The US Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a $2,388,500 civil penalty against Stratus Aviation, LLC, which operates as Wings Flight School in Vacaville, California. The agency alleges that the school installed an unapproved temperature gauge in a Cessna 172M Skyhawk in October 2022, rendering it unairworthy, and then operated the aircraft on about 280 flights between February 2023 and September 2024.
The FAA also alleges that operating the aircraft during that period was careless or reckless and endangered lives or property. Its notice concerns both the aircraft’s airworthiness and the school’s alleged conduct in operating it.
The proposed penalty is not a final finding. Wings has 30 days after receiving the notice to respond. The FAA has not identified where the aircraft was based or provided further details about the flights.