Safety guide
ARGUS vs Wyvern: Safety Ratings Explained
Every charter flight in the US must be operated by an FAA Part 135 certificate holder, that's the legal floor. ARGUS and Wyvern are the two independent auditors that go beyond it, and their ratings are the shorthand serious charter buyers use to separate good operators from great ones.
The baseline: FAA Part 135
A Part 135 certificate is the FAA's authority to fly passengers for hire on demand. It's mandatory and non-negotiable, but it's a minimum standard. ARGUS and Wyvern exist because buyers wanted independent verification above that floor.
ARGUS ratings
ARGUS International audits operators and assigns tiers based on historical safety data, pilot experience, and on-site audits:
- ARGUS Gold, meets the core historical-data and background criteria.
- ARGUS Gold Plus, Gold criteria plus a passed on-site safety audit.
- ARGUS Platinum, the highest tier: on-site audit plus an active safety management system (SMS) and emergency-response program.
Wyvern ratings
Wyvern is the other major auditor. Its Wyvern Wingman standard requires a detailed safety audit, an SMS, and a trip-by-trip safety verification (the 'PASS' report) that checks the specific aircraft and crew for your flight against the standard, a per-flight layer ARGUS handles differently.
What it means for your charter
You don't have to choose between the two, many top operators hold both. The practical rule: fly with operators carrying ARGUS Gold Plus/Platinum or Wyvern Wingman, and for extra assurance on a specific trip, ask for a Wyvern PASS report or an ARGUS trip verification. Every operator we refer is Part 135 certificated and, wherever possible, independently safety-rated.
| ARGUS | Wyvern | |
|---|---|---|
| Top rating | Platinum | Wingman |
| On-site audit | Gold Plus & Platinum | Yes |
| Requires SMS | Platinum | Yes |
| Per-trip verification | Trip verification | PASS report |
ARGUS and Wyvern at a glance.
Frequently asked
What is the difference between ARGUS and Wyvern?
Both are independent auditors that rate charter operators above the FAA Part 135 minimum. ARGUS uses tiers (Gold, Gold Plus, Platinum) based on data and on-site audits; Wyvern's Wingman standard adds a trip-by-trip safety verification (the PASS report) for the specific aircraft and crew on your flight. Many top operators hold both.
Which safety rating should I look for when chartering?
Look for ARGUS Gold Plus or Platinum, or Wyvern Wingman, on top of the mandatory FAA Part 135 certificate. For a specific trip, you can also request a Wyvern PASS report or an ARGUS trip verification for the exact aircraft and crew.
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