AFS-12-265-E 

May 3, 2012 

 Exemption No. 10527 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2002-11491 

Mr. Carlos Ayala 

Manager, Airworthiness 

Cessna Aircraft Company 

One Cessna Boulevard 

Wichita, KS 67277 

Dear Mr. Ayala: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our 

decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, 

including the date it ends. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated March 1, 2012, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of Cessna Aircraft Company (Cessna) for an extension of Exemption No. 4050, as 

amended. That exemption from §§ 91.9(a) and 91.531(a)(1) and (2) of Title 14, Code of 

Federal Regulations (14 CFR) permitted Cessna to allow certain qualified pilots of Cessna 

Citation model 550, S550, 552, or 560 aircraft to operate those aircraft without a pilot who is 

designated as second in command (SIC). The amendment you request would extend the 

exemption for 3 additional years. That exemption, however, expired on March 31, 2012; 

therefore, we will treat your request as a new petition. 

Although Cessna requested to extend the exemption for 3 years, the FAA finds that it is in the 

best interest of safety to review this exemption every 2 years to ensure that there has been no 

change in the circumstances or regulations from which the exemption is granted. 

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

in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any 

delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Cessna. 
2 

The FAA has issued grants of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to 

those presented in your petition. In Grant of Exemption Nos. 4050, as amended, 5517, as 

amended, and Summary Grant of Exemption No. 6480, as amended (copies enclosed), the 

FAA noted that, although the Cessna Citation model 500 (CE-500) series airplane was 

initially type-certificated under part 25, which requires operation with two pilots; the airplane 

was subsequently type-certificated under part 23 for single-pilot operation. The FAA pointed 

out that this is the only turbojet airplane that has evolved into single-pilot operations. 

Furthermore, the FAA noted that it agreed with Cessna that the part 23 and part 25 Cessna 

Citations are identical from an operational standpoint. Therefore, the FAA determined that in 

view of the past single-pilot operating experience of CE-500 series airplanes type-certificated 

under part 23, an exemption with appropriate conditions and limitations to permit single-pilot 

operations of CE-500 series airplanes type-certificated under part 25 would not have an 

adverse effect of safety. In addition, the FAA found that the grants of exemption were in the 

public interest because operators are provided with increased operating flexibility and 

reduced economic burdens. 

Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that— 

 they are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in the enclosed Grant 

of Exemption Nos. 4050, 5517, and 6480; 

 the reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption Nos. 4050, 

5517, and 6480 also apply to the situation you present; and 

 a grant of exemption is in the public interest. 

Our Decision 

Under the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator 

has delegated to me, I hereby grant Cessna Aircraft Company an exemption for 14 CFR 

§§ 91.9(a) and 91.531(a)(1) and (2) to the extent necessary to permit Cessna to allow certain 

qualified pilots of Cessna Citation airplanes covered by the CE-500 type rating to operate 

those aircraft without a pilot who is designated as SIC, subject to the following conditions and 

limitations. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. This exemption applies to pilots operating Cessna Citation model 500, 550, S550, 552, 

and 560 airplanes who have successfully completed Cessna’s approved single-pilot 

authorization course and complied with all of the terms of this exemption. 

2. This exemption is effective for the conduct of the required training and checking only 

if Cessna’s single-pilot training program receives and maintains approval under 

part 142 from the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) that has jurisdictional 

authority over Cessna’s part 142 training center certificate. 
3 

3. This exemption is effective only if it is listed in Cessna’s training specifications, 

paragraph A005. 

