AFS-12-163-E 

April 11, 2012 

 Exemption No. 8480E 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2005-20109 

Mr. John W. Hazlet, Jr. 

Vice President, Safety and Standards 

Ameriflight, LLC 

4700 Empire Avenue 

Burbank, CA 91505 

Dear Mr. Hazlet: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption No. 8480, 

as amended. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the revised 

conditions and limitations. 

 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated January 11, 2012, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of Ameriflight, LLC (Ameriflight), for an extension of Exemption No. 8480, as 

amended. That exemption from § 119.3 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allows 

Ameriflight to operate certain Embraer Brasilla EMB-120 airplanes with a maximum payload 

capacity greater than 7,500 pounds in all-cargo service under part 135. 

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons 

relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption 

and we do not disagree. However, we have clarified Limitation No. 5 due to some past 

confusion regarding certain components of it applicability. 

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition 

in the Federal Register because the requested extension of the exemption would not set a 

precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Ameriflight. 
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Our Decision 

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 8480, as 

amended, remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. 

Therefore, under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA 

Administrator has delegated to me, I grant your petition, subject to the revised conditions and 

limitations listed below. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. Prior to conducting operations under this exemption, Ameriflight must obtain 

amended operations specifications that include this exemption. 

2. Operations under this exemption are limited to EMB-120ER airplanes modified 

into dedicated freighters under supplemental type certificate 00598WI or to aircraft 

model EMB-120FC.

3. A copy of this exemption must be carried onboard each EMB-120 airplane operated 

under this exemption. 

4. EMB-120 airplanes operated under this exemption must be maintained in 

accordance with the maintenance requirements set forth in § 135.411(a)(2).

5. Ameriflight must institute a flight following program in accordance with § 121.125. 

However, mandatory compliance with § 121.125(a)(1) is limited to the following 

subparagraphs of part 121 subpart U: 

 Section 121.597 

 Section 121.599(b) 

 Section 121.603 

 Section 121.631(b), (c), and (d) 

Other applicable sections of part 121, subpart U may be met by compliance with 

the appropriate analogous part 135 sections or authorized Ops Specs. 

6. Ameriflight must compute the increase in weight, in excess of 7,500 pounds, by 

determining the difference between the certificated maximum zero-fuel weight 

(MZFW) and the actual empty operating weight plus crew weight. No increase to 

the certificated maximum takeoff weight is authorized under this exemption. 

7. All operations conducted under this exemption must be conducted with EMB-120 

airplanes that are equipped with cockpit voice recorder, flight data recorder, traffic 

alert and collision avoidance system, ground proximity warning system, and 

autopilot. 

8. Prior to conducting any operations under this exemption, Ameriflight must amend 

its approved training program in a manner acceptable to its principal operations 

inspector to include training with the additional equipment listed in Condition and 

Limitation No. 7 and any other differences. 
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The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 8480, as amended, to 

April 30, 2014, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Raymond Towles 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service