**Request to Use CARES Child Restraint System for Larger/Older Persons**

I am writing to request an exemption from 14 CFR § 121.311(b) to the extent required for Elizabeth Melissa Dominick to be able to use an FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem even though she exceeds the weight limits for the CRS. In addition, if my petition is granted, I request that any air carrier or commercial operator operating under part 121 while Elizabeth Melissa Dominick is aboard its aircraft is granted an exemption from 14 CFR § 121.311(b ) ( 2 ) ( iii ) ( B) to the extent necessary

to allow Elizabeth to exceed the specified weight limit for an FAA

- approved child restraint s ys tem during use of that child restraint sy stem aboard an aircraft. I believe the pertinent section from 14 CFR part 121 from which we seek relief is Section 121.311 Seats, safet y belts, and shoulder harnesses. My daughter is 25 y ear’s old, weighs 85 pounds, and is 58 inches tall. My daughter ’s ph ys ical condition is as follows : Elizabeth has Cerebral Palsy and is a spastic quadri ple gic.

. As a result of her phy sical condition, she needs the support and securit y provided b y an FAA Approved Child Restraint, but because of her weight is incapable of compliance with the regulation. **I am**  **also submitting**  **the following**  **con tact**  **information: Rhett**  **Dominick, 525**  **Phoenix Road,**  **Phoenix Community,**  **Greenwood, South**  **Carolina 29646** 

**- 9742,**  **864**

**- 227** 

**- 9046,**  **rhettdominick@gmail.com.** I understand that the regulation is written to create a high level of safety for each individual passenger by

ensuring that they

are securel y restrained in their seats during all phases of flight. The regulation also ensures that an individual does not cause harm to other passengers on the airplane b y being thrown into them during turbulent or emergency conditi ons.
I propose that Elizabeth Melissa Dominick be allowed to occup y an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES, manufactured b y AmSafe, Inc.), even though she exceeds the manufacturer’s weight limits. This ensures a high level of safety for Elizabeth and a hi gh level of safet y for the other passengers and crew on the airplane. In fact, in Elizabeth ’s case, safety is greatly enhanced by the extra support and securit y that the FAA Approved Restraint System will provide during the entire flight. Enhancing safety for Elizabeth is in the public interest. In addition, the public interest is also served b y the fact that the use of this FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem allows her to use commercial air transportation. Without the support and security of the FAA Appr oved Child Restraint Sy stem, she would be unable to fl y commerciall y. I also believe that, with certain limitations established by the FAA in a grant to this petition, there can be an equivalent level of safet y to that provided b y the affected regulation. The CARES restraint has been certified b y the manuf acturer for use b y children 22

- 44 pounds. However, the components of the CARESrestraint are the same as those used in restraints for adults on aircraft and would maintain their

integrit y if used b y someon e who weighed several hundred pounds. I believe that the limit of 44 pounds was established because, with the additional weight of the child attached to the seatback, the seatback would move forward more quickl y in an accident scenario and this might cause a higher HIC load for the person seated in the seat behind the passenger using the CARES restraint (because the seatback moving forward more quickly would mean that it would not be there to attenuate the energy

from the impact of the person seated behind the person using the CARES restraint). In order to achieve an equivalent level of safety as that provided by the affected regulation, I propose that the FAA establish a limitation in a grant to this petition that Elizabeth only sits in a passenger seat wi th no passenger seated behind her. Therefore, no unsafe condition would exist for a passenger seated behind Elizabeth while she is using the CARES restraint. Ialso propose that all operations under this exemption be conducted with at least one of Elizabeth's parents or a caregiver accompan yi ng him or her. In addition, I propose that Elizabeth's parent or caregiver must carry a cop y of this exemption.

I also request that the processing of this petition not be delayed for publication and comment in the Federal Register. We want to travel September

- October 2015. If you take the time to put this in the Federal Register, it will delay the process and we may

not be able to travel in this timeframe. If it is necessary

to put a summary

in the Federal Re gister, I submit the following: This is a request for an exemption from FAR 121.311 (b) to the extent required for a child to use an FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem on an aircraft, even though the child exceeds the weight limits for the CRS. Due to phy sical challenges, without the support and security of this FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem, this child would be unable to fly . We request that this child be allowed to occup y an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES, manufactured b y AmSafe, Inc.), even though she exceeds the manufacturer’s weight limits of 44 pounds. In this case, the safet y of this child is greatly

enhanced by

the extra support and securit y that the FAA Approved Restraint Sy stem will provide for her during the flight. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Yours very

trul y,

Rhett Dominick
William R. Dominick (parent)