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Exemptio n No . 1007 2 UNITE D STATE S O F AMERIC A DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N FEDERA L AVIATIO N ADMINISTRATIO N WASHINGTON , D C 2059 1

I n th e matte r

o f th e petitio n o f TERRAFUGIA , INC . for a n exemptio n fro

m§ 1. 1 o f Titl e 14 , Cod e o f

Federa l Regulation s CZ ) Regulator y Docke t

No . FAA-2009-108 7

PARTIA L GRAN T O F EXEMPTIO N B y lette r date dNovembe r

12 , 2009 , Mr . Car

l Dietrich , Teirafugia , Inc. , 5 Crane s Court , Wobum , MA 01801 , petitione dth e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) for a n exemptio n fro m§ 1. 1 o f

Titl e 14 , Cod e o f

Federa l Regulation s (1 4 CFR) , Th e propose dexemption , i f granted , woul dallo w th e Terrafugi aTransition ® readabl e aircraf t t o b e eligibl e for

th e issuanc e o f aspecia l airworthines s certificat e in th e light-sport category wit h a

n additiona l weigh t allowanc e fo

r afour whee l light-sport

aircraf t (LSA ) with foldin g wing s intende dfor operatio n on publi c roadway s (i.e. , readabl e aircraft) . Th e petitione r

request s relie f

fro mth e followin g regulation : Althoug h th e petitione r

request s a

n exemptio n from§1.1 , w e fin dinstead , fo r th e operation s requested , th e petitione r

wil l nee da

n exemptio n fro

m§ 21.190(c)(2) , whic h prescribe s that : (c ) Manufacturer' s statemen t o f complianc e fo r

Ughi-spor

t categor y aircraft . Th e manufacturer' s statemen t

o f complianc e require di n paragrap h (b)(l)(iii ) o f thi s sectio n must — (2 ) Stat e tha t

th e aircraf

t meet s th e provision s o f

th e identifie dconsensus standard ; Th e petitione r

support s it s reques t

wit h th e followin g information : Th e petitione r

seek s airworthines s certificatio n i n th e specia l light-sport aircraf t (SLSA ) categor y unde r th e AST M Internationa l (ASTM ) ligiit-spor t airplan e consensus standard s fo r it s Transition ® readabl e aircraft . Fo r thei r readabl e desig n t o mee t

th e applicabl e Federa l Moto r Vehicl e Safet

y Standard s (FMVSS ) an dstil l maintai n ausefu l loa dequivalen t t o ethe r LSA , th e petitione r ha s requeste damaximu mtakeof f weigh t (MTOW ) o f

1,47 4 pound s (67 0 kg) .t)o/tii/ztiie j 13:1 3 aiojz^ma o SH U n^tj^c tij/u o



### Th e petitioner

state s tha t aircraf t designe dfo

r dua l us e operatio n hav e ahighe r minimum empt y weigh t du e t o th e desig n requirement s o f avehicl e wit

h tw o ver y distinctiv e needs . Additiona l system s ar

c neede di n aroadabl e LS A to provide dua l fimctionaJity simila

r to LS A intende dfo

r operatio n o n water . Thes e system s include , but ar e no t limite dto , agrounddriv e system , independen

t o f th e propeller

(such a s atransmissio n an

ddifferential) , automotiv e lighting , signals , suspension , brakes , mirror s an dwindshiel dwipers . Th

e requeste dincrease d weigh t o f 1,47 4 pound s (67 0 kg ) i s du e to th e additio n o f structur e an dcomponent s fo

r thes e system s tha

t no t onl y provide increase dfvmctionality , but als o allo w fo

r th e saf e operatio n o

f th e aircraf t in bot h transportatio n modes . Th e additiona

l safet y feature s require dfo

r a n automobil e (such a s side impac t

protection , rol l cage s an

dhea drestraints ) als o ad

dt o th e increase dweigh

t o f th e aircraft . Th e petitione r state s tha t whil e th e additiona

l safet y feature s incorporate dinto th e structur e of th e aircraf t offe r protectio n t o th e pilo t

i n emergency landin g scenario s they d o no t ad dan y complexit y t o th e operatio n o f

th e aircraft . The petitione

r believe s tha

t by givin g pilot s th e optio n o f divertin g andsafel

y continuin g thei r

tri p o n th e groimd , aroadabl e LS A reduce s th e temptatio n to fl

y i n margina

l weathe r conditions . Thi s ha s th e potentia l t o significantly reduc e th e numbe r o f visua l flight rule s (VFR

