08/23/201 0 12:4 6 816329410 6 SA D PAG E 02/0 6 

# O U.S . Departmen t

-J.O^^^^PORtAJinh i Smal l Aiqjlan e Directorat e 

### o f Transportatio n OOCKE T OPPRIT^ M 

### -

^ ^^

^ ^"^' ^ ^^^"'^ ° . f ''^ 1 VrttiA i lOl'; ^ Kansa s City , Missour i 6410 6 

### Federa l Aviatio n 201! } kur: o- i r- . ^ Administratio n ^^'" ^ ? 3 P 2 : ] 2 AU G 2 0 201 0

Mr . Lelan dSnow Presiden t Ai r Tractor , Inc . P.O . Bo x 48 5 Olney , T X 7637 4 Dea r Mr . Snow : W e ar e enclosing a"corrected " cop y t o ou r previou s denia

l o f exemption lette

r to Air Tracto r Inc. , datedAugus t

2 , 2010 . Durin

g the closeou

t of thi s project

in ou r exemption compute

r system , th e syste

minadvertentl

y removedthe exemption numbe r an dreallocate dit

to anothe r petitio n fo r exemption . Thi s "corrected " cop

y replace s th e previou s Exemption No . 1011 0 wit h Exemption No . 10116 . Pleas e refe r t o Exemption No . 1 Oil 6 i

n an y futur e correspondenc e relate dto thi s exemption petition . W e apologiz e fo

r an y inconvenienc e thi s causes . Pleas e contac t Mr . Pete r L . Rouse , (816 ) 329

- 4135 , if yo u hav e an y exemption specific questions , an dMr . Tod dTompkins , (816 ) 329-4199 , if yo u have an y question s concerning thi s correction . Sincerely , 

## r:) / Joh n R . Colom

y Acting Manager, Smal

l Airplane Directorat

e Aircraf t Certification Servic e Enclosur e08/23/201 0 12:4 6 816329410 6 SA D PAG E 03/0 6



### Exemptio n No . 1011 6 UNITE D STATES O

F AMERIC

A DEPARTMEN

T O F TRANSPORTATIO

N FEDERA L AVIATIO

N ADMINISTRATIO

N KANSAS CITY , MISSOUR I 6410 6

I n the matte

r of th e petitio n of AI RTRACTOR , IN C fo r exemption from § 23.1001(b) , (c)(2 ) an d(c)(3 ) o f Titl e 14 , Cod

e o f Federa l Regulation s Regulatory Docke t No . FAA-2010-046 8

CORRECTE D COP Y Th e FA A i s reissuin g Denia

l o f Exemptio n No . 1011 0 unde r Exemption No , 1011 6 t

o correc t anumbe r duplicatio n error . The exemption numbe r a t th e to p of th e pag e reflect s th e correc t number . DENIAL O F EXEMPTIO N B y lette r datedApril 23 , 2010 , Mr . LelandSnow , President , Ai r Tractor , Inc . (Ai

r Tractor) , P.O . Bo x 485 , Olney , T X 7637 4 petitione dth e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) o n behalf of Air Tracto r fo r a n exemptio n fro

m§ 23.1001 , paragraph s (b) , (c)(2 ) an d(c)(3 ) o f Titl e 14 , Cod

e o f Federa l Regulation s (1 4 CFR) . Th e propose dexemption , i f granted , wouldpermi

t typ e certificatio n of

th e Ai r Tracto r model AT-802/802A wit

h a fue l jettisonin g syste

mtha t doe s no t discharg e clea

r o f th e aircraft . The aircraf

t wil l b e usedfo r th e specia l purpose s of

Aeria l Surveying an

dPatrolling . Th e petitione r

require s relie f

fromth e follovyin

g regulations : Section 23.1001(b ) prescribes , i n pertinen t part , the fue

l jettisonin g syste

mb e demonstrate da

t maximu mgros s weigh

t wit h tihe flap s up . Sectio n 23.1001 , paragraphs(c)(2 ) an

d(c)(3 ) prescribes , i

n pertinen t part , th e fue

l jettisonin g syste

m discharge s fue

l clea r o f th e aircraf t andtha t n o fume s o

r fue l ente r th e aircraft .08/23/201 0 12:4 6 816329410 6 SA D PAG E 04/0 6

Th e petitione r

state s th e followin g i n thei r petitio n for

exemption : "Th e FAR s tha t

w e ar e petitiotvin g t o modif y fo r th e abov e aircraf

t ar e 23.100 1 (b ) wher e i t

say s "mus t

b e demonstrate da

t maximu mweight . Ai r Tracto r petition s t o demonstrat e fiiel jettiso n at agros s weigh t

