Fly Legal Day Spotlights Dangers of Illegal Charters

Air Charter Association’s initiative highlights the perils of illegal charter flights and calls for stricter vigilance and education.

Amelia Walsh

Friday, January 17, 2025 at 12:40 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

[FLYING File photo]

Key Takeaways:

The Air Charter Association (ACA) observes its annual "Fly Legal Day" on January 21st to highlight the significant dangers of illegal charter flights, marking the sixth anniversary of Emiliano Sala's death in such an incident.
Illegal charters occur when operators lack an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) or use private aircraft for payment, thereby evading crucial commercial aviation safety regulations concerning maintenance, crew training, and operational management.
The ACA calls for increased vigilance and education within the industry and among the public, urging professionals to report any suspicious charters to regulators to prevent future air tragedies.

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The Air Charter Association (ACA) is spotlighting the dangers of illegal charter flights through its annual Fly Legal Day initiative taking place on January 21.

ACA says the annual event serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by illegal charter flights and a call to action for stricter vigilance and industry education. This year, Fly Legal Day marks the sixth anniversary of the loss of Premier League soccer player Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson in an illegal charter flight in 2019 from France to the U.K.