### BEFORETHE DEPARTMENT OFTRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of VOLGA-DNEPR 1.S. CARGO AIRLINE for an emergency exemption pursuant to 49 U.S.c. 

### § 40109(g) Victorville, CA

- Eielson AirForce Base, AK ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 

## -----------------------------) DocketOST-201O-

)



### APPLICATION OF VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGO AIRLINE FORAN EMERGENCYEXEMPTION Communicationwithrespect to this document should be addressedto: Alexey I. Isaikin Chairman Volga-DneprJ.S. Cargo Airline 14 Karbysheva Street 1215 Ulyanovsk, Russia



### DATED: March 29, 2010 Colon Miller Key AccountManager Volga Dnepr-Unique AirCargo, Inc. 9400 Grogan's Mill Road, TownCenterPlaza, Suite 220, TheWoodlands, TX USA (832) 585-8611

NOTICE: THIS APPLICATION IS FILED PURSUANT TOTHE EMERGENCY EXEMPTION PROCEDURES OF 14 C.F.R. 

### § 302.410, WHICH AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO ACT ONEMERGENCY EXEMPTIONS IMMEDIATELY. ANY PERSON INTERESTED IN FILING AN ANSWER IS REQUESTED TO DO SO IN THE ABOVE DOCKET IMMEDIATELY. COPIES OFTHE SUBMISSION SHOULD BE SERVED ON THEPERSONS LISTED ABOVE AND ON THE AITACHED SERVICE LIST.

### BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OFTRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGO AIRLINE for an emergency exemptionpursuant to 49 U.S.C. 

### § 40109(g) Victorville, CA

- Eielson AirForce Base, AK ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 

## ----------------------------) Docket OST-2010-



### APPLICATION OF**VOLGA~DNEPR** 

### J.S. CARGO AIRLINE FORAN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION

Volga-DneprJ.S. Cargo Airline ("Volga-DneprAirlines" ortlVolga-Dneprtl) respectfully requests an emergency exemption from the provisions of49 U.S.C. §§ 40109(g) and 41703(c), and otherwise applicable provisions ofthe Department ofTransportation ("DOT") regulations,
so as to permit Volga-Onepr to operate two one-way all-cargo charter flight, utilizing VolgaDnepr's AN-124-100 aircraft, to transport cargo from Victorville, California to Eielson Air ForceBase, Alaska, on oraround April 6-9, 2010, onbehalfofU.S
. TRANSCOM. The cargo to be transported by Volga-Dnepr from Victorville to Eielson Air Force Base
on April 6-9, 2010, will consist of ]0 OH-58D helicopters with the dimensions in shipping configuration ofL-408 x W-103 x H-148, and associated equipment on the first flight, and 5 UH-60A helicopters with the dimensions in shipping configuration ofL-646 x W-117 x H-148 and associated equipment onthe second flight In support ofits 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 orpoints in the United States, and all-cargo charter transportation between the United Sates and third countriespursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 212. 2. Volga-Dnepr will operate flights on behalfofU.S. TRANSCOM as part ofan effort to provide needed lift to complete the required equipment rotation as set forth above. The helicopters were originally planned to be transported by U.S. TRANSCOM organic 

### lift, however, due to the need to divert the available organic lift to other areas, U.S. TRANSCOM is
now requiring that they be transported by commercial aircraft. U.S. Carriers were solicited for movement of this cargo, however did not have the required availability to meet the required movement tirneline for the equipment rotation outlined by USTRANSCOM. The military stands to face substantial delays in highly time sensitive opemtions if the mission is not completed within the set schedule, while only the use of Volga-Dnepr's aircraft can make it possible to perform the service in question on time. 3. Due to the nature of the cargo, as well as the urgency ofthe shipments, the military cannot use alternative surface transportation to ship the systems and equipment. 4. Given the tight schedule associated with the missions, Volga-Dnepr must perform the operations not later than stated above. Volga-Dnepr is polling all U.S. certificated air carriers on the attached service list and will inform the Departmentofthe results ofthat 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 ftnd that the authority is required in the public interest; that because of an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course ofbusiness 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. certiftcated 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 ofthe relevant criteria under 49 U.S.c. 

### §40109(g) for the grant ofan exemption. 6. Grant of this application is in the public interest. As is evidenced by the attached correspondence, timely shipment ofthe payloads is imperative to avoid substantial delay in U.S. TRANSCOM's operations. 7. In this instance, an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course ofbusiness exists as a result ofthe diversion ofU.S. TRANSCOM's organic fleet to other emergency tasks related to ongoing operations worldwide, the exigent circumstances surrounding the lack ofavailability ofU.S. civil aircraft and the urgency ofthe shipment. As a result, the best way to resolve this emergency is for the AN-124-100 to transport the payload in question. 8. As previously stated, no U.S. carrier is available to transport this cargo within the dates requested by U.S. TRANSCOM. Indeed, there is no viable transportation option by any commercially available means otherthan Volga-Dnepr's aircraft to meet desired timeline. 9. Grant ofthis exemption application is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the traffic at issue. In fact, the shipper stands to sufferconsiderable disruption to 

### its operations in the interest ofnational security and safety ifthe shipments are delayed. 10. Volga-Dnepr's fitness and ability to carry out the proposed transportation has been amply demonstrated through its conduct ofnumerous cargo charteroperations all over the world, including traffic in and out ofthe United States, over the past several years - on behalfofU.S. TRANSCOM. 11. Grant ofthis application is consistent with Departmentprecedent. 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 asNotices ofAction 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 andthe immediate grant ofthis emergency exemption application. TheDepartment'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 ofthe interestedU.S. carriers to the telephonepoll regarding this application.

