Airlines & Charter Operators
Comprehensive safety, compliance and operational advisory for commercial airlines, regional carriers and charter operators worldwide.
Advisory for Airlines & Charter Operators
Safety, Compliance & Operational Advisory for Commercial Airlines, Regional Carriers and Charter Operators
Aerospace and Aviation Consulting Services (AACS) provides comprehensive safety, regulatory, and operational advisory to commercial airlines, regional carriers, charter operators, and business aviation organisations worldwide.
Our capability spans start-up certification through to established airline operations, covering the full regulatory lifecycle from initial AOC application to ongoing compliance monitoring, safety system maturity, and operational performance improvement. We bring genuine airline experience to every engagement — our team includes former airline training captains, regulatory inspectors, safety managers, and accident investigators.
AACS aligns all advisory with ICAO Annex standards, EASA regulations (EU 965/2012 and associated implementing rules), UK CAA frameworks, and the national regulatory requirements of client jurisdictions, ensuring compliance that is internationally consistent and operationally credible.
Core Airlines & Charter Operator Capabilities
AOC Certification & Regulatory Compliance
Obtaining and maintaining an Air Operator Certificate is the regulatory foundation of every commercial aviation operation. AACS provides end-to-end support for new AOC applications and ongoing compliance management for established operators.
Services include:
- New AOC application preparation and authority submission management
- Regulatory gap analysis against EASA EU 965/2012 ORO, CAT, SPA requirements
- Compliance monitoring system design and implementation
- Nominated person role support and accountable manager advisory
- Authority engagement strategy and pre-application consultation
- Special approvals — RVSM, RNP-AR, LVO, ETOPS, EDTO advisory
- AOC variation and amendment management
- Preparation for authority oversight audits and ramp inspections
Our regulatory advisors have direct experience as national authority inspectors and as nominated persons within certified operators, providing insight that bridges the gap between regulatory intent and
operational practice.
Enquire About This Service
Speak to one of our specialists about how AACS can support your organisation.
Standards We Work To
- ICAO Annex 19
- EASA Regulations
- UK CAA Standards
- ISO 9001:2015
- GCAA (UAE) REGULATIONS
- CASA (Australia)
Safety Management System Design & Implementation
An effective Safety Management System is both a regulatory requirement and a fundamental enabler of operational performance. AACS designs, implements, and enhances SMS frameworks tailored to the complexity and risk profile of each operator.
Services include:
- SMS framework design aligned with ICAO Annex 19 and ORO.GEN.200
- Hazard identification and operational risk assessment processes
- Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) development and monitoring frameworks
- Occurrence reporting system design and just culture policy development
- Safety investigation policy and root cause analysis methodology
- Internal safety audit programme design and implementation
- Safety review board structure and governance documentation
- Safety culture assessment and enhancement strategies
- SMS maturity evaluation against ICAO four-component & 12 element framework
We deliver SMS frameworks that satisfy regulatory requirements while generating meaningful safety intelligence — systems operators actually use, not documentation that sits on a shelf.
Operations Manual Development & Review
The Operations Manual suite is the single most critical body of documentation for an airline or charter operator. AACS has extensive experience developing, reviewing, and upgrading OM documentation across multiple regulatory jurisdictions and fleet types.
Services include:
- Full Operations Manual suite development — Parts A, B, C and D
- OM upgrade from VFR to IFR or from one regulatory framework to another
- Aircraft type-specific Part B development for piston, turboprop and jet types
- Route, aerodrome and operating site supplements
- Mass and Balance, Performance, MEL and CDL documentation
- Dangerous goods and security procedures integration
- Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) and FTL policy sections
- OM review and gap analysis against current regulatory requirements
- Document control system design and revision management procedures
All AACS-produced Operations Manuals are structured for regulator readability, crew usability, and long-term maintainability — not simply for initial approval.
Aircraft Acquisition & Fleet Planning Advisory
Aircraft selection and fleet decisions carry long-term financial, operational, and regulatory consequences. AACS provides independent, operator-focused advisory to support sound acquisition decisions across
commercial and business aviation fleet types.
Services include:
- Operational requirements definition and aircraft type selection advisory
- Pre-purchase technical evaluation and airworthiness due diligence support
- Lease structure review from an operational and regulatory perspective
- Import and export airworthiness process support
- Fleet transition planning and phased introduction management
- Aircraft configuration review for regulatory authorisation compatibility
- Investment risk assessment for aircraft acquisition and leasing transactions
- Support to aviation investor due diligence and asset appraisal processes
Our advisory is independent of manufacturers, lessors, and brokers, ensuring that recommendations are driven by the client’s operational and commercial objectives rather than third-party interests.
Accident Investigation & Expert Witness Services
AACS provides specialist accident and serious incident investigation services to airlines, charter operators, insurers, legal firms, and aviation authorities. Our investigators bring real-world operational and
regulatory experience to every engagement.
Services include:
- Independent accident and serious incident investigation
- Root cause analysis using structured methodologies — HFACS, ICAM, Bow-Tie
- Safety recommendation development and corrective action validation
- Insurance investigation and technical loss assessment support
- Expert witness report preparation for legal and regulatory proceedings
- Rebuttal and peer review of third-party investigation reports
- Operator investigation capability development and investigator training
- Just culture and occurrence reporting system review
AACS operates with full independence from operators, manufacturers, and regulators, providing objective analysis that withstands regulatory and legal scrutiny.
Crew Training Programme Design
Effective crew training is central to operational safety and regulatory compliance. AACS supports airlines and charter operators in designing, developing, and evaluating training programmes that meet regulatory
standards and build genuine competency.
Services include:
- Initial and recurrent training programme design for flight crew
- Evidence-Based Training (EBT) programme development and implementation
- Crew Resource Management (CRM) training programme design and delivery
- Human Factors training for flight crew, cabin crew and ground operations
- Line Operations Safety Audit (LOSA) programme design
- Threat and Error Management (TEM) framework integration into training
- Training organisation approval support (ATO, TRTO)
- Training manual and course material development
- Competency-based assessment framework design
Our training advisory is grounded in operational experience and evidence-based methodology, ensuring that training investment translates directly into measurable safety and performance outcomes.
Integrated Airline & Charter Advisory Philosophy
AACS approaches airline and charter operator advisory with a
single governing principle: safety, compliance, and operational performance are
not trade-offs — they are mutually reinforcing when properly managed.
- Regulatory compliance must be built into operations from the ground up, not retrofitted after approval
- Safety Management Systems must generate actionable intelligence, not administrative burden
- Operations Manuals must be written for the crew and the inspector — not for the shelf
- Aircraft acquisition decisions must be operationally and financially independent of sales influence
- Investigation findings must be objective, evidence-based, and capable of withstanding legal scrutiny
- Training programmes must build genuine competency, not simply satisfy currency requirements
We deliver advisory that is independently verified, operationally credible, and built on over 30 years of real-world airline and charter aviation expertise.
