03/2G/201 0 13:0 2 FA X 202433514 2 03/26/2D1 0 11;5 0 1312eF?392 d FA A + DM S HOF F & HERR*!^ ' @1002/00 7 PAG E 02/8 7

Joh n Scott

Hof f (IMA/NE/CA/WI/MI/CD/MN/NY ) AlexHeiTOiL(lL ) LA WOFFICE

S 

## HOF F& HERRA

N A P»iTn«nlii

p Includin g Pcofessiaim] Conioraiion s 13 5 Sout hLaSalle Street , Suit

e 330 0 Chicago , Illinoi s 60603-413 4 761:312/346-811 1 Fax ; 312/853-392

4 WE B Site ; www.aviationattomey.co m Jeffre y F , Clemen t (IL ) Timoth y J , O'CMinel l (IL ) Glenn Collins « O f

Counse l (IL )

Mareh26»201 0 VI A FACSIMIL E AN D U.S . MAI L Hearin g Docke t Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , SW. , Roo m924 A Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Cler k — 1

c::. 5

RE : FA A v . MIDWES T HELICOPTE RAIRWAYS . INC . Cas e No. : Cas e No . 2 : Ou r Fil e # : CP09GL000 7

CP09GL00 9 0991 9 Dea r Clerk : Pleas e findenclose da n original an don e (1 ) cop y o f th e Respondent^ti Repl y t o Complainant' s Respons e t o Respondent' s Motio n fo r Rulin g a s t o Testimon y o f Gerr y F . Ventrell aan dSecon dMotio n fo r Continuanc e o f

Hearin g th e tw o above

captione dmatters . Kindl y file thi s documen t -wit h th e Court . Than k yo u ver y mtic h fo r

you r cooperatio n i n thi s matter . I f yo u hav e any question s o r

concerns , pleas e fee l &e

e t o giv e m e acall . Ver y trul y yours , HOF F& HERRA N 

# Ma^ ^ Jef f Clemen t JFC/ja s cc : Kat e Barber , Esq . (on e cop y viafacsimil e an dU.S . mail ) Th e Honorabl e Richar dC . Goodwi n (on e cop y vi afacsimil e an dU.S . mail )03/26/201 0 13;0 3 FA X 202433514 2 FA A* DM S 11003/00 7 03/2B/201 8 11:5 0 13128F^392' l HOF F & HERRP'' - PAG E 03/0 7

U.S . DEPARTMEN T O FTRANSPORTATIO N

OFFIC E OFHEARING S WASHINGTON , D C

I N THE MATTE RO F MIDWES T HELICOPTE RAIRWAYS , INC . FA A DOCKE T NO . CP09GL00 7 (Civi l Penalt

y Action ) DM S No . FAA-2009-084< 5

IN TH E MATTE RO F MIDWES T HELICOPTE RAIRWAYS , INC . FA A DOCKE T NO , CP09GL00 9 (Civi l Penalty Action ) DM S No . FAA-2009-097 3 RESPONDENT' S REPL Y T O COMPLAINANT' S RESPONS E T O RESPONDENT' S MOTIO N FO RRTJLIN G A S T O TESTIMON Y O FGERR Y F . VENTRELL A AN D

SECON D MOTIO N FO RCONTINUANC E O FHEARIN G Respondent , MIDWES T HELICOPTE RAIRWAYS , INC. , b y an dthroug h counsel , an d a s it s Repl y i n Support

o f it s Motio n for

Rulin g a s t o permittin g th e Testimon y o f expert witnes s Ocn y F . Ventrell aan dSecon dMotio n for Continuanc e o f

Hearing , respectfull y state s a s follows : 1 . Th e FAA' S interpretatio n o f 4 9 C.F.R . § 9.7(b ) doe s no t comport with substantial du e proces s no r

th e legislature' s inten t

I t wil l b e th e tas k

o f th e Administrativ e Law Judg e t o determin e an dinteiprc t

th e inicn i of

th e legislatur e an dAdministrativ e branche s i n th e03/2G/201 0 13:0 3 FAX 202433514 2 FA A• * DM S lgl004/00 7 03/26/201 0 11:5 0 1312B!^'=i332 4 HQF F & HERR^' ' PAG E 04/3 7

enactmen t an dinitiatio n o f

th e subjec t

regulation . Simpl y becaus e th e witnes s wa s a"former " FAA employe e shoul dno t automaticall y o r

