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Sun Sets On DayJet

News Channel 8 file photo by KATY HENNIG

DayJet provided flights primarily to businesspeople who requested a specific departure time and destination for short-haul flights.

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By TED JACKOVICS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 20, 2008

CLEARWATER - DayJet, which flew 28 Eclipse 500 very-light jet aircraft for on-demand passenger service, said Friday it ceased operations and eliminated most jobs.

"Regrettably, without access to growth capital, we have no choice but to discontinue operations," DayJet founder and chairman Ed Iacobucci said in a prepared statement Friday evening.

Officials at Boca Raton-based DayJet did not return calls for further comment Friday.

If DayJet is "going to cease operations, they really need to tell us that," Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Les Dorr said earlier Friday. "It is incumbent on them to tell us they are stopping flying."

Dorr said a DayJet representative called the FAA in Washington about noon Friday. He said he did not know whether there was an exchange of paperwork.

"Typically, if they are going to close their doors, they surrender their air carrier certificate," Dorr said.

The privately held company provided flights primarily to businesspeople who requested a specific departure time and destination for short-haul flights. DayJet differentiated itself from air taxi and charter services by not requiring the entire plane be booked or paying for the aircraft's return flight.

DayJet flew three-passenger EA-500s from destinations throughout the southeastern United States, including St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Sarasota Bradenton International and Lakeland Linder Regional airports.

It began service in Florida in October. In May, the company announced it was laying off about half of its 260 employees because it was unable to get $40 million in financing to continue to expand its fleet of EA-500s.

However, as recently as last week, DayJet announced it would inaugurate weekend service focused on travelers interested in flying to college football games in the Southeast.

The aircraft the company used were the subject of a congressional report released Wednesday that said the FAA's certification of the EA-500 aircraft had been "rushed."

A DayJet marketing executive told The Tampa Tribune on Thursday that the company had not received inquiries from customers concerning the report by the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee the previous day.

However, DayJet said it expected questions could arise after news media accounts of the congressional report released five days after the FAA said "it made the right call in certifying the aircraft."

The FAA on Sept. 12 said an internal review team found the EA-500 was "certificated in accordance with safety regulations." But the FAA made a half-dozen recommendations, including that the FAA and Albuquerque-based manufacturer Eclipse Aviation Corp. analyze reports of aircraft trim control failures.

In the congressional report, U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, D.-Minn., said Wednesday it appeared that when Eclipse design deficiencies were identified, senior FAA management became personally involved, overruled lower-level engineers and inspectors, and accepted IOUs for later compliance.

No fatalities or injuries have been reported with EA-500 aircraft, the manufacturer said.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at tjackovics@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7817.

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