Business ProfileforSouth Florida Air Tours
Current Alerts For This Business
On November 6, 2018, Mario Cruise, owner and operator of South Florida Air Tours (SFAT), was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Miami, Florida to 3 years' probation and a $200 assessment fee for operating an aircraft without a valid commercial pilot's certificate and making false statements to FAA. As a condition of his probation, Cruise cannot own, operate, act as a consultant, be employed in, or participate in any manner in any aviation-related concern. He was indicted on May 31, 2018, and pleaded guilty to two counts of the indictment on August 17, 2018.
The investigation disclosed that Cruise advertised on Groupon and subsequently piloted numerous South Florida sightseeing flights although he lacked an FAA commercial pilot's certificate, which is required to carry passengers for hire. Inspectors and investigators at FAA's South Florida Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) saw him performing several sightseeing flights with paying passengers.
During the course of the investigation, Cruise provided false information to FAA about his involvement in the sightseeing operations. For example, he sent an email stating that he never acted as the pilot in command during sightseeing flights for hire. He claimed he flew people around like "friends," and they simply shared expenses.
Cruise later admitted that he had acted as a commercial pilot on approximately 150 SFAT flights without a valid commercial pilot's certificate and gave the Agency false information about SFAT's operations.
Groupon records show that between February 2016 and October 2017, air travelers redeemed 1,261 sightseeing air-tour vouchers sold by SFAT.
For further assistance please contact
Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave SE
Washington DC 20590
Phone: 202.366.1959
https://www.oig.dot.gov
Link:
https://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/36917
At-a-glance
Related Categories
Business Details
This is a multi-location business.
- Location of This Business
- 7360 NW 34th St, Miami, FL 33122-1266
- BBB File Opened:
- 6/11/2018
- Alternate Business Name
- Maxpoint USA
- South Florida Air Tours & Airplance Rentals
- Sfat
- Contact Information
Principal
- Mr. Mario Cruise, Owner
- Additional Contact Information
Email Addresses
- Primary
Customer Complaints
0 Customer Complaints
Need to file a complaint? BBB is here to help. We'll guide you through the process. How BBB Processes Complaints and Reviews
File a ComplaintBBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes.
BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles.
When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints.
BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile.
As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. Businesses are under no obligation to seek BBB accreditation, and some businesses are not accredited because they have not sought BBB accreditation.