# ~EASTERN

Petition of Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. For an Exemption

Eastern Air Line Group Inc. ("Eastern") hereby petitions the Federal Aviation Administration, pursuantto 14 C.F.R. Part ll,foran exemption from the requirements of 14 C.F.R. 121.434 (c) (1) (ii) to the extent necessary to substitute a qualified and authorized Check Airman in place of an FAA Inspector to observe a qualifying pilot in command (PIC) in performing prescribed duties duringat least one flight (eitherdomestic or international)that includes atakeoffand a landingwhen completing initial or upgrade training as specified in 121.434. This petition requests relieffrom 121.434 (C) (1) (ii) in those circumstances when an FAA Inspector is unavailable to observe a qualifying pilot in Command during any operating experience flights.
Eastern will nominate qualified CheckAirmen to perform this initial operatingexperience Observation. The FAAwill approvethe qualified check airmen toconducttheobservation through a letterofauthorization. The FAA must be notified, in advance, of each pilot in command qualifying observation. The CheckAirman administeringtheobservation would be aCheckAirman otherthan the one administering operating experience tothe qualifying pilot in command.
The requirement of 121.434 (c) (1) (ii) will be considered fulfilled ifthe FAA authorized Check Airman performs the observation. The observation requirement will be documented in the qualifying pilot'straining record.
The FAA has the authority to observe any pilot at any time at the discretion of the administrator and continuesto do so regularly. However, the FAA conducts these routine observations on a schedule defined by the local office without the requisite burden of specifying a particular flight or series offlights necessitated by the carrier's training and service schedule. Operational issues related withthis request includethefact that Eastern's only repetitive service are the daily flights from Miami to cities in the island nation ofCuba. Eastern is a supplemental carrier, remainder ofthe revenue flights are pop up chartercontracts.

Eastern A1r L1nes Group, Inc. M1am1 International Airport. 1,200 NW 36'" Street. Bldg. SA Miam1. Flonda 33166 PO Box 526865 M1am1. Flonda 33152 Tel: 305.869.4249 easterna1rlines.aero

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The lead time required to schedule an FAA inspector for an observation of a qualifying pilot in command on a round trip Miami to Havana (including foreign travel documentation) is one month. The FAA inspectors must applyfor exemptions forforeign travel restrictions and comply with special travel restrictions for flights to Cuba. This restrictive process increasestheworkload and complicatesthescheduling process forthe local FAA office.
As a result of the month long lead time, many of the qualifying pilot in command candidates experience costly delays affected by scheduling duringthe qualifying process. Additional benefits are to be realized by Eastern by increased productivity. In turn, the traveling public could benefitfrom increasedtravel options.An increase in available pilots in command could increase the scheduling optionsfor pilot scheduling. Granting ofthis proposed exemption would have no significant impact upon safety. The authorized Check Airman will be highlytrained, experienced, and qualified in the aircraft type. In addition,the FAA must approvethe CheckAirman administeringthe observation. The Eastern Check Airman will be assigned the observation of a qualifying pilot in command only when aqualified FAA Inspector is not available. SUMMARY Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. petitions the Administrator for an exemption from 121.434 (c)(1)(ii) tothe extent necessary to substitute aqualified and authorized Check Airman in place ofan FAA Inspectorto observe aqualifying pilot in command (PIC) while that PIC is performing prescribed duties during at least one flight that includes a takeoff and a landing when completing initial or upgrade training as specified in 121.434.

John Furneaux Vice President Flight Operations Eastern Air Lines John.Furneaux@Easternairlines.aero Tel: 305 3213137 PO Box 526865 Miami, Florida 33152

Eastern A1r Lines Group. Inc. M1arrr1lnternat1onal Airport. 1,200 NW 36'" Street. Bldg. SA Mlam1, Flor1da 33166 PO Box 526865 M1am1. Flonda 33152 Tel: 305.869.4249 easternairlines.aero