AFS-14-043-E February 28, 2014

Exemption No. 7132H Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2002-11485

Ms. Leslie C. Abbott Senior Attorney Southwest Airlines Company

919 18 th Street, NW Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20006

Dear Ms. Abbott:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption No. 7132, as amended. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the

conditions and limitations.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letters dated November 13, 2013 1 and February 20, 2014, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Sout hwest Airlines Company (Southwest) for an extension of Exemption No. 7132, as amended. That exemption from § 121.434(c)(1)(ii) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) allows Southwest to substitute a qualified and authorized check airman in place of an FAA inspector to observe a qualifying pilot in command (PIC) while that PIC is performing prescribed duties during at least one flight leg that includes a takeoff and a landing when completing initial or upgrade training.

1 The letter dated November 13, 2013 also included a reque st to amend the conditions and limitations of your exemption. Subsequently, you filed a letter on Februa ry 20, 2014, stating that Southwest was only seeking a renewal of the exemption and that Southwest will submit a request for an amendment separately. Our action here only addresses the request for an extension of Exemption No. 7132. The FAA will handle Southwest’s request for an amendment separately.2

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption.

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition in the Federal Register at this time because the requested extension to the exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to

Southwest.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 7132, as amended, remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113, and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has delegated to me, Southwest Airlines Company is granted an extension to its exemption from § 121.434(c)(1)(ii) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) that allows Southwest to substitute a qualified and authorized check airman in place of an FAA inspector to observe a qualifying PIC while that PIC is performing prescribed duties during at least one flight leg that includes a takeoff and a landing when completing initial or upgrade training, subject to the following conditions and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations

1. A Southwest check airman or aircrew program designee may conduct a PIC observation in place of an FAA inspector when––

a. The Administrator preapproves that substitution for each observation of a qualifying PIC candidate, thus reserving first right of refusal to the FAA in each case. Southwest, therefore, must contact an appropriate FAA office, in each instance, before substituting that check airman or aircrew program designee;

b. The qualifying PIC candidate has completed no less than 10 hours of supervised operational experience (OE) and accomplished no fewer than two takeoffs and landings; and

c. The qualifying PIC candidate is performing PIC duties during a complete flight leg, including flight deck preparation, before starting engines checklist, taxi, takeoff, all other flight phases, landing, taxi, and securing checklist.

2. Each Southwest check airman or aircrew program designee conducting a PIC observation in place of an FAA inspector must––

a. Be approved by the Administrator to conduct the observation;

b. Have served as a check airman or aircrew program designee for Southwest for no less than 6 months; and3

c. Not supervise the OE or conduct the initial line check for the qualifying PIC candidate being observed.

3. Southwest must maintain student, check airman, and aircrew program designee records that demonstrate compliance with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.

The Effect of Our Decision

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 7132, as amended, to February 28, 2016, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/ John Barbagallo Acting Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service