04/05/201 1 16;2 8 FAX 202493514 2 FA A+ DM S glOOI/OI I

UNITE D S I ATE S DEPARTMEN T O FTRANSPORTATT<||Ji^-|r'%£^ ^ FEDERA LAVIATIO N ADMINISTRATIO N ^ ^ * ^ WC I V j t Federa l Aviatio n Administration ,

Complainant , V . Su n Ques t

Executiv e Ai r

Charter , Inc . Respondent . 

# HEmm o DOC K 5 

### 261 1
FA A Docke t

N o CPO8WP000 4 (Civi l Penalt y Action )

DM S No . FAA-2008-023 8 Complainant' s Repl y Brie f i n Respons e t o Respondent' s Memorandum , date dMarc h3 , 201 1 Pursuan t t o th e Orde r

Requestin g Furthe r

Briefing , serve do n Januar y 5 , 2011 , an dth e subsequen t Orde r extendin g th e du e dat e fo r suc hbriefing . Complainan t

submit s thi s repl y t o Respondent' s Marc h3,201 1 Memorandum .

Issue s I . Whethe r

Respondent' s Memorandu mi s inconsisten t wit hwha t

i t previousl y argued ? II . Whethe r

th e Par t 13 5 requiremen t

t o coun t "othe r commercia l flying " onl y applie s t o th e "othe r commercia l flying" tha t th e par t 13 5 operato r assign s t o th e pilo t

o r whethe r i t applie s t o al l othe r comumercia

l flyin g tha t

th e pilo t accumulates , includin g othe r commercia l flyin g th e pilo t accumulate s fo r

othe r employers' ? III . Whethe r

th e purpos e fo r

countin g "othe r

commercia l flying," includin g publi c aircraf

t flyin g don e fo r

th e sam e employe r

o r fo r differen t employers , towar dflight tim e limitation s impose do n Par t 13 5 operator s lik e th e Respondent , i s i n furtheranc e o f th e safet y o f 1

r j r^ o rv > r : 1—-'.n i

•J' i04/05/201 1 1G;2 8 FAX 202493514 2 FA A+ DMS 0002/01 1



### th e "publi c aircraft " flights or i n furtheranc e o f

th e anti-fatigu e goal s o f th e part 13 5 flight

tim e limitation s applicabl e t o part 13 5 flights? Argumen t I . Responden t

ha s raise ddefense s that

h e faile dt o previousl y rais e an d that are outsid e th e scop e o f

th e Order Requestin g Furthe r

Briefing . Th e Orde r

Requestin g Furthe r

Briefin g wa s focuse don : whethe r th e definitio n o f

"othe r commercial flying" shoul dor shoul dno t

includin g military flying; whethe r

th e definitio n o f

"other commercial flying" shoul dno w exclud e some or al l "publi c aircraft " flying; an dwhether ther e wa s anythin g in historical document s that

woul dexplai n wh y th e FA A excepte d"military flying" from"othe r commercial flying. " Th e Respondent

argues , amon g other

things , that

th e onl y "othe r

commercial flying " that

apart 13 5 operato r

i s require dt o trac k

i s th e other

commercial flying that th e part 13 5 operato r

itsel f ha s assigned . Se e Respondent' s Marc h3 , 201 1 Memorandu ma

t page s 5-8, ^ Th e Responden t argue s that

th e Administrato r

ought t o limi t th e applicability o f

th e "flight

time limitations " t o onl y that flight tim e assigne dby th e par

t 13 5 operator . Th e Responden t urge s th e Administrato r

to treat th e fligh t tim e limit s th e same way that th e agenc y treat s res t

requirements ,

' I n hi s March3 Memorandu ma t 7-8 , Responden t

reference s somcihin g publishe don A v Web . Perhap s i

t i s tli e notic e publishe di

n ih e Federal Register

addressin g publi c aircraf

t operations . Se e 7 6 Fed . Reg . 1634 9 (Marc h 23 , 2011) . Asid e fromth e subjec t matter , Respondent

ha s no t articulate dan

y reaso n to r

it s reference . T

n any event , i

t doe s no t alte r either party' s argument .04/05/201 1 1G:2 8 FAX 202493514 2 FA A+ DM S 0003/01 1

