05/12/201 1 15:0 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A ^ DM S gl002/00 7

U.S . DEPARTMliNT01 ' TRANSPORTATIO N

OFFIC E O F HEARING S WASHINGTON , D. C , _ ^ g ^ ^" v I N THE MATTE RO F MA Y ' ' • 2 ^ 

# BEARIN G DOCKE T EMPIRE FLIGH T ACADEM Y Responden t FDM S NO . FAA-2010-029 0 HONORABLE RONNI E A . YODK R CHIE F ADMINISTRATIV E LAW JUDG I Hearin g Date : NON E ASSIGNE D Hearin g Location : NON E ASSIGNE D ANSWE RAN D AFFIRMATIV E DEFENSE S COME S NOW , EMPIRE FLIGH T ACADEM Y (hereinafte r "EMPIRE) , b y an dthroug h undersigne dcounsel , pursuan t to Rul e 20 9 ol'ih c Rule s orPractic e (1 4 C.F.R . § 13.209) , an d hereb y file s th e following Answe r an dAffumativ e Defense. ? t o th e Complain t date dApri l 8 , 2011 , filedi n thi s matter . ANSWE R 1 . EMPIRE denie s th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 1 o f

th e Complaint . 2 . EMPIRE lacki s knowledg e o r informatio n sufficient

t o for mabelie f

a s t o th e trut

h o r falsit y o f ihc allegation s containe din paragrap h 2 o f th e Complain t

andtherefore , denie s sam e an ddemand s stric t

proo f thereo f 3 . EMPIRE lack s knowledg e o r informatio n sufficient

t o for mabelie f a s t o th e trut

h o r falsit y o f th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 3 o f

th e Complain t

an dtherefore , denie s sam e an ddemand s stric t

proo f thereof .05/12/201 1 15:0 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A ^DM S 1003/00 7

4 . EMPIRE denie s th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 4 o f th e Complaint . 5 . EMPIR

E lack s knowledg e o r

informatio n sufficient

t o forn i abelie f

a s t o th e trut

h o r falsit y o f th e allegation s containe din paragrap h 5 o f th e Complain t

an dtherefore , denie s sam e anddemand s stric t

proo f thereo f 6 . EMPIRE denie s th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 6 o f th e Complaint . 7 . EMPIRE lack s knowledg e o r informatio n sulTicien

t t o for mabelie f

a s t o th e trut

h o r falsit y o f th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 7 o f

th e Complain t

an dtherefore , denie s sam e an ddemand s stric t

proo f thereo f 8 . EMPIR

E lack s knowledg e o r

informatio n sufficient

t o for mabelie f

a s t o th e trut

h o r falsit y o f th e allegation s containe din paragrap h 8 o f th e Complain t

an dtherefore , denie s sam e anddemand s stric t

proo f thereo f 9 . EMPIRE lack s knowledg e or informatio n sufficient

t o for mabelie f

a s t o th e trut

h or falsit y o f th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 9 o f

th e Complain t

andtherefore , denie s sam e an ddemand s stric t

proo f thereo f 10

- EMPIRE denie s th e allegation s containe di n paragrap h 1 0 o f th e Complaint . 11 . EMPIRE denie s tha t i t violate d1 4 C.F.R . §91.405(b) . 12 . EMPIR E denie s tha t it violate d1 4 C.F.R . §91.407(a)(1) . 13 . EMPIR

E denie s thai i i violate d1 4 C.F.R . §91.407(ct)(2) . 14 . EMPIRE denie s tha t pursuan t t o 4 9 U.S.C . §4630 1 (a)(l ) i t i s liabl e lo r

acivi l penalt

y no t t o excee d$25,00 0 fo

r eac h o f th e violation s alleged , or , pursuan t t o o r 4 9 U.S.C . §46301(a)(5) , it

i s liabl e fo

r acivi l penalty no t

to excee d$11,00 0 for

eac h o f th e violation. s alleged . 15 . EMPIRE denie s tha i under th e fact s an dcircumstance s o f thi s case , acivi l penalty o f_05/12_£20_1_l T_5:_0 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A . DM S [2004/00 7

$15,300.0 0 i s appropriate . 16 . An y matte r no t speciReall y admitte dby EMPIRE shal l b e deeme ddenied .

AFFIRMATIV E DEFENSE S 1 . EMPIR

E FLIGH T ACADEM Y wa s no t th e owner

o f the aircraf

t i n question . 2 . EMPIR

E FLTGH' f ACADEM Y wa s no t

th e operato r

o f th e aircraf

t i n question . 3 . EMPIR

E FLIGH T ACADEM Y i s no t th e entit y tha t performe dth e aircraf

t maintenanc e i n question . 4 . EMPI RE FLIGH T ACADEM Y relie s upo n th e affmnativ e defens e o f reasonabl e reliance . 5 . I n detemiinin g th e civi l penalt y amount , ih c Complainan t ha s faile dT

O conside r

(1 ) th e nature an dcircumstance s o f

the violation ; (2 ) th e exten t andgravit

y o f th e violation ; (3 ) th e respondent' s degre e o f culpability ; (4 ) th e respondent' s history o f prio r violations , i f any ; (5 ) th e respondent' s abilit y to pa y th e civi l penalty ; (6 ) th e effect o n th e entity' s abilit y to sta y i n business ; an d(7 ) other matter s a s justic e ma

y require . Se c 4 9 U.S.C . §46301(e)(2) ; Se e als o Fol.som' s Ai r Service . Inc. , FAA Orde r No . 2008-1 1 (November

