FAA Fishing for Sentient/TAG Connection

By Matt Thurber

AINalerts >> September 2008
Fractional

The FAA Eastern Region counsel’s office is trying to find out if employees of the former Sentient Jet Holdings were connected via payroll and other systems with TAG Holding, according to information obtained by AIN. It is believed that the FAA somehow sees a connection between former employees of TAG Aviation USA, certain assets of which were sold to Sentient Jet Holdings on January 31, and TAG Holding, which has no interests in Sentient.

After the FAA revoked the Part 135 certificate of TAG Aviation USA affiliate AMI Jet Charter last October 12, TAG Holding paid the highest-ever civil penalty to the FAA–$10 million. In the penalty agreement, the FAA said, “This Agreement settles any and all existing and potential FAA enforcement actions, including civil penalty actions, against TAG USA, et al. and their shareholders, officers, directors and employees that may arise from this matter.” Nevertheless, the FAA told AIN that records regarding Sentient “are part of a report that is still in the investigatory stage” and that “these records were compiled for law enforcement purposes.”

Staff at the FAA Eastern Region counsel’s office made no attempt to contact TAG Holding or Sentient to ask about the supposed TAG-Sentient connection before issuing the subpoenas, a source told AIN. Sentient Jet Holdings this week became JetDirect Holdings and sold the Sentient jet membership program to Macquarie Global Opportunity Partners.

Two companies remain after this move: Sentient Flight Group, a jet card/charter broker; and JetDirect Aviation, an aircraft charter and management firm that includes assets and personnel from the TAG Aviation USA asset purchase.

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