I t i s tru e tha t

th e par t 12 1 an dpar t

13 5 "res t

requirements " plac e limitation s o n th e par t

121/13 5 employe r

an dd o no t

requir e tha t

employe r

t o conside r

a s "non-rest " an y flying o r an y othe r

activit y tha t

apilo t migh t b e engage di n durin g a "res t period, " Bu t

th e res t requiremen t

impose do n th e ai r

carrie r employe r

i s jus t par t o f ascheme , whic h include s th e flight tim e limitation s an dth e requiremen t t o coun t "othe r coiTunercial flying," tha t i s intende dt o protec t

thos e wh o pa y ai r carrier s fro mfatigue dpilots . Th e res t rule s protec t

agains t abuse s b y apar t

12 1 o r par t 13 5 employe r

tha t ha s th e leverag e t o interfer e wit hapilot' s opportunit y t o pla n fo r slee p durin g ares t

period . Moreover , Respondent' s theor y tha t apilo t an dan ai r

carrie r nee dno t coun t a s "othe r commercia l flying" an y flying th e pilo t doe s fo r othe r employer s i s inconsisten t

wit hRespondent' s focu s earlie r i n thi s cas e o n hi s unsubstantiate d clai mtha t

al l o f hi s LAP D flying wa s "publi c aircraft " flying ; hi s assertio n tha t th e FA A doe s no t

hav e jurisdictio n t o regulat e "publi c aircraft " flying; an dhi s argumen t tha t al l publi c aircraf

t flying doe s no t

coun t a s "othe r

commercia l Hying. " [ f

tha t ha dbee n hi s argumen t

fro mth e start , th e focu s o f th e briefs woul d hav e bee n o n whethe r

th e FA A expect s ai r

carrie r pilot s t o tel l thei r

ai r carrie r

" A s th e Complainan t

pointe dout

i n it s Supplemental Brief

, som e par

t 121/13 5 privat e secto r

operator s sometime s engage , by contract , i

n publi c aircraA . flying fo

r aGovernmental entit

y an dsometime s some Governmental cnlitic s engag e i n bot

hpubli c aircraf

t flying an dpar

t 121/13 5 flying . A s Complainan t pointe dou t

in it s Supplemental Brie f som e ma y wel l argu e tha

t shoul dth e Decisionmaker i n thi s litigatio n o r

a s aresul t

oFAP A notice-and-commen t rulemakin g make more or all "publi c aircraf

t flying" no t

count a s "othe r commercial flying," the n som e employer s might engag e i n th e dangerou s pnietie e o f havin g it s pilot s conduc t

"'publi c aircraft " contrac t operation. s i

n th e mornin g an dthen assignin g thos e sam e pilot s t o ai r carrie r flights in th e afternoon , withou t countin g an y o f

th e "publi c aircraft " flight

tim e a s "othe r

commercial flying."04/05/201 1 1G:2 8 FAX 202493514 2 FA A^ DMS 0004/01 1

employer s tha t

the y ar e moonlightin g —a s pilot s —fo r othe r employers , includin g othe r

ai r carriers , o r

corporat e flight

departments , o r

an y othe r

employe r tha t use s th e pai dservice s o f apilot , I n fact , ha dtha t bee n Respondent' s argumen t fro mth e beginning , the n presumabl y h e woul dhav e concede dtha t an y pai dflying fo r an ai r carrie r b y apilot , even i f

som e o f tha t pai dflying wa s fo r

th e ai r carrie r whe n i t conduct s —

b y contrac t

t o aGovernmenta l entit y —publi c aircraf t flying, woul dcoun t

a s othe r commercia l flying.

II . Th e par t

13 5 requiremen t

t o coun t "othe r commercia l flying" applie s t o bothth e "othe r

conmicrcia l flying" tha t th e par t 13 5 operato r assign s t o th e pilo t

aii dal l othe r

commercia l flying tha t

th e pilo t accumulates , includin g othe r commercia l flying th e pilo t accumulate s fo r othe r employer s (othe r

tha n militar y flying). Respondent' s ne w argumen t tha t "othe r commercia l flying" applie s onl y t o flying fo r th e sam e ai r

carrie r i s belie dby longstandin g agenc y interpretations . Respondent' s citatio n o f interpretation s tha t

dea l wit h"othe r

commercia l flying" i n th e contex t

o f th e sam e employe r

d o no t suppor t hi s clai mtha t

"othe r commercia l flying" i s s o limite dan dtha t Complainant' s positio n i n thi s cas e i s an "attemp t 'fo r th e came l t o pu t

it s nos e i n th e tent'. " Respondent' s Memorandu ma t 2 . Th e FA A ha s interprete d"othe r commercia l flying" t o includ e flights tha t th e pilo t conduct s fo r

othe r employer s an dfo r

whic hth e pilo t

receive d remuneration . See , e.g. , Interpretatio n 1975-4 2 wherei n 1 1 kind s o f compensation

-04/05/201 1 16:2 8 FA X 202493514 2 FA A^ DM S 121005/01 1

or-hir e flight s ar e enumerate d(non e o f whic har e governe db y part s 12 1 o r 135) . Fo r example , tha t