E S s g disqualif

y thei r testimony , especiall y withou t aclea r showin g that

th e proffere dtestimon y factuall y "arise s ou t o f th e witness' s former

dutie s withth e FAA . I n poin t

i n fiact , eve n ow n Respondent' s coimsel , Joh n S . Iloflf , Esq , was himsel f a"former employee " o f

th e FA A (Headquarters , Offic e o f th e Chie f Counsel , 1975-1976) . 2 . Ther e i s n o doub t

tha t 4 9 C.F.R . § 9.7(b ) i s ambiguou s a s t o what exactl y i s mean t b y "arisin g ou t

o f th e employee' s officia

l duties. " However , th e right o f th e Responden t

to cal l wimesse s on it s behal f

i s avita l an dver

y basi c du e proces s right. I t i s th e tas k

o f th e Judiciar

y to constru e th e regulatio n i n conformit y wit h "substantia l du e process " an dinheren t feimess. Therefore , an y ambiguity mus t b e resolve dagains t

barrin g a n importan t

witocs s fromtestifyin g a s aresul t

o f atenuous , rot e o r

hyper-technica l applicatio n o f a n ambiguou s regulation . Th e regulatio n shoul dnot

b e use dt o disqualif

y jtis t any forme

r FA A employe e fromofferin g expert testimon y tha t

migh t tangentiall y touc h o n thei r prio r experienc e o r

inherentl y dea

l wit h something , howeve r

tenuous , dia

t the y may hav e learne ddurin g thei r tenur e a s an employee . .^ . I n th e presen t

matter , Mr . Ventrella' s former dutie s with th e FA A simpl y lac k any specifi c factual nexu s t o thes e specifi c proceedings . Whil e h e ma y hav e bee n aformer employe e o f

th e DuPag e Fligh t

Standard s Distric t

OfBce (FDSO ) ove r

2 0 year s ago , thi

e subjec t proceeding s involv e th e propriety o f th e action s o f

th e Milwauke e FSDO , no t th e DuPag e FSDO . Th e Milwauke e FSD O an dit s inspector , no t th e DuPag e FDSO , mad e th e subjec t Complaint . Also , durin g hi s brie f perio do f employment

with th e FAA , Mr . Ventrell adutie s di d no t cover th e jurisdictio n wher e eithe r o f th e tw o subjec t

heav y lif t operation s occurred . 4 . Furthermore , Mr . Ventrell ai s no t bein g calle da s awitnes s t o opin e a s t o FA A polic y ove r

2 0 year s ago . Th e pohcie s o f dx e FA A over

2 0 year s ag o wU

l not resolv e th e presen t03/26/201 0 13:0 3 FAX 202493514 2 FA A•> • DM S 0005/00 7 03/26/201 0 11:5 0 13128F3392' 1 HOF F & HERR,ft^ ' PAG E 05/0 7

dispute . I n foot , th e FAA* s Handbook , 8900.1 , Volume 3 , Ch . 51 , th e interpretatio n o f whic h i s central i n thi s matter , wa s publishe di n 2007 , 1 8 year s afte r Mr . Ventrella' s employment ende d wit hth e FAA , Th e FAR s are republishe dane w annually an dhav e evolve dove r th e ensurin g 2 0 years , a s well . Rather , Mr . Ventrell ai s bein g calle da s aresul t o f hi s year s o f

hands-o n experienc e a s aPar

t 13 3 "heav y lif

t pilot, " o f whic h ther e ar e vei y few . Eve n th e FA A ha dt o resor t t o th e us e o f

