An air operator's certificate (AOC) is the approval granted by a civil aviation authority (CAA) to an aircraft operator to allow it to use aircraft for commercial air transport purposes. This requires the operator to have personnel, assets and systems in place to ensure the safety of its employees and of the flying public. The certificate lists the approved aircraft types, each registration number approved to fly, the approved flying purpose, and in what area the holder may operate (such as specific airports or geographic region).
AOCs can be granted for one or more of the following activities:
Low capacity operations is when operating aircraft with under 38 passenger seats, high capacity is greater than 38 seats.[1]
The requirements for obtaining an AOC vary from country to country, but are generally defined as:[2] [3]
An AOC is referred to as an Air Carrier Operating Certificate in the United States and as an Air Operator Certification in New Zealand.
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand's Part 119 establishes Air Operator Certification rules for Air Transport Operations (ATO) and Commercial Transport Operations (CTO). They provide two levels of certification: (a) AOC for air operations in all sizes of aircraft; (b) general aviation AOC for air operations in helicopters and aircraft with nine or less passenger seats.[5]
According to the United States Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration is to maintain an airline air carrier's operating certificate in the category of fitness. An air carrier must maintain the following three standards:[6] adequate financing, competent management, a willingness to comply with applicable laws and regulations. At least 75 percent of airlines controlling voting equity must be held by US citizens.
An AOC is valuable. It shows the relevant CAA's acceptance of the operator's personnel, infrastructure and procedures. In most jurisdictions an AOC may be sold or acquired to avoid the arduous process of gaining regulator acceptance for a new AOC. To this end, a failed airline can be sold as a going concern and then changed into another business. For example, Northwest Airlines bought FLYi airline's AOC to start Compass Airlines, now a feeder airline for Delta Air Lines marketed as Delta Connection. Likewise Strategic Airlines purchased the AOC, staff and routes of the failed OzJet airlines.[7]