AFS-15-810-E May 7, 2015

Exemption No. 11506 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2015-0607

Mr. Chris S. Gage Director of Flight Operations Columbia Helicopters, Inc.

PO Box 3500 Portland, OR 97208

Dear Mr. Gage:

This letter is to inform you that we have gran ted your request for exemption. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you th e conditions and limitations of the exemption, including the date it ends.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter posted on March 10, 2015, you petitione d the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Columbia Helicopters, Inc. (Columbia) for an exemption from § 91.313(a) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulati ons (14 CFR) to the extent necessary to allow Columbia to conduct operations needed to satisfy crewmember training, type rating requirements, and proficiency re quirements found in part 61 in the CH-47D series restricted category aircraft.

Section 91.313(a) limits operation of a restricted category aircraft to: (1) the special purpose operation for which it is certificated; and (2) an operation necessary to accomplish the work activity directly associated with that special purpose.

Although not specifically requested, the FAA believe s that relief from § 91.313(c) will also be necessary in order for the petiti oner to conduct operations describe d in its request. Therefore, the FAA is also construing the petition as a request for relief from § 91.313(c).

Section 91.313(c) prescribes in pe rtinent part, that no person may operate a restricted category civil aircraft carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire. Further, for the2

purpose of this section, a special purpose opera tion involving the carriage of persons or material necessary to accomplish that opera tion[s] for the purpose of providing flight crewmember training in a special purpose operation, are not consider ed to be the carriage of persons of property for co mpensation or hire.

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 w ould be detrimental to Columbia.

The FAA contacted Columbia on March 25, 2015, to clarify the aircraft that Columbia would operate under the requested relief. Columb ia responded via e-mail on the same day and provided the registration numbers and serial numbers of the ai rcraft to be used under the exemption. A record of conversation that captur es this information was placed in the docket.

The FAA has issued a grant of exemption in circ umstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petition. In Grant of Exemption No. 11245 (copy enclosed), the FAA found that an exemption was appropriate to allow Neptune Aviation Services to conduct practical tests, proficiency training, and associ ated flights in restri cted category aircraft.

Having reviewed your reasons for re questing an exemption, I find that:

 They are similar in all material respects to relief previously request ed in the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 11245;

 The reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 11245 also apply to the situ ation you present; and

 For the reasons stated in Gr ant of Exemption No. 11245, a gran t of exemption is in the public interest.

Our Decision

Under the authority contained in 49 U. S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has delegated to me, I hereby gr ant Columbia Helicopters Inc. (Columbia) an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 91.313(a) and (c) to the extent necessary to allow Columbia to conduct operations needed to satisfy crewmemb er training, type rating requirements, and proficiency requirements found in part 61 in the CH-47D series restrict ed category aircraft, subject to the conditions a nd limitations listed below.

Conditions and Limitations

1. The privileges of this exemption are limited to the following aircraft:

a. CH-47D: N472CH, N471CH

2. Columbia must be in full operational cont rol of any aircraft operated using the privileges of this exemption.3

3. The relief from § 91.313(c) is only granted to the extent necessary to allow for the operations described in Condition/Limitation No. 4.

4. Columbia may only use the aircraft fo r the special purposes identified on the restricted category airworthin ess certificate for the aircraft in Condition/Limitation No. 1 and the following operations:

a. Practical tests necessary to issue type ratings required by § 61.31(a) to pilots employed by Columbia;

b. Flight training for pilots employed by Columbia seeking to take a practical test for a type rating designation necessa ry to operate an aircraft covered under this exemption; and,

c. Observation flights performed for the purpose of designating or observing a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE).

5. An aircraft configuration analysis includi ng, but not limited to flight deck, flight manual, operating limitations, required pl acards, and procedures must be completed and provided to the Flight St andards District Office (FSDO) with geographic responsibility for the airport or area where the aircraft is based. This analysis must reflect the capability of the aircraft to perform all required procedures and maneuvers necessary to m eet the applicable requirements of the aircraft type rating Practi cal Test Standards (for helicopters, FAA-S-8081-20 as amended).

6. A copy of this exemption must be provi ded to the FSDO in the geographic region where the aircraft is based, must be provided to any representative of the Administrator upon request, and must be ca rried aboard the airc raft at all times.

7. Failure to meet any of the conditions of this exemption immediately cancels the authority authorized by this exemption.4

8. This exemption is not valid for operating outside the United States.

This exemption terminates on May 31, 2017, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

Michael J. Zenkovich Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosure Exemption No. 11245