Flapper has earned the ARGUS Registered Charter Broker rating. The company has hence become ARGUS' first charter broker in Brazil to be in compliance with its safety standards. In addition, Flapper's operating partner in Brazil, AirJet Táxi Aéreo, has also become ARGUS rated by gaining an ARGUS Gold rating. Flapper commercialises AirJet's fleets under a marketing agreement on the sourcing platform Avinode.

ARGUS CEO Joe Moeggenberg welcomed the news, as the company seeks to expand its footprint in South America: “Achieving the prestigious ARGUS Charter Broker rating distinguishes Flapper from other operations,” he says. “This rating highlights its dedication to safety operational integrity and ethical business practices.”

The Registered Charter Broker rating is awarded only to those brokers who have demonstrated successful implementation of industry best practices for their flight operation. Achieving ARGUS Registered Charter Broker status is a testament to the aviation community. ARGUS Registered Charter Brokers voluntarily submit all operations documents for review, displaying fiscal integrity and appropriate transparency throughout the process. They further commit to maintaining the highest professional standards in their day-to-day business activities by signing The Air Charter Association pledge. The ARGUS Registered Charter Broker rating demonstrates a continued commitment to ongoing quality improvement in all areas of the broker's organisation. As of today, the South American region boasts seven ARGUS certified operators and two ARGUS registered brokers.

For Paul Malicki, Flapper’s CEO, joining ARGUS membership base will also benefit the company’s future plans for the expansion of its data-driven quotation platform: “We now display ARGUS ratings next to each aircraft available on our mobile app and website and the next step is to build a safety-focused score for each operator and aircraft. In the charter industry, which is so heavily focused on pricing, having such functionality constitutes added value to the user and helps further prioritise operators that comply with the highest safety standards.”

With regard to safety, Flapper further emphasises the key role of partnerships with the local authorities. Flapper has recently integrated with the API of the Brazilian Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC), allowing for daily verification of all Part 135-registered aircraft in Brazil. With more than 350 Brazilian aircraft on the Flapper platform, the integration helps assure that only airworthy aircraft with valid certificates are being actively displayed, hence eliminating the risks of offering a non-charter-able airplanes and helicopters to the end customer.

Flapper has already begun the process of improving its ARGUS rating, taking the first steps to become an ARGUS Certified Broker. The Certified Broker rating is the only broker rating programme, endorsed by The Air Charter Association and is considered the highest charter broker rating in the industry. Stepping up from the ARGUS Registered Broker rating to the ARGUS Certified Broker rating will mean that Flapper has completed an on-site inspection of its operation and will continue to do so once every two years, to ensure its compliance with ARGUS standards, industry best practices and applicable regulations for its region.