Interpretatio n list s executiv e pilo t services , aircrafl . flight demonstrations , gam e survey , pipelin e patrol , an dphotograph y flights a s th e kind s o f flights tha t

wil l b e considere d"othe r commercia l flying." Anothe r FA A interpretatio n als o make s i t clea r tha t "othe r commercia l flying" include s flyin g tha t apilo t doe s fo r acorporat e flight

departmen t

an dtha t "othe r commercia l flying " i s no t jus t limite dt o th e par t

9 1 flying tha t

apilo t doe s fo r hi s o r he r ai r carrie r employer . I n Interpretatio n 2003- 8 (footnot e 9) , FA A Assistan t Chie f Counse l Donal dP , Byrne , stated : "S o fo r example , whe n an individua l i s pai d.. . fo r flying corporat e officer s o n acorporat e je t

i n Par t 9 1 servic e o r

whe n an airma n provide s flight trainin g fo r

compensatio n t o another , suc hPar t 9 1 flying i s "othe r commercia l flying" fo r

th e corporat e je t

pilo t an dfo r th e flight

instructor . Also , t o th e exten t

tha t th e pilo t operate s a

n aircraft , fo r

example , unde r Part s 125 , 13 3 o r

13 7 an dreceive s remuneratio n fo r hi s pilo t services , suc h flight tim e i s "othe r

commercia l flying." Additionally , t o th e exten t tha t a pilo t receive s remuneratio n fromth e certificat e holde r [i.e. , th e par t

11 9 certificat e holder ] fo r

par t 9 1 ferry flights o r

tes t flights, suc hflight

tim e i s "othe r commercia l flying." Interpretatio n 200 3 als o quote dfro mth e Octobe r 31,199 0 interpretatio n (Interpretatio n 1990-32 ) ("othe r commercia l flying mean s an y nomnilitar y flying a s arequire dcrewmcmber , othe r tha n i n ai r

transportation , fo r

whic hth e crewmembe r

i s pai dfo r

hi s o r he r services." )04/05/201 1 1G;2 9 FAX 202493514 2 FA A* DM S 0006/01 1



### I n sum , th e 1975 , 1990 , and200 3 interpretation s cite dabov e pu t t o res t th e Respondent' s clai mabou t th e state o f

th e FAA' s interpretatio n o f "othe r commercial flying" a s applyin g onl y to flying don e fo r th e same employer . III . Th e part

13 5 requiremen t

t o count "othe r commercial flying" applie s t o th e "othe r

commercial flying" that

th e part 13 5 operato r

assign s t o th e pilo t andi t applie s t o al

l other commercial flyin g that

th e pilo t accumulates , includin g other commercial flying th e pilo t accumulate s fo r othe r employers , other

than militar

y flying. Th e purpos e o f

th e requiremen t

i s t o promote th e safet

y o f part 12 1 an dpart 13 5 operations . Responden t

reiterate s hi s general contentio n that th e FA A lack s authorit

y t o regulat e publi c aircraft . Memorandu ma t 3 . Th e requiremen t

t o count "othe r commercial flying" i s no t regulatio n o f

publi c aircraf

t operations . Th e requiremen t t o count "othe r commercial flying," includin g publi c aircraf t excep t military flying i s no t t o protec t publi c aircraf

t operations ; i t

i s t o protec t

th e part 12 1 an d13 5 operation s fo

r whichth e operato r

i s compensated , I t i s no t anove l ide afo

r th e Government

to requir e air

carrier s t o loo k

a t wha t apilo t experience da

t other current or forme r employer s before makin g importan t decision s regardin g th e us e o f an individual a s apilo t

i n ai r carrie r operations . A t

issu e i n thi s cas e i s th e long-standin g FAA "othe r commercial flying" rule , whic hha s bee n interprete dan dapplie dt o requir e ai r carrier s t o count

—towardth e part

13 5 flight

time limitation s —thos e fatigue-inducin g wor k activitie s o f

"othe r commercial flying" experience db y apilo t a t nonai r carrier04/05/201 1 1G:2 9 FAX 202493514 2 FA A+ DMS iglOOT/OI I

employer s (othe r

tha n militar y flying) , a t othe r ai r carrie r employer s an dpar t

9 1 flying fo r th e ai r carrie r employe r

itself. I n anothe r

are ao f th e law (i.e. , th e proces s tha t ai r carrier s mus t

follo w whe n the y conside r

usin g an individua l a s apilo t i n ai r carrie r operations) , Federa l statu e require s an ai r

carrie r t o see k record s fro mth e pilot' s othe r employers . Se e 4 9 U.S.C.A . §Sectio n 44703(h ) (commonl y referre dt o a s th e Pilo t Record s Improvemen t

