BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

_________________________________________

) 

Application of ) 

) 

VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC ) 

) Docket OST-2015-

for an emergency exemption pursuant to ) 

49 U.S.C. § 40109(g) ) 

) 

) 

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Greensboro, NC ) 

_________________________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF

VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC

FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION

Communication with respect to this document should be addressed to: 

Alexey I. Isaikin Artem Tarasenko

Chairman Operations Manager

Volga-Dnepr Airlines LLC Volga Dnepr-Unique Air Cargo, Inc.

14 Karbysheva Street 9400 Grogan’s Mill Road,

Ulyanovsk 432072 Town Center Plaza, Suite 220,

Russia The Woodlands, TX 77381, USA

(832) 585-8611

DATED: April 2, 2015

NOTICE: THIS APPLICATION IS FILED PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY 

EXEMPTION PROCEDURES OF 14 C.F.R. § 302.410, WHICH AUTHORIZE THE 

DEPARTMENT TO ACT ON EMERGENCY EXEMPTIONS IMMEDIATELY. ANY 

PERSON INTERESTED IN FILING AN ANSWER IS REQUESTED TO DO SO IN THE 

ABOVE DOCKET IMMEDIATELY. COPIES OF THE SUBMISSION SHOULD BE 

SERVED ON THE PERSONS LISTED ABOVE AND ON THE ATTACHED SERVICE LIST. 
BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON, D.C.

_________________________________________

) 

Application of ) 

) 

VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC ) 

) Docket OST-2015-

for an emergency exemption pursuant to ) 

49 U.S.C. § 40109(g) ) 

) 

) 

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Greensboro, NC ) 

_________________________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF

VOLGA-DNEPR AIRLINES LLC

FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION

Volga-Dnepr Airlines LLC (“Volga-Dnepr Airlines” or "Volga-Dnepr") respectfully 

requests an emergency exemption from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. §§ 40109(g) and 41703(c), 

and otherwise applicable provisions of the Department of Transportation (“DOT”) regulations, 

so as to permit Volga-Dnepr to operate one (1) one-way cargo charter flight, utilizing VolgaDnepr’s AN-124-100 aircraft to transport cargo from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Greensboro, NC

on around April 7–8, 2015, on behalf of Air Charter Service Inc.

The outsized cargo to be transported by Volga-Dnepr consists of one (1) combustion 

turbine rotor with following dimensions: L-360" x W-120" x H-126", weighing approx. 132,000

pounds. As described, the payload is outsized and cannot be accommodated by domestic 

commercial carrier aircraft.

In support of its application, Volga-Dnepr states as follows:
1. Volga-Dnepr is a foreign air carrier holding appropriate DOT authority to conduct allcargo charter foreign air transportation between a point or points in Russia and a point or points 

in the United States, and all-cargo charter transportation between the United Sates and third 

countries pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 212.

2. Volga-Dnepr will operate the flight on behalf of Air Charter Service Inc. as part of an 

effort to provide urgently needed lift to leave San Juan not later than the set dates. The unit to be 

transported is a defective rotor that requires an urgent repair. The rotor belongs to EcoEléctrica, a 

Puerto Rican energy corporation producing 16% of the island’s electricity. An overhaul base for 

the rotor, where it needs to be delivered, is the Siemens Energy facilities located in Charlotte, 

North Carolina. Greensboro, NC was chosen as a closest destination point because of an ongoing 

construction project in Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, which restricts parking 

availability for ad hoc cargo operations in Charlotte.

3. Due to the size of the cargo and the urgency of the shipment, Air Charter Service Inc.

cannot use surface/ocean transportation to ship the cargo.

4. Given the tight schedule associated with repair of the rotor, Volga-Dnepr must perform 

the operations not later than within the set dates. Volga-Dnepr is polling all U.S. certificated air 

carriers on the attached service list and will inform the Department of the results of that poll.

5. Under 49 U.S.C. § 40109(g), the Department may authorize a foreign air carrier to 

transport commercial traffic between U.S. points under limited circumstances. Specifically, the 

Department must find that the authority is required in the public interest; that because of an 

emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business the 

traffic cannot be accommodated by U.S. carriers holding certificates under 49 U.S.C. § 41102; 

that all possible efforts have been made to accommodate the traffic on U.S. certificated air 

carriers; and that the exemption is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the traffic. This 

application is consistent with the public interest and meets all of the relevant criteria under 49 

U.S.C. § 40109(g) for the grant of an exemption.
6. Grant of this application is in the public interest. EcoEléctrica is one of the major 

Puerto Rican power generation companies. Therefore, timely shipment of the rotor is of a 

considerable importance for the economy of the island.

7. In this instance, an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the 

normal course of business exists as a result of the size of the cargo, as well as the exigent 

circumstances surrounding the impossibility to use any other mode of transportation, and the 

lack of availability of U.S. commercial aircraft of the nature of the AN-124-100 operated by 

Volga-Dnepr Airlines. As a result, the best way to resolve this emergency is for the AN-124-100 

aircraft to transport the equipment in question.

8. As previously stated, no U.S. carrier operates aircraft that are able to transport this 

cargo.

9. Grant of this exemption application is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the 

traffic at issue.

10. Volga-Dnepr’s fitness and ability to carry out the proposed transportation has been 

amply demonstrated through its conduct of number of cargo charter operations on behalf of Air 

Charter Service Inc. in and out of the United States and throughout the world.

11. Grant of this application is consistent with Department precedent. Foreign air carriers 

have been granted emergency exemption authority to carry cargo between U.S. points when an 

emergency existed as a result of unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of 

business. See, e.g., Orders 96-6-31, 96-4-29, 95-11-35, 95-2-35, 94-11-6 and 94-4-14, as well as 

Notices of Action Taken in dockets OST-04-17906, OST-07-26806, OST-07-27125, OST-07-

28857, OST-08-0003, and OST-09-0041.

12. In light of the exigent circumstances, Volga-Dnepr requests expeditious processing 

and the immediate grant of this emergency exemption application. The Department’s Procedural 

Regulations provide that the Department can act on an emergency exemption application 
immediately. Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr will promptly advise the Department of the 

responses of the interested U.S. carriers to the telephone poll regarding this application.
WHEREFORE, Volga-Dnepr respectfully requests that the Department issue an 

emergency exemption permitting it to operate one (1) one-way cargo charter flight, utilizing 

Volga-Dnepr’s AN-124-100 aircraft, to transport cargo from San Juan, Puerto Rico to

Greensboro, North Carolina on or around April 7–8, 2015, as described herein, and grant such 

further relief as the Department deems to be consistent with the public interest.

Respectfully submitted, 

_______________________________________ 

Artem Tarasenko

Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr Airlines

(832) 585-8611

Dated: April 2, 2015
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that I have on this day served a copy of the foregoing document upon all 

persons named on the attached service list via electronic mail.

Artem Tarasenko

Dated: April 2, 2015