6 , 2008) , p . 11 . 6 . I n determinin g th e civi l penalt y amount , th e Complainant ha s faile dt(

^ determin e whethe r th e violatio n wa s inadverten t or deliberate . 7 . I n detemiinin g th e civi l penalt y amount , th e Complainan t ha s failedt

o conside r

ili e Respondent' s size , particularl y i n determinin g th e allege doffender' s ability t o ab.sor b th e sanction .05^/201 1 15:0 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A * DM S 0005/00 7

8 . 'fh e propose dcivi l penalt y fail s t o rellec t

th e totality o f

th e circum.'itance s surroundin g th e violations . See folsom' s Ai r Service , Inc. , FA

A Order No . 2008-1 1 (Novembe r

6 , 2008) , p . 12 : Easter n Ai r

Center , Inc. , FA

A Orde r No . 2008- 3 (Januar

y 28 , 2008) . 9 . Findin g multipl e violation s fo r the same offen.se woul dconstitut e '"pilin g on ' fihat] shoul db e avoide dexcep t

under th e mos t egregiou. s circumstances. " I n th e Maile r o f Carr , FAA Order

No . 1998- 2 a

t 11-1 2 (Marc h 12 , 1998) . 10 . [:;MPIR E FLIGH T ACADEM Y doe s no t hav e th e financia

l ability t o pa y th e propose d civi l penally . 11 . Th e propose dcivi l penalt y woul dhav e adetrimenial effec t o n th e abilit

y o f EMPIR E FLIGH T ACADEM Y to continu e doin g business . 12 . 'ih e Federa

l Aviatio n Administration' s (FAA's ) interpretatio n o f it s Federa

l Aviatio n Regulation s i n thi s cas e i s arbitrary , capricious , an abus e o f discretion , o r

othci"wis e no t

in accordanc e wit

h law . Se e 5 U.S.C . § 706(2 ) (A) ; Watkin s v . NTSB , 17 8 F.3 d959 , 96 1 (8t h Cir . 1999) . 13 . Th e FAA' S interpretatio n o f it s aviatio n regulation s i s unconstitutionall y vague . Se e Thoma s v . Hinson , 7 4 F.3 d888 , 88 9 (8t h Cir . 1996) ; se e aJ.5

0 Tran s State s Airlines , Inc . V . FAA , 43 9 F.3 d863 , 864-86 5 (8t h Cir . 2006) ; Heat

h v . SEC\200 9 U.S . App . LEXI S 2412 8 a t 53-55 . 14 . Th e FAA' S applicatio n of

it s Federal Aviatio n Regulation s in thi s cas e i s contrar y t o th e regulation' s plai n language . SeeAdvant aUSA , Inc . v . Chao , 35 0 F.3 d726 , 72 8 (8t h Cir . 2003) , quotin g Gardehringv . Jenkins , 48 5 U.S . 415 . 430 , 10 8 S . Ct . 1306 , 9 9 L . Ed . 2 d 51 5 (1988) . See als o Tran s State s Airlinas , Inc . v . FAA ^ 43 9 F.3 d863 , 864-86 5 (8t h Cir . 2006) .^5/12/201 1 15:0 3 FA X 202493514 2 FAA . DM S 0006/00 7

15

- EMPIRE ; FLIGH T ACADEM Y assert s tha t th e Complainan t

ha s faile dt o stat e aelain i upo n whic h th e relie f

requeste dma

y b e granted . 16 . EMPIRE FLIGH T ACADEM Y assert s tha t th e Complainan t

lack s substantia l basi s i n law an d fact

to continu e pro.secutio n o f thi s matte r

ag^i^ i it . Date dthi s 5t

h da y o f Ma y 2011 . Respcctfulfy^ub mitted . 5. Y S . WINTON , ESQ . itio n Law Fir

m ^search Court , Suit e 45 0 ^ville , M D 2085 0 Tel : (301 ) 294-855 0 Fax:(301)294-252 5 Greg(2^^Aviationl..awExperts.com Counse l fo r

Responden t05/12/201 1 15:0 3 FA X 202493514 2 FA A DM S 0007/00 7

CERTIFICAT E O F SERVIC E I hereb y certif

y tha t I hav e thi s dat e serve db y regula r U.S . mail , postag e prepaid , a n origina l an don e (1 ) cop y o f

th e foregoin g Answer

an dAffirmativ e Defense s addresse dto : Aiicntion : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC^3 0 Wilbu r Wright Buildin g Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 hidependenc e Avenue , S.W . Room201 4 Washington , D.C . 2059 1 1 hereb y certif

y tha t I hav e thi s dat e sen t

vi afacsimil e an

dfirs t clas s mai l acop y o f

th e foregoin g Answer an dAffirmativ e Defense s addresse dto : Th e Honorabl e Ronni e A . Yode r Chie f Administrativ e La w Judg e Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 U . S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jersey Ave. , S.E . Eas t Buildin g Groun dFloor , RoomEl2-32 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 Tel : 20 2 366-321 2 Fax : 20 2 366-753 6 Zachar y M . Berman , Esq . F A A Easter

n Region , AEA- 7 1 Aviatio n Plaza , Room56 1 ,Tamaica,N

Y 1143 4 Tel ; 71 8 553-325 8 lax : 71 8 533-569 9 Date dthi s 5t

h day o f Ma y 2011 . Respect .

GREGORY S . WINTON , ESQ . The Aviatio n Law Fir

m One Researc h Court , Suite 45 0 Rockville , M D 2085 0 Tel ; (301 ) 294-855 0 Fax:(301)294-252 5 Greg(rt),AviationLawExpcrts.co m Counse l fo r

Respondent