Act , a s amended) . Ai r

carrier s tha t

ar e considerin g th e us e o f an individual' s service s a s a n ai r carrie r pilo t mus t first see k specifie dsafet y record s o f th e pilot' s othe r

ai r carrie r employer s an d"othe r

person s (excep t

abranc ho f

th e Arme dForces , th e Nationa l Guard , o r areserv e componen t

o f th e Arme dForces) " 4 9 U.S.C.A . § 44703(h)(1)(B) . Notably , Congres s specificall y provide dtha t a potentia l employe r

(ai r carrier ) mus t

see k record s fi-omth e pilot' s othe r ai r carrie r employer s an d"othe r

person[s] " tha t

employe dtli e pilo t

a s apilo t

".. . o f acivi l o r publi c aircraf t

operatio n a t

an y tim e durin g th e 5-year precedin g th e dat e o f

th e employmen t

applicatio n o f

th e f pilot]... " 4 9 U.S.C-A . § 44703(h)(1)(B ) (Emphasi s added) . Tha t statutor y provision , whic hrequire s a n ai r carrie r t o obtai n record s o f

a curren t o r forme r employe r

o f apilot , includin g record s relate dt o "publi c aircraft " operations , i s no t

designe dt o protec t

o r advanc e th e safety o f

curren t o r pas t publi c aircraf t operation s b y th e curren t o r forme r employers . Instead , i t

i s designe dt o04/05/201 1 16:2 9 FA X 202493514 2 FA A* DM S 0003/01 1

ge t importan t

safet y informatio n abou t a n individual' s histor y a s apilot , includin g a s apilo t i n "publi c aircraft " operations , int o th e hand s o f th e ai r carrie r "befor e allowin g [the ] individua l t o begi n servic e a s apilot.,. " i n th e ai r carrier' s par t

12 1 o r 13 5 operations . Congress' s inten t wa s t o improv e th e knowledg e bas e o f th e ai r carrie r potential-employe r

i n orde r t o protec t

o r advanc e th e safet y o f

ai r carrie r operations . Tha t

statutor y provision , jus t lik e th e FAA' s interpretatio n o f "othe r commercia l flying," focuse s th e carrie r o n th e pilot' s activitie s wit hothe r employer s bu t

exclude s th e pilot' s activitie s fo r th e U.S . military . Likev/ise , th e FAA' s safet y goa l in requirin g pilot s t o repor t othe r commercia l flying (includin g publi c aircraf t flying othe r

tha n militar y flying) t o a n ai r carrie r employe r

an drequirin g tha t

th e ai r carrie r employe r

coun t tha t flight tim e towar dth e par t

12 1 o r par t 13 5 flight

tim e limitation s i s no t

t o mak e publi c aircraf t flying safer . Instead , i t i s t o mak e th e passenger s an dcarg o flying i n par t 12 1 o r par t 13 5 operation s les s likel y t o b e expose dt o dangerou s level s o f pilo t fatigue , includin g fatigu e tha t can aris e fi'omothe r

commercia l flying.

J^ep hA . Cont e '/Attorne y fo r

Complainan t Enforcemen t

Division , AGC-30 0 Offic e o f th e Chie f

Counse l Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n04/05/201 1 16:2 9 FA X 202493514 2 FA A• > DM S 0009/01 1



### 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washington , D C 2059 1 20 2 26 7 738 104/05/201 1 16:2 9 FAX 202493514 2 FA A+ DMS 0010/01 1 1 0 

### Certificate o f

Servic e T hereb y certif

y that o n thi s dat e I place di

n th e Unite dState s Mail , postag e prepaid , th e original o f

th e attache ddocument

(Complainant' s Repl y Brie f in Respons e t o Respondent' s Memorandum , date dMarc h3 , 2011 ) an d2 copies , addresse dto :
Federa l Aviatio n Administration , 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washingto n D C 2059 1 Attn : Hearin g Docke t

Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g —Suit

e 2W100 0

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b y fa x an db y Unite dState s Mail , postag e prepaid , atru e cop y addresse dt o Arthu r Wasserman , Esq , Wasserman & Mille r 1638 0 Rosco c Blvd. , Suite 12 0 Va n Nuys , C A 91406-122 1 Fax : 80 8 89 5 067 5 Dated : Apri l 4 , 201 104/05/201 1 16:2 9 FA X 202493514 2 FA A• > DM S 0011/01 1

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Servic e I hereb y certif

y tha t o n thi s dat e I place di n th e Unite dState s Mail , postag e prepaid , th e origina l o f

th e attache ddocumen t

(Complainant' s Repl y Brie f i n Respons e t o Respondent' s Memorandum , date dMarc h3 , 2011 ) an d2 copies , addresse dto :

Federa l Aviatio n Administration , 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S W Washingto n D C 2059 1 Attn : Hearin g Docke t

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b y Unite dState s Mail , postag e prepaid , atru e cop y addresse dt o

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ftftiXY, f|<J7? ^