Safety First. Always.

Our Safety Management System (SMS) protocol requires our pilots to hold an FAA Airline Transport Pilot License (highest available) and to receive rigorous training that far exceeds the industry standard. NICHOLAS AIR pilots participate in two annual training courses, receive simulator-based flight training to be type-rated in the aircraft, and must perform two check rides per year with an FAA-approved check airman.

The NICHOLAS AIR Safety Management System (SMS) is a program encompassing system safety and safety management processes. SMS is recognized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) as the next step in the evolution of safety in aviation. Similar to other business and operational decision-making systems, SMS is a decision-making tool.

The role of safety is performed by every NICHOLAS AIR team member. Our SMS program continually challenges our organization to examine our operations and all decisions surrounding the operations. It promotes the continuous safety improvement through the use of reports and data collection to assess, analyze, and control risk. The NICHOLAS AIR SMS program reinforces and is an extension of our corporate culture of predictive thinking versus reactive thinking.

IS-BAO

The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and its member associations, is a recommended code of best practices designed to help flight departments worldwide achieve high levels of safety and professionalism. IS-BAO is an industry standard built for operators, by operators that provide standards based on the ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). Both the FAA and CAA in Canada recognize IS-BAO as meeting the ICAO standard. The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) also recognizes IS-BAO as an industry standard for business aircraft operations.

WYVERN

The Wingman Standard

A Wingman Operator is one who operates and upholds The Wingman Standard. Developed and maintained by Wyvern Consulting, with aid from corporate aviation directors, The Wingman Standard contains the processes and operating parameters to which a Wingman Operator shall adhere. As a living document, The Standard is regularly updated to reflect the adoption of ongoing safety best practices and flying environments, worldwide.

The Audit Process

Each Wingman Operator undergoes an initial and then recurring audit every 24 months to verify compliance to The Wingman Standard. Highly experienced and expertly trained, operations and maintenance specialists from the Wyvern auditing team perform a two-day onsite visit which encompasses everything from formal training, to SMS, staff interviews to physical aircraft inspections.

An Exclusive Database

The Wingman Report (TWR) is a directory composed exclusively of Wingman Operators. Available 24/7, the database is an invaluable resource for Wyvern’s corporate, retail, and broker clientele who exclusively source Wingman Operator lift. The Wingman Report also offers aircraft search tools, audit reports, operator, fleet, crew, and insurance safety data resources.

Wingman PASS Program

Wyvern’s Pilot and Aircraft Safety Survey (PASS) Program allows Wingman Operators to provide Wingman Standard PASS reports to their clients. Checking over 150 data points, the mission-specific PASS trip due diligence reports ensure a flight meets The Wingman Standard at the time of departure.

ARGUS CHEQ

The ARGUS CHEQ (Charter Evaluation and Qualification) program was developed over a decade ago as the most accurate and detailed third-party due diligence system for charter operators, buyers, and passengers around the world. ARGUS extracts, filters, and vets data on charter operators around the world through the CHEQ Program. To qualify for a Gold Rating, ARGUS uses a proprietary algorithm that has formed the foundation of the only rating system in the business jet charter marketplace. This scoring system is the backbone of CHEQ and provides charter buyers with an independent, third-party, factually-based rating on an operator’s actual safety history.

The CHEQ system has three major components: historical safety ratings, current aircraft and pilot background checks, and on-site safety audits. Analysis of these components results in three potential levels of safety rating: Each level reflects analysis and ranking based on increasing amounts of detailed information on the charter operator. The CHEQ system is the most comprehensive and detailed safety analysis program in the industry.

• Not Rated – There is, at the sole discretion of ARGUS, inadequate information or operational history to generate an ARGUS CHEQ rating; or the operator does not currently meet all the requirements for an ARGUS rating.
• DNQ Rating – The operator does not qualify for an ARGUS rating.
• Gold Rating – The operator meets the current ARGUS Gold Rating requirements including, but not limited to, maintaining complete, current, and accurate data in the ARGUS CHEQ system suitable for producing an ARGUS Trip CHEQ report.