The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed in a statement on December 13 that it had proposed revoking the Air Carrier Certificate (ACC) of charter operator Executive Air Express (Murfreesboro) for allegedly making at least 30 passenger flights using aircraft not authorised by the US authorities.

According to the regulator, between January 31, 2016, and September 29, 2017, the airline, which is headquartered at Murfreesboro airport near Nashville, Tennessee, operated 28 flights with paying passengers on board using a Learjet 35A that had not been listed in the company’s FAA-endorsed Operations Specifications (Opspecs).

The company conducted 12 flights with the Learjet between January 31 and October 24, 2016, the FAA alleged. On the latter date, it requested that the FAA add the aircraft to its Opspecs, after which, until May 3, 2017, it conducted an additional 15 flights using the Learjet.

On May 3, 2017, the FAA denied Executive Air Express’s request, citing 49 discrepancies the company needed to address before it could resume its inspections of the aircraft. On September 29, 2017, the company conducted one more charter flight with the aircraft, the FAA alleged.

The agency also said that Executive Air Express had failed to conduct the required 25 hours of proving flights before using the Learjet in its charter operations. In addition, it allegedly conducted two for-hire flights on May 2, 2018, using a Swearingen Aircraft SA226T that was also not included on its opspecs.

“Executive’s operation of the Learjet and Swearingen was careless or reckless and endangered lives and property,” the FAA said in its statement.

The carrier now has 15 days after receiving the FAA’s proposed revocation letter to respond to the agency.