## *******

WHEREFORE, Volga-Dnepr respectfully requests that the Department issue an emergency exemption pennitting it to operate two one-way all-cargo charter flight, utilizing Volga-Dnepr's AN-124-100 aircraft, to transport cargo from Victorville, California to Eielson AirForce Base, Alaska, on oraroundApril 6-9, 2010, as described herein, and grant such further reliefas the Departmentdeems to beconsistentwiththepublic interest.



### Dated: March 29, 2010 Respectfully submitted,

ColonMiller Designated agent for Volga-DneprAirlines (832) 585-861I



### CERTIFICATE OF SERVICEI hereby certify that I have on this day served a copy ofthe foregoing document upon all persons named on the attached service list via electronic mail.

Colon Miller

Dated: March 29, 2010Marshall S. Sinick 202/626-6600 Squire, Sanders & Dempsey 1201 PennsylvaniaAvenue, N.W. Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 For: ALASKAAIRLINES, INC. FLORIDAWEST (FAX: 202/626-6780) Carl B. Nelson, Jr. 202/496-5647 Associate General Counsel AMERICANAIRLINES 1101 17th Street, N.W. Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 (FAX: 202/496-5660) Scott Yohe 202/216-0700 Vice-President, GovernmentMfairs 1629 K Street, N.W. Suite 501 Washington, DC 20006 For: DELTAAIRLINES, INC. (FAX: 202/216-0824) Department ofState

- EUR/RUS Room 4223 2201 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20250 (FAX: 2021736-4710)

DeputyAssistant Secretaryfor TransportationMfairs Department ofState Bureau ofEconomics and Business Mfairs, EBITRA, Room 5830 2201 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20250 (FAX: 202/647-4324) Roger Rapier 202/267-9555 (ATO-R) Office ofInternationalAviation FederalAviationAdministration 800 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20591 (FAX: 202/267-9208) 

### Service List Angelia Bird 9011434-8589 FEDERAL EXPRESS CORPORATION 3620 Hacks Cross Rd. Memphis, TN 38125 (FAX: 9011434-9289)

MargotWiegele 907/249-5142 NORTHERNAIR CARGO, Inc. 3900 West InternationalAirport Road Anchorage, AK 99502 (FAX: 907/249-5190)

Tom Gillies 203/847-6000 President 117 GloverAvenue Norwalk, CT 06850 For: SOUTHERNAIR (FAX: 203/847-6000)

Russell E. Pommer 202/822-9121 Associate General Counsel and Director of RegulatoryAffairs ATLAS AIR, INC. 1747 PennsylvaniaAve., N.W., Suite 875 Washington, DC 20006 (FAX: 202/822-9152) JeffreyManley 202/663-6655

1455 PennsylvaniaAve, N.W. Washington, DC 20004 For: UNITED AIRLINES (FAX: 2021772-6670)

Pierre Murphy, Esq. 2021776-3980 1200 New HampshireAvenue, N.W. Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: ARROWAIR, INC. (FAX: 2021776-3975)David Vaughan 202/955-9864 Kelley Drye & Warren 1200 19th Street, N.W. Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: U.P.S. (FAX: 202/955-9792)



### Robert Silverberg 202-944-3300 Silverberg, Goldman 

### & Bikoff 1101 30th St., N.W., Suite 120 Washington, D.C. 20007 For: ABX Air, Inc 

### (FAX: 

### 202/944-3304)
Hershel Kamen 7131324-6697 SeniorManaging Director ofInternational RegulatoryAffairs CONTINENTALAIRLINES 2929 Allen Parkway Suite 1925 Houston, TX 77019 (FAX: 713/324-2749)
Ronald Priddy 703/358-8060 NationalAir Carriers'Association 1000 Wilson Bvd., Suite 1700 Arlington, VA 22209 (FAX: 703/358-8070)



### Ben Graves 503/472-9361 

### EVERGREEN INTERNATIONAL, INC. 1401 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 530 Washington, D.C. 20005-2147 (FAX: 

### 202/638-4593)

DavidVaughan 202/955-9864 Kelley Drye & Warren 1200 19th Street, N.W. Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: U.P.S. (FAX: 202/955-9792) John L. Richardson 202/828-0158 202/371-2258 Crispin & Brenner

### I 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 1105 Washington, DC 20005 For: AMERIJET INTERNATIONAL, INC. (FAX: 202/828-0152) 

### MarkAtwood 202/463-2513 

### Sher 

### & Blackwell 1850 M Street, N.W., Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: KALITrAAIR, L.L.C. (FAX: 

### 202/463-4950) Stephen H. Lachter 202/962-4321 1150 ConnecticutAve, N.W. Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: ASTARAIR CARGO (FAX: 202/835-3219)

Judy McKenzie 907/249-4100 6441 SouthAir Park Place Anchorage,AK 99502 LYNDENAIR CARGO (FAX: 907/245-0642)

Mark McMillin 770/632-8215 Assistant General Counsel HLH Bldg, 101 World Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269 For: WORLD AIRLINES (FAX: 770/632-8048)
Kevin P. Montgomery 202/828-1002 POLARAIR CARGO 1747 PennsylvaniaAve., N.W., Suite 875 Washington, DC 20006 (FAX: 202/828-1003)