4. This exemption applies to only operations conducted under part 91. 

5. Each pilot conducting single-pilot operations under the terms of this exemption 

must— 

a. Complete Cessna’s FAA-approved part 142 CE-500 single-pilot curriculum 

before conducting such operations; 

b. Hold an airline transport pilot certificate with a CE-500 type rating or a 

commercial pilot certificate with an airplane instrument rating and CE-500 

type rating before entering Cessna’s part 142 CE-500 single-pilot curriculum; 

c. Have logged at least 1,000 hours of total pilot flight time, including at least 50 

hours of night flight time; 75 hours of instrument flight time, 40 hours of 

which are in actual instrument meteorological conditions; and 500 hours as 

pilot in command (PIC), SIC, or both, in turbine-powered airplanes; 

d. Not perform any circling instrument approaches to minimums of less than 200 

feet and 1 mile above the published minimums until after completing 100 

hours of single-pilot flight experience in CE-500 series airplanes; 

e. Not perform any straight-in instrument approaches to minimums of less than 

100 feet and one-half statute mile visibility above the published minimums 

until after completing 100 hours of single-pilot flight experience in CE-500 

series airplanes; 

f. Use a boom microphone; and 

g. Use a fully functioning autopilot that is controllable about three axes and 

capable of approach coupling. 

6. The CE-500 single-pilot initial authorization and authorization renewal curriculum 

must include–– 

a. Ground instruction appropriate to the CE-500 airplane given by a Cessna part 

142 instructor (designated in accordance with Cessna’s approved procedures) 

that covers at least the following aeronautical knowledge areas: 

i. Safe and efficient operation of airplanes; 

ii. Weight and balance computations; 

iii. Use of performance charts; 
4 

iv. Significance and effects of exceeding airplane performance limitations; 

v. Principles and functions of airplane systems; 

vi. Maneuvers, procedures, and emergency operations; and 

vii. Night and high-altitude operations. 

b. Flight instruction appropriate to the CE-500 airplane given by a Cessna part 

142 instructor (designated in accordance with Cessna’s approved procedures) 

that covers at least the following areas of operation: 

i. Preflight preparation; 

ii. Preflight inspection and procedures; 

iii. Taxiing; 

iv. Normal and crosswind takeoffs and departures; 

v. In-flight maneuvers including configuration changes, approaches to stalls, 

and steep turns; 

vi. Simulated powerplant failure (actual powerplant failure if accomplished in 

a flight simulator); 

vii. Instrument procedures; 

viii. Precision and nonprecision approaches; 

ix. Missed approaches; 

x. Landings and approaches to landings; 

xi. Normal and crosswind landings; 

xii. Landing with a simulated powerplant failure (actual powerplant failure if 

accomplished in a flight simulator); 

xiii. Normal and abnormal procedures; 

xiv. Emergency procedures; and 

xv. Post-flight procedures. 
5 

7. The instruction required in Condition No. 6b may be completed in an approved flight 

simulator, qualified as–– 

a. A Level A or B flight simulator, provided the applicant satisfactorily 

accomplishes as part of the training program the following in-flight maneuvers 

and procedures as sole manipulator of the controls in a CE-500 series airplane: 

i. Exterior preflight inspection; 

ii. Taxiing; 

iii. Normal and crosswind takeoffs (minimum of three); 

iv. Normal and crosswind approaches and landings (minimum of three); 

v. Landing from a precision approach; 

vi. Missed approach 

vii. Approach and landing with a simulated powerplant failure; 

viii. Landing from a circling approach; and 

ix. Landing from a no flap or nonstandard flap approach. 

b. A Level C or D flight simulator provided the applicant has performed at least 

three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop as the sole manipulator of the 

flight controls in the CE-500 series airplane within the preceding 90 days. 

8. An applicant seeking to obtain or renew a single-pilot authorization under this 

exemption must–– 

a. Satisfactorily complete Cessna’s FAA-approved part 142 single-pilot 

curriculum; 

b. Satisfactorily complete the curriculum’s required qualification module, 

consisting of a stand-alone proficiency check in either a CE-500 series 

airplane, an appropriately qualified and approved flight simulator, or a 

combination thereof; 

c. Satisfactorily complete this proficiency check— 

i. Within 10 days of completing the training; and 

ii. Under the supervision of an appropriately rated FAA inspector or Cessna 

Training Center Evaluator (TCE) who is qualified and authorized to 
6 

conduct either § 61.58 proficiency checks or type rating practical tests in 

CE-500 series flight simulators or airplanes, as appropriate. 

d. Satisfactorily complete all tasks listed in the Airline Transport Pilot and 

Aircraft Type Rating Practical Test Standards that are required for an initial 

CE-500 type rating, except as provided in Condition No. 10; and 

e. Satisfactorily perform all maneuvers and procedures as a single pilot during 

the entire proficiency check. Training to proficiency during the check is not 

permitted, and failure of any maneuver shall result in failure of the proficiency 

check. 

