A’ ATLANTIC SOUTH EAST AIR LI N ES December 05, 2011 U.S. Department
of Transportation Docket Operations, M-30 West Building ground floor Room W12-140 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Dear Sirs: Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and /or ExpressJet Airlines Inc., holder of Air Carrier Operating Certificate ASOAO29B, requests an extension of the approval
to utilize Exemption 7135 to 14 CFR part 121.434(1)(c)(ii).
The original approval
to utilize Exemption 7135 was issued March
7, 2000 and extended
in March 2004, March 2006, March 2008 and again in March 2010. We are requesting

to extend the approval based on the original conditional requirements of Exemption 7135 as amended. The petition for exemption

is attached. Sincerely, Charles
S. Tuft VP Flight Operations /attachment

Live Connected.990 Toffie Terrace AUanta, GA 30354-1 363

p :404.856.1000 404.856.1203 flyasa.comAtlantic Southeast Airlines Inc.andbr ExpressJet. Airlines Inc. PETITION FOR. EXEMPTION 12/5/2011 U.S. Department

of Transportation Docket Operations, M-30 West Building ground floor Room W12-140 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 SUBJECT: PETITION FOR GRANT OF EXEMPTION Pursuant

toSection 11.25 of the Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR), Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc., holder of Operating Certificate ASOAO29B, hereby petitions the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the renewal of the exemption from FAR Section 121 .434(c)(1)(ii)

tothe extent necessary

to permit ASA toobserve the pilots in qualification observation

as required bythe aforementioned rule. This exemption renewal

is requested

in order for Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. tocontinue
to perform this required observation

asallowed bythe previously approved Exemption 7135 and 7135E amended, which expires March 31, 2012. NATURE AND EXTENT OF RELIEF The exemption will allow
aFAA authorized Check Airmen,

in the employ of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc.,toconduct the required observation when

aFAA inspector

is unavailable toconduct the observation,

as required bythe below regulation: FAR 121.434(c)(1)(ii) Pilot crewmembers must acquire operating experience and operating cycles asfollows: (1)A pilot in command must

- (I) Perform the duties ofapilot in command under the supervision

ofacheck pilot; and (ii)In addition,

ifa qualifying pilot in command

is completing initial or upgrade training specified

in§ 121.424, be observed

in the performance

of prescribed duties byanFAA inspector during atleast one flight leg which includes

atakeoff and landing. During the time that a qualifying pilot in command

is acquiring the operating experience

in paragraphs (c)(I) (i) and (ii) of this section,

acheck pilot who is also serving asthe pilot in command must occupy

apilot station. However,

in the caseofa transitioning pilot in command the check pilot serving as pilot in command may occupythe observer’s seat,
if the transitioning pilot has made atleast twotakeoffs and landings

in the type airplane used, and has satisfactorily demonstrated

tothe check pilot that heis qualified
to perform the duties ofapilot in command
ofthat typeof airplane. This relief, toconduct the required observations

as requested, will be implemented under previously approved guidelines which are: 1. Each check airman performing the duties otherwise appropriate

toanFAA inspector, under this exemption, must: a.Bean employee
of Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc.; b. Be qualified and current
in the duties of the PlC inthe aircraft being operated; 1Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc.and /or ExpressJet Airlines Inc. PETITION FOR EXEMPTION 12/5/2011 c.Be approved by the FAA Aircrew Program Manager; and d. Have been employed
by Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and for ExpressJet Airlines Inc. asacheck airman for aminimum
of 6months. 2. Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. andbr ExpressJet Airlines Inc. mustsubmit and have approved by its FAA principal operations inspector (PCI), in aletter of approval, the nameof each check airman tobe used under this exemption before this useoccurs. 3. Before each observation conducted under this exemption, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. mustcontactits P01 orthe P01’s designated representative and obtain approval for the observation, thus reserving first right of refusal tothe FAA. 4. The check airman observing the qualifying pilot mustbe other than the check airman conducting the operating experience flight. 5. The check airman observing the flight maynot previously have conducted any operating experience flight during the current, initial, or upgrade training of the qualifying PlC. 6.The qualifying PlC candidate mustbe observed performing the duties ofaPlC during

a complete flight leg, including flight deck preparation, before starting engines checklist, taxi, takeoff, all other flight phases, landing, taxi and securing checklist. 7. Each operation conducted under this exemption mustbe recorded

in Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. approved training records. 8.No observations maybe conducted under this exemption until the qualifying PIG has completed noless than 10 hours of supervised CE and accomplished

nofewer than twotakeoffs and landings. 9. Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and for ExpressJet Airlines Inc. mustmaintain the records necessary

to demonstrate compliance with the conditions and limitations
ofthis exemption. PUBLIC INTEREST Granting
of this petition for exemption

to permit anAtlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. Check Airman toconduct the required observation

as previously outlined

isin the public interest for reasonsof safety, economics and being able to complete the requirements

of the FAR ina timely manner.With the current staffing of the Certificate holding District Office (CHDO), the FAA is not always available
toconduct the observation

asscheduled. Allowing Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc.and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. toconduct the observation, when the FAA is unavailable, will allow for the completion

of this pilot qualification element

in a timely fashion, thereby reinforcing the training guidance given tothe pilots in training. EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. believes that this proposal for the requested exemption renewal, will not merely provide an equivalent level of safety to operations under this present regulation, but will in fact, enhance safety. Operations under the exemption requested herein should enhance total air safety due tothe observations being conducting
by Atlantic Southeast Airlines 2Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc.andbr ExpressJet Airlines Inc. PETITION FOR EXEMPTION 12/5/2011 Inc.and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. will allow yetanother review ofthe FAA approved pilot training program.These additional observations
will provide valuable feedback

toenhance the quality of the FAA approved pilot training program. In summary,this exemption,

in addition
to supplementing
the FAA staffing, will provide valuable information
onthe preparedness

of the newly trained pilots. This exemption,

in addition
to making available additional resources,will allow anAtlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. Check Airman
toevaluate the training and checking effort where experience has shown

ittobe most valuable. EXCEPTIONS
TO PUBLICATION
OF SUMMARY OF PETITION FOR EXEMPTION In accordance with the provisions
of FAR 11 .27(jX3)(i) (Exceptions

toPublication

of Summary
of Petition for Exemption), Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc.and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. requeststhat
afinding of good causebe made for waiving publication

in the Federal Register, since similar exemptions and waivers forthis purposehave been granted
toother Part 121 air carriers electing
toconduct the observations required byFAR 121.434(1)(c)(ii).
The justifications and supporting argumentsare nearly identical
to those presented
by Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and for ExpressJet Airlines Inc..Inview of the numerous opportunities

tocomment

in the past,and the analysis previously done byFAA in the related industry cases,which ultimately resulted

in grantsof exemption, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. requeststhat the publication and comment period be waived. SUMMARY As required by FAR Section 11.25(d),

a summary
ofthe petition

isasfollows: Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. requestsan exemption from FAR 121 .434(1)(c)(ii), (FAA observation),

tothe extent necessary

to permit authorized Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and br ExpressJet Airlines Inc. Check Airmen toconduct the required pilot observation when aFAA inspector

is unavailable. Sincerely, Charles
S.Tu Vice President, Flight Operations cc: Inspector Bill Smith Atlantic Southeast Airlines Inc. and for ExpressJet Airlines Inc. Principal Operations Inspector 3