Flexjet has received the 2021 FAA Diamond Award of Excellence for Aviation Maintenance Technician Training for a record 23rd consecutive year.

Since 1991, the FAA Diamond Award, the highest in its category, has recognised aviation companies and maintenance specialists with highly effective training programmes that are meant to improve safety, aviation regulations and technical knowledge in ways that meet or exceed the FAA's requirements. To qualify, 100 per cent of a company's maintenance technicians have to participate in specialised FAA training in aviation safety, technical knowledge, aircraft systems and aviation regulations.

“Every safety accolade Flexjet earns underscores the number one priority of our company; the safety of our owners, our flight crews and our employees,” says CEO Michael J Silvestro. “It is evident by the elevation of our FAA safety management system participation to active conformance last year to this month's 23rd FAA Diamond Award, that the dedication of our employees to safety is habitual and one that we are truly proud to be recognised for.”

Each year since its inception, the FAA qualifications have become increasingly rigorous, making winning these awards annually challenging and requiring continuous focus on this level of expertise. In fact, many of the companies that do not maintain their own aircraft rely on a patchwork of maintenance facilities, which means a comparable patchwork of maintenance technician expertise.

Flexjet's sustained commitment to safety has been all the more impressive given its growth in recent years and has met this growing demand by bringing on board both additional flight crews and ground crews, including aircraft maintenance technicians.

Flexjet also holds the Aviation Research Group/US (ARG/US) Platinum safety rating and maintains IS-BAO compliance at Stage II. It was also the first fractional jet ownership programme to meet the Industry Audit Standard of the Air Charter Safety Foundation, perhaps the most demanding standard for Part 135, and remains on the registry. Flexjet also takes part in the FAA's Part 5 safety management system.

Further cementing a company-wide safety ecosystem, Flexjet achieved active conformance with the FAA's safety management system (SMS), one of only one per cent of the nation's private jet providers to do so.

Silvestro adds: “We couldn't be prouder of our team for their dedication to safety over the past two years. Through some of the most unique and challenging times in our industry, we have been steadfast in continuously exceeding the safety standards and raising the bar on our already high standards in aircraft maintenance.”