Private Jet Safety Regulations: What You Should Know Before You Fly
Private jet travel offers speed, flexibility, and luxury — but how safe is it?
The truth is, private jet charters can be among the safest ways to fly — if you know what to look for. Not all operators are equal, and the level of oversight, pilot vetting, and aircraft standards varies widely across the industry.
That’s where this guide comes in. Whether you're a seasoned flyer or considering private aviation for the first time, this chapter walks you through the essential safety regulations, certifications, and best practices that every charter should meet.
You'll also learn how Paramount Business Jets ensures that each flight meets — and often exceeds — those standards.
Key Takeaways:
Private jet safety isn’t guaranteed — it’s earned. Knowing which standards matter is the first step to flying smart.
FAA Part 135 certification is required for legal charter operations, and it comes with strict maintenance, training, and operational protocols.
Top-tier operators go beyond the minimums, with third-party audits from ARGUS, Wyvern, IS-BAO, and more.
Pilot experience is crucial. Time-in-type and recurrent simulator training ensure a flight crew is truly qualified for your specific aircraft.
Most safety issues in private aviation stem from unvetted or unauthorized operators, not mechanical failure.
Paramount provides full transparency before every flight, including safety reports, certifications, pilot details, and aircraft documentation.
Choosing the right provider makes all the difference. Paramount clients fly confidently because they know we’ve done the due diligence for them.
Private jet safety starts with informed decisions — and with a partner you can trust.
Now, let’s get down to the details.
Questions about private jet safety are some of the first that travelers often ask, and for good reason! So, are private jets safe? The short answer is yes.
While private jet travel is often associated with luxury and efficiency, what many don't realize is that underpinning every private flight is a rigorous regulatory framework that must be upheld. The private aviation industry is subject to stringent safety standards that rival and, in some cases, exceed those of commercial airlines.
From pilot certifications to aircraft maintenance standards and operational audits, private jet charters are subject to strict oversight designed to protect you at every stage.
In this guide, we’ll break down the core private jet safety regulations that govern the industry. You’ll learn what makes a charter provider trustworthy, what certifications and ratings to look for, and how to assess whether your flight is truly secure.
We’ll also answer common concerns like “Are private jets safer than commercial airlines?” and highlight the best practices for private jet safety every flyer should know.
Regulatory Oversight — Who Sets the Rules for Private Jet Safety?
First things first: flying is one of the safest forms of transportation. The chance of dying in an automobile accident is roughly 1 in 5,000. Most of us drive daily. The chance of dying in an airplane accident, by contrast? About 1 in 8,000,000. Yes, you read that correctly. In other words, it’s very safe.
That’s partially due to the level of regulation involved. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by acronyms and organizations immediately upon stepping into the wide world of private jet safety regulators. From the FAA and ICAO to ARGUS and IS-BAO, what’s most important? What does all of it mean?
We’re here to set the record straight. We hope this will serve as a comprehensive yet easily scannable resource detailing who the major governing bodies of private aviation are and what they do.
FAA & ICAO: National & Global Governmental Authorities
In the United States, the right to operate on-demand unscheduled air service is granted by the Federal Aviation Administration. Specifically, all operators must secure a Charter Type Services (Part 135) certificate from the FAA. Most Part 135 air carriers are required to have an “FAA-approved hazardous materials (dangerous goods) program” as well. In order to become a 135 operator, stringent safety, maintenance, and operational requirements must be met.
Because most operators charter international flights for their customers, they usually must also adhere to standards set by many international regulatory bodies, including:
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA): This is a generic name used by various countries, with the UK's CAA being a prominent example that regulates its domestic aviation while also enforcing European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) rules locally.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): A specialized agency of the United Nations, the ICAO sets global standards for aviation safety, efficiency, and regularity across 191 member states, although individual countries can propose modifications.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA): As the central aviation authority for the European Union, the EASA establishes and enforces common safety and environmental rules for all member countries, including type certification of aircraft and components.
The Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA): The predecessor to EASA, the JAA was an association of European civil aviation authorities that worked to create common safety standards, and most of its functions were absorbed by EASA in 2008.
Third-Party Audit Bodies
At Paramount Business Jets, we only arrange flights with operators that meet or exceed these standards. Plus, every trip comes standard with a custom safety report reviewed by our internal safety team. (The same is NOT true for all private jet companies!).
ARGUS: This organization assigns Gold or Platinum ratings to charter operators based on their historical safety record, pilot experience, and operational compliance.
Wyvern: This body requires its certified operators to adhere to continuous, real-time safety checks and thorough pilot vetting processes.
The International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO): This global standard promotes a voluntary code of best practices for business aircraft operators that is based on ICAO standards.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation: This foundation advances aviation safety and security through specific initiatives and programs tailored for the air charter industry.
Not only that, at Paramount, we’re also accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the Air Charter Association, Inc. 500, and Inc. 5000, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), among others.
Private Jet Pilot Safety Regulations & Flight Crew Standards
You should feel confident in whoever is flying your plane, period. Pilot quality is, after all, one of the most important standalone factors in private jet safety. That’s why, under FAA Part 135, introduced earlier, captains must log a minimum of 1,200 flight hours. In practice, however, most of the pilots we work with have many more than that.
The pilots and crew we work with undergo recurrent simulator training at least once a year, if not twice a year, which covers everything from emergency landings to severe weather navigation. Crews are also subject to randomized drug and alcohol testing and TSA background checks. Not only that, but because private pilots must navigate much smaller airports (and shorter runways) than their commercial counterparts, they must undergo special training.
At Paramount Business Jets, we give all of our clients detailed safety profiles that include pilot history and time-in-type information (which details not just how many hours a pilot has logged but in which type of aircraft those hours were logged).
For an even deeper dive into operational best practices, we recommend reading our blog post entitled “How Safe is Your Next Charter Flight?”.
What to Look for in a Safe Private Jet Charter Provider
While both private aviation and commercial aviation maintain strong safety records, there is arguably more standardization in commercial aviation, which is why it’s important to do your due diligence when choosing a private jet charter provider.
Most incidents that do occur in private aviation trace back to unauthorized or poorly vetted operators.
Here’s what to look for if safety is a top priority (as it very well should be):
Ratings from trusted third-party auditors such as IS-BAO, Wyvern, or ARGUS.
Pilot & crew credentials for every flight.
Detailed private jet safety ratings (aircraft documentation should include maintenance history and insurance information).
A dedicated safety process with active oversight – not just passive promises.
Total and complete transparency. Bar none.
Let Paramount Secure You a Safe Private Jet Today!
Private jet safety is something that every operator and charter company should take seriously, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. That’s why when evaluating private jet companies, you should always be sure to choose an authorized provider.
More than that, you should aim to choose a provider that has intentionally and actively sought out approval from third-party regulating and ranking bodies.
With over two decades in the aviation industry, Paramount does all the above and more. We take your safety seriously and would be proud to be your private jet charter company of choice.
Let us secure you one of the safest private planes available! Book your next private jet flight now to fly with confidence.
