Glossary
Safety ratings
3 terms
The third-party audits and what each rating level actually certifies, as distinct from what it is marketed as.
IS-BAO Stages 1, 2 and 3
IS-BAO Stages 1, 2 and 3 are three levels within the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, a voluntary safety code from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). Stage 1 shows a safety management system exists on paper; Stage 2, that it functions; Stage 3, that it is mature. It carries no direct fee, though it affects operator selection.
DefinitionPart 135 Operator Safety Record
A Part 135 Operator Safety Record is the aggregate history of an operator holding a United States FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate: its accident and incident history, FAA enforcement actions, and results from voluntary third-party audits such as ARGUS or Wyvern. No single official FAA score exists; brokers and buyers piece it together from separate sources.
DefinitionThird-Party Safety Audit
A third-party safety audit is an assessment of an aircraft operator's safety management, maintenance and training records carried out by an independent company such as ARGUS International or Wyvern, rather than by the operator itself or a government regulator. It is voluntary, carries no fixed fee to a charter client, but shapes which operators brokers will book.
Definition