Good points BIK,
The point that I was putting forward about `organised and regimented' was that I am sure the public liability laws would be different for a AOC holding company, to a company that undertakes the above `private operations'. This would lead to the argument that standards in general for the `private' companies would be lower than that of a commercial organisation. I am of course refering to maintenance , insurance, D.G. certification and medical issues. These guys operate fly in - fly out ops into the minesites that they are contracted to all the time, carrying sometimes more than six passengers under IFR flight plans in multi - engined aircraft. This company has been and still is closely monitered by CASA because of the percieved `closeness' of their operation to commercial purposes.
AS.