Served: August 15, 2011

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

WASHINGTON, D.C.

NOTICE SHORTENING ANSWER PERIOD

DOCKET DOT-OST-2011-0152

On August 15, 2011, Universal Jet Aviation, Inc. (“Universal Jet”), filed an application for a 

pendente lite exemption from Part 298 of the Department’s regulations (14 CFR Part 298) to 

operate one executive-configured Boeing 737, or Boeing Business Jet (“BBJ”),

1 along with a 

Motion to shorten the answer period in this case to August 16, 2011. Under the Department’s 

regulations (14 CFR § 302.307), answers to the exemption application would normally be due on 

August 30, 2011.

In support of its request for a shortened answer period, Universal Jet points out that it holds a 

Part 135 operating certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) and has 

operated as an on-demand air taxi under Part 298 for more than 10 years. The air carrier states 

that until recently, it was granted approval by the FAA to add the BBJ at issue here to its 

Operations Specifications to engage in charter service and at that time registered the BBJ under 

Part 298 without objection at the time of registration.

2

 Relying on this grant of authority, 

Universal Jet entered into contracts to provide charter service with the BBJ, including the return 

transportation of its long-term charter contract customer from Saudi Arabia, which is scheduled 

for August 17, 2011.

We have reviewed Universal Jet’s request and find it appropriate to grant the Motion to shorten 

the answer period in this case to August 16, 2011. Moreover, the air carrier has filed 

applications requesting certificate authority to engage in interstate and foreign passenger charter 

air transportation.

We will serve this notice by email or facsimile on all interested parties. 

Persons entitled to petition the Department for review of this notice under the Department’s 

Regulations, 14 CFR 385.30, may file their petitions within 10 days of the service date of this 

order.

 1 Normally, aircraft with only 16 seats would not require certificate authority since such aircraft generally qualify 

as “small” aircraft that can be operated under the Part 298 air taxi exemption. However, the BBJ, which is a 

modified B-737, and other similar sized aircraft are “large” aircraft that do not qualify for the air taxi exemption. 

Thus, Universal Jet has applied for the exemption authority at issue here pending the Department’s action on 

Universal’s contemporaneously filed applications for certificate authority in Docket DOT-OST-2011-0150 and 

DOT-OST-2011-0151. 2 By letter dated August 4, 2011, the FAA advised Universal Jet that its request to add the BBJ to its Operations 

Specifications was approved in error. Subsequently, on August 10, 2011, the FAA removed the BBJ from Universal 

Jet’s Operations Specifications.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
2

This notice is effective immediately and the filing of a petition for reconsideration shall not alter 

its effectiveness. 

By:

TODD M. HOMAN

Director

Office of Aviation Analysis

An electronic version of this document is available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.regulations.gov