An update from the Texas Rangers spokesman John Blake: The Rangers have used Paradigm sparingly in past years when our regular charter was not available or out of service. However, we are not utilizing them at the present time.

Federal authorities suspended the operating license Wednesday of Dallas-based Paradigm Air Operators Inc. for allegedly conducting illegal charter flights for professional sports teams including the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners and Toronto Maple Leafs, the FAA said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is revoking the operating certificate for Paradigm, based at Dallas Love Field, for conducting dozens of unauthorized charter flights “using unqualified pilots.”

The FAA said Paradigm used its two Boeing 757 and one 737 jets to fly teams such as the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians and Arizona Diamondbacks as well as the NHL’s New York Rangers.

It also booked long-term contracts with the Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies and Seattle Mariners. Paradigm was once contracted by the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars for a team jet until the ownership group for the teams filed bankruptcy in 2010.

Paradigm had a “private carriage” license that allowed it to privately fly for a small number of companies. But if an air service flies too many flights for too many customers, it becomes a “common carriage” operator like an airline with much stricter guidelines and oversight.

“Paradigm does not have a certificate allowing it to advertise for-hire charter flights to the public, or to solicit or conduct such ‘common carriage’ flights,” the FAA said in a news release.

Paradigm’s pilots also lacked the training and flight checks for operators flying under the “common carriage” certificates.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said Paradigm hired consultants to help it get contracts worth more than $650,000.

Investigators found at least 34 occasions between June 2013 and March 2018 when Paradigm flew the unauthorized charter flights. The FAA said that at least 11 times, Paradigm claimed that paid air transportation was actually demonstration flights for potential plane buyers.

Phone calls to Paradigm’s Dallas office were not answered Thursday.

Paradigm faces a civil penalty of $13,669 for every day it refuses to surrender the operating certificate.