AERO AIR at the 

PORTLAND-HILLSBORO AIRPORT 

2050 NE 25TH AVENUE 

HILLSBORO, OR 97124 

TOLL FREE 800.448.2376 

TEL 503.640.3711 

FAX 503.681.6513 

WWW.AEROAIR.COM 

November 5, 2012 

Docket Management Facility 

US Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

West Building Ground Floor 

Room W12-140 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear Sir I Maam: 

; ; 

Butler Aircraft Services held Exemptions for specific operations of DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft in the 

performance of fire fighting duties. These exemptions were: 

Exemption 9463, 2745C (Docket# FAA-2003-15405): Exemption to operate DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft in 

aerial fire suppression operations at landing weights greater than the maximum landing weight for the 

aircraft in T.B.M.'s operating limitations and up to the aircraft's design maximum landing weight. 

Exemption 10031A (Docket# FAA-2002-11937): To conduct ferry flights with one engine inoperative on 

its DC-6/DC-7 aircraft (registration numbers N401US, N6353C, N756Z, and N838D) without obtaining a 

special flight permit for each flight. 

Exemption 10043A (Docket# FAA-2001-10283): To operate its Boeing Douglas DC-6 and DC-7 airplanes 

without a flight engineer during flightcrew training, ferry operations, and test flights that are conducted 

to prepare for firefighting operations carried out under 14 CFR part 137. 

Aero Air, LLC, dba as Erickson Aero Tanker, LLC, has acquired the assets of Butler Aircraft Services to 

include the DC-6 and DC-7 aircraft of Butler Aircraft Services. These aircraft will be operated on Aero 

Air's 14 CFR part 137 Firefighting Certificate (091G003Y). As such Aero Air, LLC requests these 

exemptions be approved and extended to our operation. 

Please contact me at Aero Air should you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Sincerely, 

~~- Steve Boyce 

Director of Maintenance 

Aero Air, LLC 
AERO AIR at the 

PORTLAND-HILLSBORO AIRPORT 

2050 NE 25TH AVENUE 

HILLSBORO, OR 97124 

TOLL FREE 800.448.2376 

TEL 503.640.3711 

FAX 503.681.6513 

WWW.AEROAIR.COM 

November 5, 2012 

Docket Management Facility 

US Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

West Building Ground Floor 

Room W12-140 

Washington, DC 20590 

Ref: Exemption 10031A, Regulatory Docket No. FAA 2002-11937 

Dear Sir I Maam: 

Aero Air, LLC, the parent company of Corsair Two, LLC, has acquired the operating assets of Butler 

Aircraft Company (ButlerL which includes three DC-7 series aircraft for use in firefighting activities. As a 

follow on to exemption 10031A Aero Air, LLC requests this exemption be granted to Aero Air, LLC, the 

current owner/operator ofthe fire fighting aircraft identified below and included in the original 

exemption. 

In a letter dated December 5, 2009, Butler Aircraft Company, petitioned the Administrator of the FAA to 

exempt Butler Aircraft Company from the requirements of CFR 91.611 by allowing Butler to conduct 

Ferry Flights with one engine inoperative on its DC-7 aircraft, N401US (DC-7L N6353C (DC-7L and N838D 

(DC-7-B). This request was granted to Butler under Exemption No. 10031, dated March 12, 2010. 

Aero Air, LLC petitions for this exemption to be transferred/assigned to Aero Air, LLC. The requirements 

of test flight CFR 91.611 have already been proven for this make and model of aircraft. There should be 

no need to revalidate the capability of the aircraft or its' documentation as this has already been shown 

to the FAA for these specific aircraft. Aero Air, LLC has an aggressive training program to facilitate the 

operation of these aircraft on fire fighting duties, several of which are the same flight crew members 

who were covered under the Butler exemption all of which serve to meet the capability and the conduct 

to conduct three engine ferry flights of the DC-7 series aircraft. The equivalent level of safety necessary 

to conduct three engine ferry flights is supported by Aero Air processes and procedures patterned after 

our part 135 operations. 

Each pilot has been provided adequate training under Aero Air's training program to conduct three 

engine ferry flight operations. An entry will be made in each pilot's log book to validate the 

authorization to perform three engine ferry flights for Aero Air, LLC. 

Granting this exemption will allow for the most expeditious means of locating an aircraft with one 

inoperative engine to the best location to perform the engine change without the need to wait for the 

FAA to issue a ferry permit. Should this need arise on a weekend or after hours significant hours can be 
saved thereby allowing the aircraft to return to fire fighting duties in a timely manner. The ability to 

quickly return the aircraft to fire fighting capability will enhance the ability to save State lands and 

property from potential loss to fire. 

A denial ofthis exemption would not be in the public interest for economic and environmental reasons. 

Any delay in returning the aircraft to service due to extended periods of time it may take to acquire a 

ferry permit from the FAA extends the risk for fire loss on State lands and potential real property 

destruction. These options negatively impact the American taxpayers' bill for fire protection of State 

Land areas. 

Please contact me at Aero Air should you have any additional questions or concerns. 

Sincerely, 

~~- Steve Boyce .' .c:;7-~ Director of Maintenance 

Aero Air, LLC