But Many Doubt DOT Will Sign Off On Foreign-Owned Airline

With DOT approval to begin operations very much in doubt, Virgin America tells ANN it has nevertheless completed the last formal step in the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) airline certification review -- flight proving runs.

The airline now only awaits approval from the US Department of Transportation before they can begin operations -- but, as Aero-News reported Friday, many expect the DOT to reject Virgin America's bid to launch operations next year over foreign ownership concerns.

As part of any new airline's regulatory review process, the FAA performs a comprehensive safety review and first examines all aspects of a new carrier's safety programs, operations manuals, training procedures, and personnel qualifications. They then use tabletop operations exercises, aircraft evacuations, and actual flights to test the safety effectiveness of airline flight crews and management in simulated real world scenarios.

The "proving run" flights are the final step in this Systems Safety and operational review process. Virgin America was required to fly aircraft and FAA examiners on flights to and from San Francisco, New York, and other airports.

Virgin America is the first new airline to be certified through the FAA's new Air Transportation and Oversight System (ATOS) compliant certification procedures. ATOS is the FAA's newest and most advanced safety surveillance program.

Upon completion of the flight proving runs, FAA officials praised Virgin America's performance as exemplary. The airline said one FAA official noted, "I have done 35 certifications and by far this was the best I've ever seen."

Virgin America's Senior Vice President of Flight Operations Bob Weatherly praised the airline's operations personnel following the final test flight. "This is an outstanding team - the likes of which I've never seen in my 30 plus years in the airline industry. I want to commend them all for their outstanding teamwork, expertise, skill and performance in successfully accomplishing this intensive Systems Safety and operational review."

Virgin America hopes to commence service in the Spring of 2007 from its home base at San Francisco International Airport to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The airline has 34 Airbus A319s and A320s on order; the airline also has a team of 169 employees, and has already taken delivery of nine aircraft.

Whether they'll be able to fly anywhere, though, remains to be seen.

FMI: www.virginamerica.com, www.dot.gov, www.faa.gov