) int o instrumen

t meteorologica

l condition s (IMC ) accident s andthei r resultin g fatalities . Incorporatin g proven automotiv e cras h safet y feature s into aircraf

t fuselage s coul dhel p reduc e fatalitie s fro maccident s o f

al l causes . A summar y o f th e petitio n wa s publishe di n th e Federa l Registe r o n March 4,2010 , (7 5 F R42 ) an dwa s assigne dDocket

Numbe r FAA-2009-1087 . Th

e FA A receive dcomment s fromfou r commenters . Al l comment s wer e i n favo r of th e relie f requeste db y Terrafugia . Ever y commente r supporte dth e petitioner' s reques t fo r weigh t allowanc e fo

r safet y item s to mee

t th e Federa l Moto r Vehicl e Safet

y Standard s (FMVSS ) fo

r aroadabl e specia

l categor y LSA . Th e FAA* s analysi s i s a s follows : Th e FA A reviewe dTerrafugia' s petitio n an dsupportin g infonnation , a s well a s informatio n provide din comment s submitte di n respons e t o th e publicatio n o f asummar y o t th e petitio n i

n th e J-edera

i Kegister . Atter

carefu l consideration , w e find apanial gran t o f exemption , subjec t

t o specifi c condition s andlimitations , wouldprovid e a n equivalen

t level o f safet y to tha t o f th e regulatio n andwouldserv e th e publi c interest . Thi s partia l gran t i s fo r increase dweigh

t to accommodat

e roadabl e aircraf

t meetin g th e FMVS S requirement s andi s no t

intende dt o provid e aweigh t increas e fo

r traditiona l configin-ation s unde

r LSA . Th e follovvin g i s asummar

y o f th e FAA' s analysi s o f Teiraftxgia' s petitio n fo

r exemption . Th e petitioner

seek s a n exemptio n s o it

ca n certificat e it s Transition ® roadabl e aircraf t wit h aspecia l airworthines s certificat

e i n th e light-spor

t category . Th e SLS A categor y wa s create din 200

4 wit h a1,32 0 pound(60 0 kg ) weigh

t limi t t o provide fo

r th e manufactur

e of ne w aircraf t conforming t o acceptabl e consensu s standards . Th e "Certificatio n o f

Aircraf t andAirmen fo

r th e Operatio n of

Light-Spor

t Aircraft " final rul e100

/ ai / ^ai aID : 1: 1 oiojz^mtj o SH U rMoc .

(6 9 F R44772 ) (sport

pilo t rule ) was mean t

t o addres s ne w sport

an drecreationa l aircraf

t tha t previousl y lacke dsuitabl e certificatio n guidelines . I n th e preambl e o f

th e Notic e o f

Propose dRulemakin g (NPRM) , th e FA A state dtha t i t intende dth e rul e t o increas e safet y i n th e sport

aircraf t communit y b y closin g th e gap s i n existin g regulation s an db y accommodatin g ne w advance s i n technology . Include dwas th e developmen t

o f consensu s standard s t o addres s th e uniqu e design , productio n an d continue doperationa l safet y aspect s o f

light-spor t

categor y aircraft . A s amembe r

o f th e consensu s standar dbody , th e FA A ca n cal l fo r revision s t o th e consensu s standar dwhe n th e agenc y determine s suc h revision s ar e necessary . Th e FAA , a s all othe r

participants , ma

y propos e change s t o amen dth e consensu s standard s t o addres s ne w technology , applications , o r deficiencies . A s part

o f th e FAA' s participatio n i n th e consensus standard s development , th e FA A wil l revie w propose dconsensu s standard s prio r

t o th e issuanc e o f

aNotic e o f

Availabilit y (NOA) . Eac h SLS A aircraf

t desig n mus t

mee t th e consensus standard s acceptabl e t o th e FAA . However , th e existin g consensus standard s fo r LS A d o no t

ye t addres s roadabl e aircraft . Th e inten t

i s fo r ne w o r nove l concept s i n light-sport t o gai n operationa l experienc e a s experimenta l aircraf

t whil e workin g wit h th e AST M F3 7 Committe e fo r Ligh t Sport Aircraf t t o develo p th e standard s neede dt o addres s ne w o r nove l concepts . Terrafiigi ai s currentl y workin g with AST M t o accomplis h thi s goal . Th e FA A ha s an establishe dprecedenc e for allowin g 1,43 0 pound s (65 0 kg ) unde r LS A intende dfor