o f 13,00 0 lb s o r mor e sinc e th e absenc e o f hopper s remove s spac e t o ad dth e 3,00 0 pound s o f ballas t require dt o brin g th e AT-80 2 tes t aircraf t u p t o it s certificate dweigh t

o f 16,00 0 pounds . Th e FAR s tha t

w e ar e petitionin g t o delet e are 23.1001(c)(2 ) an d 23.1001(c)(3).' ' Th e petitione r

i s requestin g t o performth e fiiel jettisonin g testin g at aweigh t othe r tha n specifie di n 23,1001(b) , an dals o delet e 23.1001(c)(2 ) an d23.1001(c)(3 ) fromth e certificatio n basis . Th e petitione r

support s it s reques t

wit h th e followin g information : "Reason s fo

r th e deletio n o f

thes e 2 FARs : Th e win g angl e o f

incidenc e an dth e highl y cambere dairfoi l caus e th e AT

802/802 A t o fly i n atail-hig h position , whic h provide s goo dvisibilit y fo r th e pilot . Bu t

tail-hig h fligh t

result s i n alo w pressur e are aunde r th e fuselage . Th e enclose dphot o o f an AT-80 2 releasin g fir

e retardan t

show s tha t whil e mos t

o f th e retardan t

drop s clea

r o f th e aircraft , ther e ar e som e wisp s tha t imping e o n th e af

t par t o f th e belly . I t i s possibl e tha t

smal l droplet s o f

fuel woul dente r

th e fuselag e throug h th e smal l opening s for

rudde r contro l cable s o r

th e openin g aroun dth e fuselag e structur e fo

r corrosio n prevention . Th e cockpit s i n th e AT-802/802 A aircraf t ar e seale dof

f fro mth e res t

o f th e fuselag e bu t

i t i s possibl e for

th e cre w t o detec t

th e smel l o f

fue l in cas e smal l amoimt s o f

fue l ente r th e fuselage . Fo r environmenta l reason s a s wel l a s conservatio n o f ou r resources , Ai r Tracto r petition s t o us e wate r

wit h are ddy e instea do f

Je t fuel . Th e tes t aircraf t i s painte dgray , s o tha t

th e re ddy e wil l b e visibl e t o trac e th e pat h o f th e wate r durin g jettisoning . Reason s why Ai r

Tractor' s petitio n shoul db e granted : 1 . Th e AT-80 2 i s a2-seat restricte dcategory aircraf t with n o passenge r carryin g authority . I f

i s for th e specia l purpose s liste di n FA R21.2 5 t o08/23/201 0 12:4 6 816329410 6 SA D PAG E 05/0 6

includ e 21.25(b)(3 ) an d21.25(b)(4) . Fo r thes e purpose s th e aircraf t mus t hav e lon g loite r

tim e fo r borde r patro l o r othe r surveillanc e activities . It s basi c configuratio n canno t b e altere dt o mee t

FAR s for whic h w e ar e seekin g relief

. 2 . Th e fire ris k

firo mfue l impingemen t

o n th e fuselag e i s negligibl e du e t o ther e bein g mor e than te n feet o f distanc e betwee n th e exhaus t stack s an d th e discharg e por t

o f th e fuel jettiso n system . 3 . Th e FA A approve dairplan e flight manua l list s severa l instruction s t o dump th e hoppe r

content s in th e Emergenc y Procedure s section . I t als o list s dumpin g th e ferr

y fuel i n th e hoppe r

i n th e ditchin g procedures . Thes e AFM page s are enclosed . 4 . Th e hoppe r

