ARGUS rating.
An ARGUS rating is an independent safety assessment of a charter operator issued by ARGUS International, a United States audit company. Ratings are tiered, in ascending order Gold, Platinum and Platinum Elite, and are based on document review, remote or on-site audit of the operator's safety management and maintenance practices, and continuing monitoring at the upper tiers.
| Term | ARGUS rating |
|---|---|
| Used in | Private aviation, charter brokerage and operations |
| Related terms | Wyvern Wingman, IS-BAO, Aircraft operator |
| Sources | 2 listed below |
What does ARGUS rating mean in practice?
ARGUS ratings are one of two audit schemes brokers commonly cite when vetting operators; Wyvern Wingman is the other.
ARGUS Gold uses a remote audit to validate the operator's safety management system and maintenance practices. Platinum adds an on-site audit. Platinum Elite requires at least two consecutive Platinum audits with no significant findings and four or more years as a Platinum operator, with reviews every six months. A rating is voluntary and paid for by the operator, so its absence does not mean an operator is unsafe; some good operators do not participate. Equally, a rating is a snapshot of process, not a guarantee of outcome. Ask your broker whether the operator on your flight holds a current ARGUS or Wyvern rating and at which level. Brokers can also run a TripCHEQ, an ARGUS check of the specific aircraft and crew for your flight.
Questions
What does ARGUS rating mean?
An ARGUS rating is an independent safety assessment of a charter operator issued by ARGUS International, a United States audit company. Ratings are tiered, in ascending order Gold, Platinum and Platinum Elite, and are based on document review, remote or on-site audit of the operator's safety management and maintenance practices, and continuing monitoring at the upper tiers.
Sources
- ARGUS International (accessed 2026-09-20)
- ARGUS Platinum Elite (accessed 2026-09-20)
Last reviewed 20 September 2026 by Empty Leg Exclusive Editorial Team.