Blue Star Jets and the 2/2/05 TEB Accident

[TailDraggerTed]

Does anyone know anything about a company called Blue Star Jets? I was told that 2/2/05 TEB Accident was planned by them as a charter broker. I don't get the connection, but I was told that as a charter broker the DOT/FAA doesn't need to license/approve/certify them. Could this be true?

 

[psysicx]

Does anybody know what outfit that plane belongs to?

 

[El Bucho]

Blue Star is nothing more than a Charter Broker. A middle man. They get requests from clients which are then put out to bid by charter companies. They have no imput whatsoever into the flight planning. All they do is bascially put the customer in touch with the operator and take a percentage of the trip cost.

EB

 

[hawkerjet]

the charter broker is something that the dot found out about when they were looking to streamline part 135 regs. If you're a broker without a 135 certificate you must disclose to your client that you are not the operator. however, many do not and this is where the problem lies. many people have been screwed by unscrupulous brokers because they don't need to be bonded and insured, so a slick broker could take peoples money then shut down and resurface under a new name. there are plenty of good brokers out there, i don't want to sound like i'm bashing.

 

[Ace-of-the-Base]

...i don't want to sound like i'm bashing.

Too late.

I wish I could end every argument with my wife with: "...i don't want to sound like i'm being a prick...", but I think she'd see right through it.

Ace

 

[Otter]

I heard the operator was Platinum something, air or jet.

448 Alliance was the owner, which the local news said was DDH aviation.

 

[400A]

disclosure

The same rule applies when you operate on someone else's certificate.

For Example, all of our quotes say operated by Raytheon Aircraft Charter and Management and must show the certificate #.

Blue Star seems to be a decent operation. Trips go smoothly and they pay fast.

Sentient, on the other hand, seems to always be a nightmare. (another broker house) They think they own your aircraft and are your boss.... NOT

 

[BobbyB623]

The "operator" was Platinum Jet Management out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The aircraft was on Alpha Jet International's (Muscle Shoals, AL) certificate.

As far as Blue Star Jets, they (as well as all brokers) operate illegally by acting or portraying themselves as direct air carriers, according to the DOT. As I understand it, in order to be considered to be acting in a legal manner, the broker needs to be a marketing agent of the operator, meaning a contractual agreement has to be in place before the charter broker speaks to the operator about specific trips/customers. If this agreement doesn't exist, then they need economic authority from the DOT which will allow the broker "to offer services directly to the public in their own right, subject to their implementation of necessary consumer safeguards" (from Kent Jackson, Business & Commercial Aviation, Dec. '04, page 114).

The DOT has definitely taken notice of charter brokers and how they operate due to a few sleazy ones that use phrases such as "our fleet of a gazillion jets...", etc. It remains to be seen what the DOT is going to do, if anything. However, it is forseeable that some regulation will come about, either from the DOT or the industry itself (to head off DOT) that will require some sort of bond and trust requirements that protect the customers and the air carriers that operate the flights.

I've heard a lot of complaints from charter operators about Blue Star Jets, specifically how they nickel and dime the operators so their profit margin is next to nothing. Also about the knowledge of their reps. Heard one story from a charter operator that was telling a Blue Star rep about the operator's double-deck Gulfstream VII - pretty funny.

 

[cvsfly]

I too have heard the DOT concerns about brokers. Blue Star calls us alot, taking up our secretaries time, and never scheduling. I guess they are shopping for price. Then they do try negotiate and ask for "net-net". Does this mean we are giving them the price before taxes? I not too familiar with the tax issues, but I assume the operator is still responsible for remitting the sales and other taxes and fees. How does broker accounting actually work. What is the typical mark-up/commission?

 

[TailDraggerTed]

Thanks for the info.

Was told that Blue Star Jets booked the Challenger trip that was flown by the company you mentioned above. Blue Star Jets is lucky the press never caught on and mentioned their name as one of the companies involved. Was told by an ex-employee of Blue Star Jets that most of the claims made in their marketing materials and web-site are "less than true."

I don't personally have any first hand expereince with them, but from what I have been learning, I would be cautious if you do any business with these folks.

 

[soarby007]

Challenger

We don't deal with Blue Star anymore because of the hazy area involving the part 135 certificate. They don't have a certificate but do the contracting. I don't understand all the legal stuff, although someone else did a good job of describing it.

 

[RJL]

"According to the FAA, the Teterboro flight was arranged through Blue Star Jets, a New York City-based charter broker."

3/8/05
AIN Alert from Aviation International News

Operator of Teterboro Challenger Fights FAA Actions

Fallout continues in the wake of the Challenger 600 overrun accident on February 2 at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport. Platinum Jet Management of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., which operated the flight, received a “cease and desist” order from the FAA to halt air carrier operations. The order, issued last week, said Platinum did not have “an air carrier certificate.” According to the FAA, the Teterboro flight was arranged through Blue Star Jets, a New York City-based charter broker. Randy Williams, a safety consultant hired by Platinum after the accident, said the airplane was managed by Platinum on behalf of the owner and operated legally under a Part 135 certificate issued to Darby Air, doing business as AlphaJet out of Muscle Shoals, Ala. Under the agreement, Platinum provides the aircraft, contract crews and scheduling service. In return, Platinum pays AlphaJet a monthly “certificate fee” and 10 percent of all charter revenues. The FAA also issued a subpoena to Platinum Jet on February 16, requiring it to provide documentation of its operation, including training and pay records for the flight crew, advertising agreements, aircraft maintenance and flight logs. Platinum Jet objected to the extent of the subpoena, saying that certain records violated the privacy of the flight crew. Meanwhile, the U.S. District Court of New Jersey has ordered that Platinum appear before the court next Monday (March 14) to show why it should not provide the documents requested by the FAA.

 

[PMVULB AvMgr]

The folks at Blue Star are the scum of the earth. Their reputation is so poor, that anyone doing business with them at this point must really have their head stuck in the sand. Their cold-calling ninkampoop sales people know nothing about aviation, except what is printed on their calling sheets. They are so stupid that whenever they call anyone in my company, the call is forwarded to me, and I thoroughly enjoy playing word games with these idiots.

Ask any legitimate charter company what their impression of Blue Star is, and you'll see that the responses all the way around are going to be totally negative. They also seem to enjoy using scare tactics against anyone who tells the truth about their shady operations, such as threatening anyone who badmouths them with law suits and the like. Sounds more like the mob to me than a serious outfit trying to make some bucks legitimately.

 

[G100driver]

PMVULB AvMgr: Excellent post. I am sure that you saw the BC/A article a few months back stating just this. Blue Star is the scum of the brokers. If charter operators would just say no to these idiots perhaps they could make a few more buck and 135 pilots could make a decent living and even have a schedule.

Keep up the good work and remind the Blue Star idiots what they are.

 

[Zipperhead]

Yes it was Platinum Jet. I know most of the pilots that worked for them through a mutual flight attendant friend who also did some contract work for Platinum at one point. The flight attendant quit because of safety concerns. The FA had come from the majors and was furloughed after 14 years and decided to try the corporate side.

I witnessed Platinum Jets operation first hand and can say that they were beyond illegal. Everything from pilot training, (which was three T/O's and landings) to lots of part 134 1/2 trips. I know they "chartered" some fairly big names from rock groups to sports players and the S**t is certainely going to hit the fan.

No, I was not a pilot there, thank God. The FAA has shut them down and is breathing down several of the pilots necks. They obtained lots of their work through Blue Star. STAY AWAY FROM BLUE STAR!!!

Be safe out there.