Executive Aviation Due Diligence & Aircraft Compliance Assessment

Client Challenge

During a 2024 executive protection assignment in South Africa, TGS was tasked with independently assessing the suitability of a Dassault Mystère Falcon 20-F5 proposed for executive travel. With only 72 hours to complete the assessment before approving the aircraft for executive travel with nine passengers, TGS was asked to conduct an objective review of the aircraft’s operational status, maintenance history, pilot qualifications, regulatory documentation, and overall readiness to support informed travel decisions and reduce operational risk.  

TGS Response

Working remotely from the TGS Operations Base in Sofia, Bulgaria, TGS managed the entire assessment through video conferencing, telephone, email, and secure messaging while coordinating directly with the aircraft operator, flight crew, maintenance personnel, and supporting aviation organizations.

Over the course of the engagement, TGS reviewed approximately 30 pages of maintenance, regulatory, insurance, and operational documentation. The assessment included verification of aircraft maintenance records, airworthiness documentation, pilot certifications, crew qualifications, insurance coverage, regulatory compliance, and supporting operational records. Where clarification was required, TGS worked directly with the operating organization to verify documentation, confirm regulatory requirements, and develop a structured compliance assessment identifying findings, limitations, and recommendations.

As part of its broader operational capability, TGS also maintains professional relationships with international aviation organizations that can be accessed when specialized aviation expertise or additional operational support is required. These relationships enable TGS to coordinate qualified aviation resources when client requirements extend beyond its direct advisory role while maintaining a single point of coordination throughout the engagement.  

Outcome

The assessment concluded that the aircraft’s documentation, maintenance history, pilot qualifications, and regulatory records supported continued safe operation within the scope of the review, while recommending a physical inspection prior to final acceptance. By providing an independent assessment rather than relying solely on operator assurances, TGS enabled the client to make a well-informed decision regarding executive air travel within the required operational timeframe.

This engagement demonstrates TGS’s ability to integrate executive protection support, aviation due diligence, operational risk assessment, and international stakeholder coordination into a single advisory service. It also highlights TGS’s capability to successfully manage time-sensitive international projects remotely from its Operations Base in Sofia, delivering objective recommendations while coordinating multiple organizations across international boundaries.