The FAA has issued an emergency order to revoke the ability of Universal Flight Services to charge passengers for flights. The FAA also revoked the pilot certificate of the owner of Universal Flight Services for allegedly conducting illegal charter flights.

Universal Flight Services, a Sarasota, Florida-based outfit, allegedly conducted 26 passenger-carrying flights without the required FAA certificate between 22 October 2015 and 17 February 2019. The flights occurred between Sarasota-Bradenton International airport, Key West International airport, Florida Keys/Marathon International airport and Witham Field.

In March 2019, Universal Flight Services obtained the FAA certificate required to conduct passenger flights. However, it operated seven subsequent flights using unauthorised pilots and/or aircraft between 9 September 2019 and 20 September 2020.

On two of the flights, the pilot did not have the medical certificate required to fly paying passengers, did not pass a flight check to fly in instrument conditions and was not current to fly in instrument conditions. On two different flights, the aircraft that the company used had not undergone required inspections.

On all 33 flights conducted by Universal Flight Services between October 2015 and September 2020, the pilots had not passed required written and oral tests, competency checks and flight checks in the type of aircraft it operated during this time.

United Flight Services has surrendered its certificate as required by the emergency order and appealed the order to the NTSB.