operatio n o n water , whic h als o hav e uniqu e configuratio n characteristic s tha t justif y an increas e i n MTO W abov e th e origina l 1,320 poun d(60 0 kg ) LS A limit . Thi s petitio n i s significantl y differen t fiompreviou s request s for exernptio n t o th e LS A MTO W limitations , a s th e Transition ® roadabl e aircraf t desig n i s uniqu e an dmus t simultaneousl y mee t

bot h set s o f

standard s for

AST M an dFMVSS . A partia l gran t

o f exemptio n b y th e FA A woul dallo w certificatio n o f th e Transition ® a s a roadabl e aircraf

t with aMTO W o f

1,43 0 pound s (65 0 kg) ; otherwise , th e aircraf t woul d b e require dt o mee t

acceptabl e consensus standard s for conventiona l configuratio n SLS A aircraf t wit h MTO W o f

1,320 pound s (60 0 kg) . W e reviewe dth e informatio n provide db y Terrafugia , a s wel l a s tha t provide db y th e commenter s t o th e petitio n for exemption . Th e FA A agree s wit h th e commenter s wh o inferre dth e safet y o f roadabl e aircraf

t i s bette r serve db y allowin g for

th e weigh t

increas e for

safet y feature s require dfo r

us e whil e drivin g o n th e road . However , th e FA A doe s not inten dt o exten dthi s exemptio n t o conventiona l configuratio n LS A for safet y enhancin g equipmen t

(i.e. , rol l cages , ballisti c parachutes , etc.) . Th e dat asubmitte db y th e petitione r support s th e assertio n for roadabl e aircraft , accident s i n airplane s equippe dwit h NHTSA-require dsafet

y feature s ar e mor e survivabl e than i n simila r airplane s withou t

NHTSA-requirc dsafet

y features . Th e FA A intend s t o cooperat euo/tji/zuit j io;i 3 aiojztjqiti o SH U THUC . tio/ti o

wit h industry effort s t o determin e i f appropriat e desig n constraint s in th e consensu s standard. ? can further

guarante e tha t

roadabl e LS A hav e appropriat e safeguard s i n th e even t o f afailure i n th e transitio n fro mroa dt o flight configuration . We findthat , wit

h th e condition s an dlimitation s .specified , thi s exemptio n provide. ? a n equivalen t

leve l o f safet y t o tha t o f a n aircraf t tha t ha. ? bee n issue daspecia l airworthines s certificat e i n th e light-sport category . Th c FAA' s Decision : I n consideratio n o f

th e foregoing , 1 findtha t apartia l gran t

o f exemptio n tha t

grant s relie f

t o Terraliugi afromhavin g t o mee t th e requiremen t

o f 1,320 pound s (60 0 kg ) maximu mtakeof f weigh t (MTOW ) fo

r certificatio n an doperatio n o f roadabl e LS A i s i n th e publi c interest . However , I d o no t

findtha t agran t o f exemptio n i s i n th e publi c interes t for th e certificatio n o f roadabl e LS A operatin g a t 1,47 4 pound s (67 0 kg ) MTOW . Therefore , pursuan t t o th e authority containe di n 4 9 U.S.C . § § 4011 3 an d44701 , delegate dt o m e b y th e Administrator , Terrafugia , Inc . i s hereb y grante da

n exemptio n from1 4 CFR§ 21.190(c)(2 ) t o th e exten t necessary t o allo w Terrafugi aTransition*? ) aircraft , tha t otherwis e mee t

th e requirement s o f

§ 21,190 , t o b e eligibl e for issuanc e o f

aspecia l airwortliines s certificat e i n th e light-sport category , havin g aMTO W o f no t mor e than 1,43 0 pound s (65 0 kg) . Condition s an dLimitation s 1 . Thi s partia l gran t

o f exemptio n applie s onl y t o th e Terrafugi aTransition ® aircraft . 2 . Terrafugia , Inc . mus t

suppl y eac h purchase r

o f aTransition ® aircraf

t with acop y o f

thi s exemption . A cop y o f

th e exemptio n mus t

b e carrie don boar deac h Transition ® aircraf t certificate dunde r

th e provision s o f

thi s exemption . 3 . Terrafugi amus t

maintai n arecor do f

al l owner s o f

th e Transition ® aircraf

t certificate d unde r th e provision s o f

thi s exemption . Issue di n Kansa s City , MO , o n Ma y 27 , 2010 .

Ki mSmith , Manage r Smal l Airplan e Directorat e Aircraf t Certificatio n Servic e