SALT LAKE CITY — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $330,000 civil penalty against Heli-Dudes LLC, of Salt Lake City, for allegedly operating sightseeing helicopter rides for hire when it was not authorized to do so, a violation of Federal Aviation Regulations.

The FAA alleges that Heli-Dudes did not have an FAA operating certificate or letter of authorization when it conducted 30 sightseeing flights for hire between Feb. 6 and Feb 14, 2010, using a Robinson R-22, a two-seat, piston engine-powered helicopter.

The FAA denied two Heli-Dudes applications for a Letter of Authorization in January and March, 2010.  The first denial was because the company submitted the wrong employee drug-testing certificate. The second denial came because Heli-Dudes conducted for-hire flights when it was not authorized to do so.

Heli-Dudes has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.