The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted Elite Airways (MNU, Portland International Jetport) a 30-day grace period before it moves to revoke its operating authority. The carrier suspended flights in mid-2022, and s.204.7 of the FAA's Aeronautics and Space Rules say an airline must commence or recommence operations within 12 months of being found fit and proper to do so or face losing their operating authority.
On June 9, Elite Airways submitted an application to the FAA for a waiver of the revocation for dormancy provision of 14 CFR 204.7 and asked for an extension of the one year limit, saying it planned to recommence operations on or about September 1, 2023.
Elite Airways suspended scheduled and charter services in July 2022 after several weeks of cancelled flights attributed to aircraft going out of service for maintenance reasons and delays in obtaining the required spare parts. The airline was also under financial stress, saying it needed to seek funding to service aircraft lease payments, insurance premiums, employee salaries and benefits, vendors, landing fees and other accounts receivables.
In June 2023, in a separate FAA filing, Elite Airways said it had signed a letter of intent with a US investor with a background in aviation. That LOI said the investor would cover Elite's liabilities and operating costs for the first three months after its restart. To get its affairs in order, Elite Airways sought a waiver from the dormancy provision and a 30-day extension from July 23 to August 23, 2023, "by which time Elite expects to provide a notice to recommence and submit all the fitness information required by 14 CFR 204.7."
In its August 3 response, the FAA granted Elite’s limited extension request. The agency said this allowed Elite Airways additional time to demonstrate its fitness and provide evidence that it is taking steps to resume operations. However, it also noted that Elite should have submitted adequate evidence that it still meets the agency’s fitness criteria and has completed nearly all the steps to commence operations in its June application.
"The Department will not consider further waiver and extensions without evidence that there is 'good cause' for doing so. It is not the department’s common practice to grant requests for extensions absent a clear expectation, on our part, that our actions in these matters will allow Elite to resume operations," added the letter.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows that Elite Airways retains three aircraft, albeit all inactive. They include one CRJ200ER and two CRJ700 Srs 701ERs. Two of the aircraft are parked at Lewiston/Auburn while the third is at Portland International Jetport. ch-aviation has contacted Elite Airways for further details on its proposed restart.
