One of the more challenging enterprises in aviation is preparing for and undergoing a knowledge validation for upgrade to commercial operator, either under FAR Part 135 or Part 121.

It is the great catch-all of the Federal Aviation Regulations and the succinct string of words—authorized by the administrator—that sets in motion what is probably the most intimate contact an operator will ever have with the FAA: the dreaded, so-called tabletop examination.

Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft, or SAFA checks, comprise those infamous ramp inspections business aviation operators often encounter in other countries, particularly in Europe.