9. The circling approach requirement must be accomplished in an airplane or in a 

simulator that is qualified and approved in Cessna’s training specifications for the 

circling approach task. 

10. Until the circling approach task has been satisfactorily demonstrated to an FAA 

inspector or FAA-designated examiner in an airplane or in a simulator that is qualified 

and approved for the circling approach task–– 

a. The applicant’s records will be annotated with the statement, “Demonstration 

of circling approach was not accomplished;” and 

b. The applicant must not perform circling approaches as the PIC when weather 

conditions are less than the weather minimums for visual flight rules. 

11. A person who previously has received a single-pilot authorization in a Cessna Citation 

model 500, 550, S550, 552, or 560 airplane must complete Cessna’s FAA-approved 

part 142 single-pilot differences training course to obtain a single-pilot authorization 

for a different Cessna Citation model. 

12. All flight training conducted in accordance with this exemption must be given by a 

flight instructor employed by Cessna who also meets the requirements of 

condition/limitation #5 of this exemption. 

13. An applicant seeking to obtain a single-pilot authorization must satisfactorily 

complete ground and flight training through Cessna’s FAA-approved part 142 singlepilot training course and must receive training on the differences between the Cessna 

Citation model represented by the simulator used for training and checking and the 

Cessna Citation model for which single-pilot authorization is requested. 

14. A single-pilot authorization will be valid for 12 calendar months. A person who 

renews a single-pilot authorization in the calendar month before or after the calendar 

month in which it is due is considered to have renewed the single-pilot authorization 

when due. 
7 

15. Successful completion of the practical test used in the FAA-approved part 142 singlepilot initial authorization and authorization renewal training program identified in 

Condition #5 satisfies the requirements of PIC proficiency check required by § 61.58. 

 

16. Each CE-500 series airplane operated under this exemption must have the following 

equipment installed and operational: 

a. An autopilot with approach coupling; 

b. A flight director system; 

c. A boom microphone; and 

d. A transponder “ident” switch on the pilot’s control wheel. 

17. Cessna must provide a copy of this exemption to each person who is authorized to 

operate under this exemption. Each person who successfully completes the training 

and proficiency check identified in Condition #8 must have their pilot logbook 

endorsed by the Cessna instructor administering the training, using the following 

endorsement: 

“I certify that (First name, MI, Last name) has successfully completed the CE-500 

single-pilot curriculum identified in Exemption No. 10039, as amended.” 

/s/ [date] J. J. Jones 987654321CFI Exp. 12-31-05 

18. No operator may transfer this exemption when or if ownership or lease of the airplane 

is relinquished. 

19. Each person must carry a copy of this exemption and a record from Cessna 

documenting compliance with its training and checking conditions aboard the airplane 

when he or she is operating under the terms of the exemption. 

20. Upon request, Cessna must provide any representative of the FAA Administrator with 

an analysis of training and checking operations conducted under this exemption with 

respect to program failure rates, extra training time required, accident and incident 

data, and any known problem areas. 

21. Cessna must maintain records and make them available, when requested, to any 

representative of the FAA Administrator. These records must include all information 

required by § 142.73 and— 

a. The dates of training enrollment and completion for each applicant who enrolls 

in Cessna’s training courses; 
8 

b. The name and number of additional training hours needed by those applicants 

who require more flight training than prescribed in the FAA-approved training 

course to pass the initial authorization or authorization renewal; 

c. A list of those pilots who failed to complete the training program satisfactorily 

or withdrew from the program and the reasons for the withdrawal; and 

d. The name, certificate number, and address of each person who is authorized to 

operate under this exemption. 

22. No person may provide training nor may any person receive training while passengers 

are aboard any aircraft operating for the purpose of meeting the training or checking 

requirements of this exemption. 

This exemption terminates on May 31, 2014, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Raymond Towles 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service 

Enclosure