Glossary
Regulation
8 terms
The rules an operator flies under, and the difference between the ones that protect you and the ones that do not.
Air Operator Certificate (AOC)
An Air Operator Certificate (AOC) is the certificate a commercial air operator must hold, issued in the UK by the Civil Aviation Authority and in EU member states under EASA rules, authorising it to carry fare-paying passengers or cargo. The United States uses a different certificate, issued under 14 CFR Part 119, and does not call it an AOC.
DefinitionAir Passenger Duty
Air Passenger Duty (APD) is a UK tax, administered by HM Revenue & Customs, charged on passengers departing from UK airports. Private jets usually fall into APD's 'higher rate' band, which applies to aircraft weighing 5.7 tonnes or more with fewer than 19 seats, making per-passenger duty substantially higher than on scheduled airline tickets.
DefinitionCharter Broker vs Operator
A charter broker arranges flights by finding an aircraft and operator for a client, but owns no aircraft and holds no operating certificate. An operator holds that certificate — in the US an FAA Part 135 certificate, in the UK and EU an Air Operator Certificate — and is legally responsible for the flight, which affects liability and pricing transparency.
DefinitionDry Lease vs Wet Lease
A dry lease provides an aircraft alone, so the lessee supplies its own crew and holds operational control, usually under its own Air Operator Certificate. A wet lease bundles crew, maintenance and insurance with the aircraft, and the lessor keeps operational control under its own certificate, which changes who is legally responsible for the flight.
DefinitionFederal Excise Tax
Federal Excise Tax (FET) is a United States federal tax, imposed under 26 U.S.C. § 4261, on amounts paid for taxable air transportation, including most Part 135 charter flights. It adds roughly 7.5% of the charter cost plus a flat per-segment fee, collected by the operator and shown as a separate line on the invoice.
DefinitionGrey Charter
Grey charter is the illegal practice of carrying paying passengers without the certificate the flight requires — in the United States, flying for hire under the private Part 91 rules instead of holding FAA Part 135 authority; in the UK or EU, flying commercially without an Air Operator Certificate. It removes the oversight and insurance certification requires.
DefinitionPart 380 Public Charter
Part 380 Public Charter is a United States Department of Transportation rule (14 CFR Part 380) that lets a company sell individual seats on a flight to the public, rather than chartering a whole aircraft. The flight itself is still flown by an FAA-certificated carrier under Part 121 or Part 135, which remains responsible for the operation.
DefinitionPart 91 vs Part 135
Part 91 and Part 135 are United States Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR) that distinguish private flying from commercial air charter. Part 91 covers an owner operating their own aircraft without compensation; Part 135 covers on-demand charter for hire, requiring an FAA Air Operator Certificate, stricter oversight, and federal excise tax on the fare.
Definition