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Most people booking a private jet for the first time hand over five figures without checking whether the operator conducting their flight holds a valid licence to do so. That check takes under ten minutes and is free.
This is not a theoretical risk. Illegal charter — where an aircraft flies passengers for hire without the required certification — voids insurance coverage, removes passenger legal protections, and exposes travellers to financial liability. The FAA estimates it is more common than most buyers assume.
There are three independent verification systems available to private jet buyers before booking. Each takes a different angle — legal certification, safety history, and independent audit status. Together they give you a complete picture of any operator in under ten minutes.
The legal baseline. If the operator isn't on this list, the flight is not authorised for commercial charter in the US. Search by operator name or aircraft tail number.
FAA Part 135 List →Independent safety rating based on accident history, pilot records, and on-site audits. Gold, Gold Plus, or Platinum. Platinum requires the most rigorous assessment.
ARGUS Operator Registry →The first independent audit standard in the charter industry. Wingman certification requires an on-site audit and re-audit every 24 months. Meaningfully different from Wyvern Registered.
Wyvern Wingman Directory →In the United States, any operator carrying passengers for hire on a charter flight must hold a valid Title 14 CFR Part 135 certificate issued by the FAA. This is not optional — it is the legal requirement for commercial air charter operations.
The FAA maintains a publicly accessible list of every certificated Part 135 operator and every individual aircraft authorised under each certificate. It lists the Certificate Holder Name, Certificate Designator, FAA District Office, aircraft tail number (N-number), serial number, and aircraft model. It is updated monthly and downloadable in Excel.
The FAA list is updated monthly, not in real time. A new operator or recently added aircraft may not appear for up to 30 days. The FAA advises contacting your local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) if you cannot locate an operator you believe to be legitimate. Also note: some operators fly under a DBA (doing business as) name that differs from their certificate holder name — search both.
The FAA Part 135 list tells you an operator is legally certified. It does not tell you anything about their safety record, pilot standards, or maintenance practices. That is what ARGUS International's CHEQ system is designed to address.
ARGUS maintains records on over 1,000 charter operators, more than 5,000 aircraft, and 21,000 professional pilots — including over 250,000 incident and accident records. Its ratings are independent, not self-reported, and based on data pulled from multiple regulatory and historical sources.
In-depth research into historical safety records, pilot background checks, and aircraft operational control validation. No on-site audit required. Indicates baseline compliance and clean safety history.
Meets all Gold requirements plus additional data validation and enhanced pilot record review. No on-site audit. Indicates a stronger documented safety profile.
Requires all Gold requirements plus a rigorous on-site safety audit of facilities, maintenance practices, safety management systems, and crew training. The highest ARGUS designation. Many Fortune 500 corporate travel policies require Platinum as a minimum.
A Red designation indicates a known deficiency or refusal to disclose information. Yellow indicates missing or unverified data. An operator not appearing in ARGUS at all is not necessarily unsafe — but it tells you nothing about their safety history.
Wyvern was the first independent aviation audit company in the charter industry. Its Wingman certification is widely regarded as the most demanding operator credential available to buyers — and it is meaningfully different from simply being "Wyvern Registered."
You can check an operator's Wingman status directly in the Wyvern Wingman Directory, searchable by operator name, city, or country.
For operators outside the US, or for international flights where FAA Part 135 does not apply, the relevant benchmark is IS-BAO (International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations), developed by the International Business Aviation Council. It is the only FAA-recognised aviation audit system for Part 135 operators and is the globally accepted standard for business aviation safety management.
IS-BAO has three stages, with Stage 3 representing the highest level of safety management system maturity. Operators displaying IS-BAO registration have committed to an internationally recognised code of best practices that goes beyond regulatory compliance.
Most private jet bookings go through a broker, not directly through an operator. This is not a problem — a good broker simplifies access, provides wider aircraft choice, and runs these checks on your behalf. But the broker relationship introduces a specific risk that buyers often miss.
A broker does not hold a Part 135 certificate. They do not own or operate aircraft. When something goes wrong — a cancellation, a mechanical issue, a substitution — the broker's ability to resolve it depends entirely on their operator relationships and their own vetting standards.
The question to ask any broker before booking is not just "are you reputable" but specifically: does the broker itself hold ARGUS or Wyvern broker certification? This is a separate credential from the operator ratings — it means the broker has been independently audited on their own policies, ethics, and operator vetting practices.
Book with confidence — vetted operators, itemised quotes, licensed carriers
Check Options via Villiers →Look up the operator on the FAA's Part 135 certificate holder list. Search by operator name or aircraft tail number. If neither appears, the flight is not legally authorised for commercial charter in the US.
14 CFR Part 135 is the FAA regulation governing on-demand air charter in the US. Without it, a flight carrying passengers for hire is illegal — voiding insurance, removing passenger protections, and potentially exposing travellers to financial liability.
ARGUS CHEQ is an independent safety rating system assigning operators Gold, Gold Plus, or Platinum based on accident history, pilot records, and — for Platinum — an on-site audit. Search the ARGUS operator registry before booking to check an operator's current rating.
Wyvern Registered means the operator has submitted records to Wyvern — no audit required. Wyvern Wingman Certified means the operator has passed an extensive on-site audit with re-audits every 24 months. The distinction is significant. Always check which status applies.
IS-BAO (International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations) is the globally recognised code of best practices for business aviation, developed by the International Business Aviation Council. It is the only FAA-recognised aviation audit system for Part 135 operators and carries three stages, with Stage 3 the highest.
A charter operator holds a Part 135 certificate and has direct operational control of the flight. A charter broker is an intermediary sourcing aircraft from operators on your behalf. Always confirm the identity of the operating carrier — the actual Part 135 holder conducting your flight — regardless of who you book through.
Ask for: the operating carrier's full legal name and Part 135 certificate number, the specific aircraft tail number, the operator's ARGUS and Wyvern status, confirmation the aircraft appears on the operator's D085, and whether the broker holds their own ARGUS or Wyvern broker certification.
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