Sat, Oct 28, 2006
JIM Air Is Going Out Of Business
The Federal Aviation
Administration has pulled the pilot license of Anchorage, AK air
taxi operator Jim Bern following a crash two months ago.
The Associated Press reports Bern, who operated a business
called Jim Air for almost 15 years, was flying a Cessna 206 with
three passengers onboard through Portage Pass on August 19 when he
attempted to fly through the mountain pass in bad weather. Bern
says he attempted to turn around in the clouds, and impacted a
mountainside.
One of the passengers onboard suffered serious injuries in the
accident... but all four were able to walk to nearby hittier.
It was the first time he'd ever had an accident in 30 years of
flying, said Bern. The FAA revoked his license last week -- a
punishment, Bern says, akin to receiving a death sentence for
running a stoplight.
The FAA, as you might imagine, takes a different view to its
action. Regional counsel Howard Martin says air taxi operators will
receive no leeway with the FAA when it comes to flying into bad
weather in mountainous terrain -- a proven recipe for disaster in
Alaska.
The agency takes an especially harsh view of operations
directors or company owners who make that call, Martin said.
Bern says he surrendered Jim Air's air carrier certificate in
order to avoid further action against the company, including steep
fines.
JIM Air was incorporated as an on-demand air carrier in 1992,
and gradually grew its fleet. The company operates three Cessna
206s, one C182 and a Pilatus PC-12, according to the company
website.
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