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 18th 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, 20131

 and February 20, 2014, you petitioned the Federal 

Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Southwest 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 request to amend the conditions and limitations of your 

exemption. Subsequently, you filed a letter on February 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; and 
 3

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