FAA Wants a Civil Penalty of USD 330,000 to Be Levied on Heli-Dudes

• Date: January 19, 2011
• Source: Admin

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is recommending a civil penalty of USD 330,000 against Heli-Dudes of Salt Lake City.  Heli-Dudes allegedly operated sightseeing helicopter rides for hire, thereby violating Federal Aviation Regulations.  Such sightseeing helicopter rides for hire were therefore unauthorized.  In this connection, the FAA has issued a Press Release dated January 6, 2011.  

According to FAA, Heli-Dudes does not have an FAA-issued operating certificate or letter of authoriza-tion.  All the same, it conducted thirty sightseeing flights for hire between Feb 6, 2010 and Feb 14, 2010.  It used a Robinson R-22, a two-seat, piston engine-powered helicopter.  

The FAA rejected two Heli-Dudes applications seeking a Letter of Authorization in January and March, 2010.  On the first occasion, the FAA rejected the application because Heli-Dudes furnished the wrong employee drug-testing certificate.  On the second occasion, the FAA rejected the application because Heli-Dudes conducted for-hire flights although it was not authorized to do so.  

Heli-Dudes has thirty days from receipt of FAA’s enforcement letter to reply to the agency.  

Regulations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is an agency of the US Department of Transportation with authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in US. The Federal Aviation Act of 1958 created the group under the name “Federal Aviation Agency” and adopted its current name in 1967 when it became a part of the US Department of Transportation.  

Amongst other things, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
 

• Regulates US commercial space transportation
• Issues, suspends or revokes pilot certificates
• Regulates civil aviation to promote safety especially through local offices called Flight Standards District Offices

Sources:

http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=12277&omniRss=press_releasesAoc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_Deregulation_Act