No. P03/06
For release March 22, 2006

TRANSPORT CANADA FINES
INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS AIRCHARTER LTD.
AND CANCELS AIR OPERATOR CERTIFICATE

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Transport Canada today announced International Express Aircharter Ltd. was fined $125,000 for failing to maintain their aircraft properly, and their air operator certificate was cancelled. Without an air operator certificate, a company cannot provide commercial air services in Canada. International Express Aircharter Ltd. also does business as Regency Express Flight Operations and Sonicblue Airways.

International Express Aircharter Ltd. was charged with failing to maintain five aircraft in accordance with the company’s air operator’s maintenance control system, in violation of Canadian Aviation Regulations. The company did not perform required aircraft maintenance inspections on the five aircraft on schedule. In one case, a maintenance inspection was overdue by more than 270 hours. A Transport Canada aviation safety inspector detected these maintenance overruns on January 12, 2006 and asked the company to correct them. He then turned the findings over to Transport Canada’s Aviation Enforcement Division for investigation. As a result of that investigation the company was fined $125,000.

The decision to cancel International Express Aircharter Ltd.’s air operator certificate was done in the interest of public safety, based on today’s charges and the company’s regulatory record. Today’s cancellation does not preclude any further regulatory action at a later date.

The Transportation Safety Board is continuing to investigate the tragic accident near Port Alberni on January 21, 2006 involving a Cessna 208 Caravan operated by Sonicblue Airways, enroute to Vancouver International Airport from Tofino. Transport Canada is cooperating fully with the Transportation Safety Board investigation into the Port Alberni accident and appointed a Minister’s Observer to keep the department informed of the investigation’s progress. Any safety deficiencies identified through the Transportation Safety Board's investigation will be addressed immediately.

International Express Aircharter Ltd. has the right to appeal Transport Canada's regulatory action to the Transportation Appeal Tribunal of Canada.

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