Jolu i Judg e fromSeattle , WA , a s suc h an individual coul dno t b e foundi n thi s geographi c area . Mr . VenireU aan dhi s combinatio n o f militar y an dcivilia n "heav y lift " roto r aircraf t experienc e i s unique . 5 . Whil e ther e noa

y b e n o expres s provisio n i n tii e regulatio n that allow s th e "passag e o f

time " t o negat e or

attenuate th e applicatio n o f th e regulation , i t

mus t certainl y b e iinpliecl that

th e longe r

awitnes s ha s bee n out

o f FAA employment , th e les s likel y i t i s tha t thei r testimony "arise s ou t

o f thei r officia l duties. " In Illinois , eve n evidenc e o f afelony convictio n o f ove r te n year s i s inadmissibl e becaus e o f th e remotenes s an dattenuation . 6 . Finally , i t

woul db e inherentl y unfair a t thi s stag e i n th e proceeding s t o ba r Respondent

ftt>mcallin g Mr . Ventrella , especiall y where th e FA A canno t slio w any prejudice , no r hav e the y offere dan y i n ihei r ostensibl e objection . Th e FA A ha s know n that Respondent woul dcal l Mr . Ventrell aa s awlmes s sinc e November 20 , 200 9 whe n h e wa s expressl y disclose da s a

n expwr t wimess . However , th e FAA ha s onl y now , approximatel y on e mont h before th e schedule dHearings , go t aroun dt o assertin g thei r

objections . Du e t o waiver , th e FAA ha s faile dt o timel y assert it s objection , makin g thei r objectio n moot . Th e fieldo f heav y lif t expert s i s extremel y limited , especiall y i f Respondent

i s restricte dt o individual s withou t an y forme r nexu s wit

h th e FAA , Thus , i t

woul db e very difficult

an dprejudicial for

Responden t

t o hav e t o locate areplacemen t expert withi n amont

h o f th e schedule dHearings .03/2G/201 0 13:0 3 FA X 202493514 2 03/26/201 0 11:5 0 13128?;^392 4 FA A * DM S HOF F & HERRf^

' 12006/00 7 PAG E a6/0 7

7 , Alternatively , th e Responden t doe s not believ e that

i t was th e legislativ e inten t to "forever bar " an y an dall former employee s fromofferin g thei r insigh t an dexpertis e EC

T s e merel y becaus e the y onc e wer e a n employe e o f th e FA A - especiall y wher e ther e wa s n o personal involvemen t

with th e fact s an dmatte r at han dan di n issu e for

th e Judg e t o decide . Th e Judg e can capabl y weig h thei r credibility an dany bia s accordingly . WHEREFORE , Responden t respectfull y request s th e Administrativ e La w Judg e enter a n Order (I ) holdin g tha t

Gerr y Ventrell ama y proffe

r opinio n testimon y o n behal f o f th e Responden t

at th e Hearing s i n thes e maners , an d<2 ) continuin g th e Hearing s i n thes e matter s t o adate afte r July , 2010 , an dfor

an y furfiie

r relie f a s th e Judg e deem s jus t

an dproper . Dated : Marc h 26,201 0

Joh n S . Hof

f Jef f Clemen t Hof f & Henra n 13 5 Sout hLaSall e St. , Suit e 330 0 Chicago , IL 6060 3 (312)346-811 1 (312 ) 853-392 4 (FAX ) Respectfiill y submitted , HOF F& HERRA N

Jef f Clemen t03/26/201 0 13:0 3 FAX 202493514 2 FA A* DM S §1007/00 7 03/26/201 0 11:5 0 13128F;^392 4 HOF F & HERRi^'' ' PAG E 07/0 7

CERTIFICAT E O FSERVIC E I certif y tha t o n Marc h 26 , 2010 , acop y o f th e foregoin g wa s serve dupo n th e followin g viafacsimil e an db y depositin g sai ddocumen t i n a n envelope , sealed , first-class postag e fully prepai dan dplace di n th e U.S . mai l locate da t 13 5 S . LaSall e St. , Chicago , Illinoi s 60603 : ORIGINA L AN D ON E COP Y Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Building—Suit e 2W100 0 FAX : 202-493-514 2 ON E COP Y Kate Barber , Complainant' s Counse l Great Lake s Region , AGL-7B Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 230 0 Eas t Devo n Avenu e De s Plaines , IL60018-469 6 THEL ; 847-294-771 3 FAX : 847-294-749 8 Th e Honorabl e Richar dC . Goodwin , Administrativ e La w Judg e OflSc e o f Hearings , M-2 0 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S-E . Eas t Buildin g Groun dFloo r RoomE12-32 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 TEL : 202-366-21 3 9 Attorney-Adviso r 202-366-512 1 Lega l Assistan t FAX : 202-366-753 6 

# U^cp.. ^ Jefl : Clemen t