After a huge uproar from the business and general aviation community over the suspension of its certificate, the FAA proceeded to revoke AMI Jet Charter certificate. Related Story  The order said AMI permitted TAG Aviation and various “charter ally” companies to have operational control of flights. TAG does not have an air carrier certificate. FAA also cited AMI for bad record keeping saying it failed to keep records on flight and duty time, ground and flight training and aircraft maintenance for flights operated by the ally companies.
The actions against AMI launched protest from both the National Business Aircraft Association (NBAA) and the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) saying FAA targeted one of the industry’s most highly regarded operators. “Operational control concerns arose in the wake of the Challenger 604 accident at Teterboro Airport in February, 2005,” NATA President James Coyne explained. “Specifically, the FAA raised concerns with the operational control procedures of the aircraft operator involved in the accident, Platinum Jet Management. Sadly, while we believe officials within the FAA's safety office have been forthright and willing to work with AMI, a select few attorneys at the agency have taken it upon themselves to act to suspend and now revoke AMI's certificate despite evidence of AMI's efforts to ensure compliance with the FAA's frequently changing standards. These attorneys have essentially derailed the operations of one of the biggest and best Part 135 certificate holders in the country for reasons other than safety.”
The action also came after intense work with the FAA by NATA and NBAA, who called AMI’s suspension a wake-up call for any charter operation but especially so for the developing VLJ charter operations. That work resulted in a definition of operational control and the development of guidance for operators, the latter of which is on NBAA’s website.