jettiso n feature provide s more safet y for fligh t ove r mountainou s terrai n wher e suitabl e landin g site s ar e not available . A lowere dlandin g spee dresultin g fromjettisonin g th e hoppe r ftael lower s th e airplan e stal l speed , improvin g th e odd s o f survivin g acrash . 5 . We believ e tha t

th e fuel jettisonin g requiremen t wer e aime dat

larg e transport airplane s wit

h a n emergenc y landin g requiremen t an dnot for smalle r restricte dcategor

y airplane s not

carryin g passenger s for

hire . 6 . Th e tran s Atlanti c delivery flight t o oversea s customer s i s mad e mor e saf e becaus e i n cas e o f

engin e failure ove r

water , th e fiiselage fue

l ca n b e jettisone dan dth e jettiso n valv e close ds o tha t th e tan k can b e use dt o creat e mor e buoyanc y an dhel p preven t th e aircraf

t fi-o msinking, " A summary o f

thi s petitio n wa s publishe di n th e Federal Registe r fo r publi c commen t on Jun e 9,2010 , (7 5 FR32837) . N o comment s wer e received . Th e FAA' s analysi s i s a s follows : Th e FA A find s tha t

i n accordanc e wit h 1 4 CF R§ 11.81(d) , th e petitione r mus t sho w tha t grantin g th e reques t

woul db e i n th e publi c interest , tha t is , benefi t

th e publi c a s a whole . Als o th e petitione r mus t sho w i n accordanc e wit h § 11.81(e) , th e reason s wh y grantin g th e exemptio n woul dnot adversel y affec t

safety , o r ho w th e exemptio n woul d provid e aleve l o f

safet y at leas t equa l t o tha t provide db y th e rul e fromwhic h yo u see k th e exemption . Th e FA A ha s carefull y reviewe dth e informatio n containe di n th e petitioner' s reques t for exemption .08/23/201 0 12:4 6 816329410 5 SA D PAG E 86/0 6

Th e FA A disagree s wit

h th e petitioner' s argument .

• Th e exemptio n woul dallo w th e us e o f ajettisonin g syste mtha t

spraye d fliel ove r th e outsid e o f

th e airplane , whic h i s contrar y t o th e safet

y objectiv e o f

th e rule s an dcontrary t o th e state dpurpos e o f improvin g th e odd s o f surviva l i n acrash . I n addition , th e behavio r o f thi s fue l jettisonin g syste mdoe s no t provid e aleve l o f

safet y equa l t o th e rule s from whic h Ai r Tracto r Inc . request s exemption . • Th e FA A understand s th e rational e for fue l jettisonin g i n a

n emergenc y landin g a s provide db y Ai r Tracto r Inc . However , i t

i s no t i n th e publi c interes t t o allo w fuel t o discbarg e o n th e aircraf t an dt o allo w fiime s o r

fuel t o ente r th e aircraf

t • Th e applican t

ha s not provide dinformatio n o n ho w testin g a t areduce d weigh t woul db e i n th e publi c interest , ho w i t woul dnot

adversel y affec t safety , o r ho w th e exemptio n provide s aleve l o f safet y equa l t o tha t provide db y th e rule . Th e FAA' s Decision : I n consideratio n o f

th e foregoing , I findtha t

agran t o f exemptio n woul dno t

b e i n th e publi c interes t

o r maintai n th e leve l o f

safet y require db y th e rul e fro mwhic h th e exemptio n i s sought . Therefore , pursuan t t o th e authority containe di n 4 9 U.S.C . § § 4011 3 an d44701 . a s amended , delegate dto m e b y th e Administrato r (1 4 CF R § 11.91) , th e petitio n o f

Ai r Tractor , inc . for

a n exemptio n from1 4 CFR , par t 23 , § § 23.1001 , paragraph s (b) , (c)(2 ) an d(c)(3 ) i s hereb y denied . Issue di n Kansa s City , Missouri o n Augus t 20 , 2010 , Joh n R . Colomy Actin g Manager , Smal l Airplan e Directorat e Aircraf t Certificatio n Servic e