew. Even if the passengers insist on landing in Aspen as planned, the ultimate decision rests entirely on the pilots to ensure a safe landing.

Vault maintains close relationships with the industry’s top charter operators. These relationships allow us to have preferential access to the safest aircraft available for charter which are flown by the most experienced crews in the industry.

Vault Aviation’s Role as A Broker

Vault Aviation acts as an agent on behalf of its clients to arrange their charter flights. Vault’s loyalty is 100% with our clients, and we have no formal arrangements with any individual aircraft operators. Therefore, there is no conflict of interest or outside pressure, nor do we have any incentive to put a Vault client on a specific plane from a specific operator. We are always working exclusively for each client’s benefit and we will never compromise on quality or safety.

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