FAA Alleges Arkansas Charter Carrier Flew Passengers on Unauthorized Aircraft for 13 Months
Carrier operated 31 passenger flights on aircraft never listed on its FAA certificate
Federal aviation regulators have accused a Northwest Arkansas charter operator of conducting dozens of passenger flights using aircraft that were never approved for its certificate, a violation the agency says persisted for more than a year.
The Federal Aviation Administration proposed a $351,000 civil penalty against Creamer Pilot Services, which operates as Jett Aircraft, alleging 37 unauthorized flights between October 2021 and November 2022. The company holds a Part 135 air carrier certificate issued in 2018, authorizing it to carry passengers for hire under specific conditions listed in its Operations Specifications.
According to the FAA, 31 of those flights used three aircraft that did not appear on the carrier’s Operations Specifications at all. Another six flights operated outside the 48 contiguous United States — a category of operation the company was not authorized to conduct — even though those two aircraft were listed on its specifications.
Operations Specifications function as the carrier’s license to fly particular aircraft on particular routes. They detail which airframes, engines, and avionics configurations have been vetted for the operator’s maintenance program, training curriculum, and manuals. Flying passengers on an unlisted aircraft means the FAA never verified that the carrier’s procedures, pilot training, or maintenance records covered that specific equipment.
The agency characterized all 37 violations as conducted “knowingly, carelessly and recklessly,” language that signals the FAA believes the carrier understood the requirements and chose to disregard them. That phrasing also opens the door to higher penalties than simple negligence would allow.
Jett Aircraft was founded in 2011 by Lance Creamer, who named the company after his grandson, Jett Allen. The company’s website describes three decades of industry experience and a base in Fayetteville. FOX Business has requested comment from the company.
The proposed penalty is not a final order. Creamer Pilot Services has 30 days to respond, after which the case may proceed to an administrative law judge if the parties do not settle. The FAA’s enforcement database shows the agency has pursued similar Operations Specifications violations against other Part 135 carriers in recent years, with penalties ranging from $50,000 to over $1 million depending on the number of flights and the level of intent alleged.
Passengers who charter flights rarely see the Operations Specifications that govern their trip. Brokers and charter platforms typically vet carriers for valid certificates, but the specific aircraft assigned to a trip may not be cross-checked against the carrier’s authorized list unless the broker requests it. The FAA does not publish individual carriers’ Operations Specifications in a searchable public database.
