~EASTERN 

Petition of Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. 

For an Exemption 

Eastern Air Line Group Inc. ("Eastern") hereby petitions the Federal Aviation 

Administration, pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part ll,for an 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 during at least one flight (either domestic 

or international) that includes a takeoff and a landing when completing initial or upgrade 

training as specified in 121.434. 

This petition requests relief from 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 Check Airmen to perform this initial operating experience 

Observation. The FAA will approve the qualified check airmen to conduct the observation 

through a letter of authorization. 

The FAA must be notified, in advance, of each pilot in command qualifying observation. 

The Check Airman administering the observation would be a Check Airman other than the 

one administering operating experience to the qualifying pilot in command. 

The requirement of 121.434 (c) (1) (ii) will be considered fulfilled if the FAA authorized 

Check Airman performs the observation. The observation requirement will be 

documented in the qualifying pilot's training record. 

The FAA has the authority to observe any pilot at any time at the discretion of the 

administrator and continues to 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 of flights necessitated by the carrier's training and 

service schedule. 

Operational issues related with this request include the fact that Eastern's only repetitive 

service are the daily flights from Miami to cities in the island nation of Cuba. Eastern is a 

supplemental carrier, remainder of the revenue flights are pop up charter contracts. 

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 
~-..EASTERN - 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 apply for exemptions for foreign 

travel restrictions and comply with special travel restrictions for flights to Cuba. This 

restrictive process increases the workload and complicates the scheduling process for the 

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 during the qualifying process. 

Additional benefits are to be realized by Eastern by increased productivity. In turn, the 

traveling public could benefit from increased travel options. An increase in available pilots 

in command could increase the scheduling options for pilot scheduling. 

Granting of this proposed exemption would have no significant impact upon safety. The 

authorized Check Airman will be highly trained, experienced, and qualified in the aircraft 

type. In addition, the FAA must approve the Check Airman administering the observation. 

The Eastern Check Airman will be assigned the observation of a qualifying pilot in 

command only when a qualified FAA Inspector is not available. 

SUMMARY 

Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. petitions the Administrator for an exemption from 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) 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