Part 135 Certification Consultant: Your Air Carrier Certificate, Built for a Fixed Fee
Delta Bravo Aviation builds new FAA Part 135 air carrier certificates from a blank page — the readiness package, the manual suite, the compliance statement, the OpSpecs and every applicant DCT — for a fixed fee published by tier, with 40% of the fee due only as the FAA accepts, starts and issues.
The short answer
What does it cost? The FAA charges no fee. Delta Bravo’s Part 135 Certificate Builder is $45,000–$65,000 (Single-Pilot / Single PIC), $85,000–$140,000 (Nine-or-Less) or $150,000–$240,000 (Ten-or-More), fixed at the signed Operator Definition.
What is included? Operator Definition and growth plan, the manual suite, compliance statement to N 8900.766, proposed OpSpecs, every applicable Element-Design DCT (no per-question charge), the AIS Services filing, six months of queue upkeep and FAA project support.
What can no consultant do? Hold the certificate for you. The FAA issues it to your company, and your Director of Operations, Chief Pilot and Director of Maintenance must qualify under 14 CFR § 119.71.
Who this is for
Owners and investors starting an on-demand or commuter operation who want the certificate and the business plan to arrive together: an owner-flown single-pilot operation, a nine-or-less charter company, or a ten-or-more operator with a CAMP and GMM. If you already hold a certificate, see existing Part 135 operators.
Three tiers, published up front
| Tier (FAA peer group) | Fixed fee | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Pilot / Single PIC · 135D | $45,000 – $65,000 | $52,500 |
| Nine-or-Less, Basic or Full · 135C | $85,000 – $140,000 | $114,500 |
| Ten-or-More, CAMP + GMM · 135B | $150,000 – $240,000 | $187,500 |
Fixed — no monthly fee while you wait in the FAA queue. Every applicant DCT and every FAA correction round on documents Delta Bravo prepared is included. Options (international, HAA, CAMP election, commuter authority and others) are priced on the pricing page.
How the build runs
- Define the operator and the plan. Fleet, seats, areas, authorizations, management team and a 12/24/36-month growth plan, ending in a signed Operator Definition.
- Stage capital and hires to the FAA’s gates. Aircraft, lease and payroll timed so you are not carrying a grounded operation longer than the FAA requires.
- Build the manuals and the application from one ground-truth register: GOM, training program, GMM/CAMP where required, hazmat, compliance statement, proposed OpSpecs and registrations.
- Answer the FAA’s questions before it asks. Every applicable Element-Design DCT for your peer group, cited to your manuals and put through a blind inspector-style review.
- File through AIS Services and stay ready in the queue, with 90-day DCT re-checks and policy tracking for six months.
- Carry it through the FAA project to the certificate, then an optional first-year compliance partner.
Safety Management System. Every Part 135 applicant must have an SMS that meets 14 CFR Part 5 as part of certification. Delta Bravo Aviation does not develop SMS programs; for the SMS we refer applicants to vetted providers we recommend, such as OmniSMS and AirTera.
Why a sitting Director of Operations
Most certification firms lead with former FAA inspectors. Delta Bravo leads with the other side of the desk: Daniel Buehner is a USAF veteran with 27 years in aviation who has served as Chief Pilot, Director of Safety and Director of Operations across multiple Part 135 operators, has built out multiple Part 135 certificates, and still holds a Director of Operations seat at an FAA-certificated air carrier. Delta Bravo Aviation is an SBA-certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business.
The detailed walk-through of what a 2026 application contains is in the primer Can a Company Build Your Part 135 Certificate for You?, and the FAA’s clocks are in How Long Does Part 135 Certification Take?
Frequently asked questions
Can a company build a Part 135 certificate for me?
Yes. A certification firm can plan, write and manage the whole application. Delta Bravo Aviation’s Part 135 Certificate Builder does it for a fixed fee of $45,000 to $240,000 by readiness tier. The FAA issues the certificate to your company, and your required management personnel must qualify under 14 CFR § 119.71.
How much does Part 135 certification cost in 2026?
The FAA charges no certification fee. Delta Bravo’s published Builder fees are $45,000–$65,000 for Single-Pilot / Single PIC, $85,000–$140,000 for Nine-or-Less and $150,000–$240,000 for Ten-or-More, with every applicant DCT included and 40% of the fee due only on FAA events.
How long does Part 135 certification take?
An applicant-controlled build typically takes 12 to 24 weeks to a filed readiness package. The FAA then runs its own clocks, including a 30-day acceptance decision, an Applicant List wait of no fixed length and 15-day correction windows. Plan 12 to 24 months of capital.
Are the SAS DCTs included?
Yes. Every applicable Element-Design DCT for your peer group is answered, cited to your manuals and reviewed, with no per-question charge, and re-checked against current DCT revisions every 90 days while you wait in the queue.
How are payments structured?
Five milestone payments, with 40% of the fee due only as the FAA accepts the filing, starts the certification project and issues the certificate.
Questions first? Ask us on LinkedIn
Not ready for a call? Message Delta Bravo Aviation on LinkedIn and Daniel Buehner will answer, or follow DCT Watch for the weekly FAA DCT and Order 8900.1 changes.
Ask us on LinkedIn Follow DCT Watch on LinkedInRelated
- Part 135 certification consultant — the Part 135 Certificate Builder
- Part 145 repair station certification — the Part 145 Repair Station Builder
- SAS DCT readiness — DCT completion for applicants and certificate holders
- Existing Part 135 operators — surveillance DCTs, SAS readiness, gap reports and amendments
- Pricing — every published fee
- Resources & primers
- DCT Watch — weekly FAA DCT and Order 8900.1 changes