BRIA N A WALLAES A

I n th e matte r

of : FEDERA L AVIATIO N ADMINISTRATIO N Complainant , V . BRIA N WALLAES A Responden t 

### f E d2 9 

### 201 2

FDM S No . FAA-2010-062 8 Docke t No . CPIOWPOOI

O .. , Hon . Ronni e A . Yode r

^

C O 

## • T ys-' S

Answe r t o Complainan t

Reques t ro r Tria l an dMov e fo r

Dismissa l Brian VVallacs a(Respondent ) herb y tile s a n answe r t o th e Federal Aviatio n Administratio n Motio n (Complainant ) fo r Hearin g date . Th e Responden t firniJ y request s tha t th e Motio n fo

r Hearin g dat e b e denie da s wel l a s enter s amotio n fo r dismissal . Backgroun dt o Filing s Responden t

wa s sen t aNotic e of

Propose dCivi l Penalty o n Febiiiary 25 , 201 0 (se e Attachmen t

A ) whic h charge dtha

t th e Responden t

violate dSectio n 121.58 0 o f Titl e 14 , Cod e o f

Federal Regulations . I

n th e initial Notic e th e Complainan t state dtha

t th e Responden t

wa s bein g cite dunde r

4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A ) where th e maximu mpenalty wa s Si 1,00

0 an dth e propose dassessmen t wa s $5,500 . Responden t the n requeste da

n i n perso n conferenc e wit

h th e Complainan t

a t th e Complainant' s office s o n Apri l 5 , 2010 . Responden t

wa s advise dthroug h aNotic e of Propose dCivi l Penalty a s amende dApri l 7 , 201 0 tha t th e Complainan t

propose dto asses s acivi l penalty i n th e amoun t

of $5,50 0 an d tha t th e initia l chars e o f

violatio n of

Sectio n 121.58 0 of

Title 14 , Cod e o

f Federa lRegulation s wa s no w accompanie db y violation s of Sectio n 121.317( 0 ^nd121.317(k) , whic h wa s state da s havin g th e possibl e penall y of $11,00 0 fo

r eac h violation , agran d tota l possibl e of

$33,000 . Notin g tha

t 4 9 U.S.C . 4630 1 (a)(5)(A ) state s e.xplicilly tha t "An individua l .. . i s liabl e t o th e Governmen t fo r acivi l penalty of

no t more tha n $10,00 0 ... " Responden t

ha drequeste da

n informa l hearin g an dthroughou t

several negotiation s includin g informa l meeting s an dphon e conversation s wit h Complainant , a resolutio n wa s not

abl e to b e reached . A fina l Notic e o f

Propose dCivi l Penalty wa s submitted , an db

y alette r date dJul y 13 . 2010 , Responden t re(iueste dahearing . I n bot h instance s o

f Notice s th e Responden t

wa s give n acop y o

f Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Federal Aviatio n Administratio n Rule s of Practic e forFA A Civi l Penalty Proceeding s 14C.F.R. . Discussio n o n Cod e of Regulation s I n th e Ruleso f

Practic e for

F A A Civi l Penalt

y Proceeding s 14C.F.R . §13.1 6 an d Subpar t G th e cod e state s "Civi l Penalties : Administrativ e assessmen t agains t aperso n othe r than a n individua l actin g a s apilot , flight engineer , mechanic , or

repairman. " Th e Notic e o f Propose dCivi l Penalty State s tha t th e Complainan t

i s subjec t t o 4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A) . Afte r Revie w of

Eac h Sectio n of

th e 4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A) , th e Responden t sate s th e followins sectio n to b e worde da s th e followin^ : "An individual (excep t

a n airman servin g a s a

n airman ) o r

smal l busines s concer

n i s liabl e to th e Governmen t fo r acivi l penall y of

not more tha n $10,00 0 fo

r violatin g - (i ) Chapte r

40 1 (excep t

section s 40103(a ) an d(d)) . 40105 , 40106(b) , 40106 , an d40117) , sectio n 4450 2 (b ) or (c) , chapte r

44 7 (excep t

section s 44717

-44723) , o r chapte r 44 9 (excep t

section s 44902 , 44903(d) , 44904 , an d 44907-44909 ) of

thi s title. " I n th e Memorandu mo n Sanctio n date dNovembe r 15'^ , 2011 , th e Complainan t state s th e following : "Th e applicabl e sanctio n guidanc e i s foundi n FA A Orde r 2150.3 B whic h became effectiv e o n Octobe r

1 , 2007. Th e sanctio n guidanc e provide dtha t Complainan t

coul d impos e acivi l penalty i

n (he maximu mrang e fo

r interferenc e wit

h acrewmembe r

i n violatio n of

1 4 C.F.R . § 121.580 . FAA Orde r 2150.3B , Appendi x B , Fig . B-3-p(l) , pag e B-28 . Th e maximu mrang e applicabl e t o a n individua l no t

servin g i n th e capacit y of

a n airman i s $4,00 0 - $11,000 . Id . a t pag e B-8 . Thus , th e Complainant , upo n issuin g th e origina l Notice , propose da$5,50 0 sanction . Thi s amoun t fall s withi n th e low en dof

th e maximu mrang e sanctio n applicabl e to asectio n 121.58 0 violatio n under

FA A Orde r 21530.8. " I t i s th e Respondent' s positio n base do n th e testimon y an daction s of th e Complainan t

tha t th e $5,50 0 sanctio n ha

dbeen solel y base do n guideline s set fort h i n FA A Orde r 2150.3B , whic h wa s discusse di n th e thir dparagrap h spannin g page s 1 an d2 of th e Memorandu mo n Sanction . . I t i s als o th e positio n o f

th e Responden t

tha t FA A Orde r 2150.3 B ha s been i

n us e an dmodifie dlon g enoug h tha t i t n o longe r

ha s an y connection s t o 4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A) . Proo f

of thi s i s i n th e followin g (2 ) tw o statement s fro m4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A ) an dFA

A Order 21530.B . respectively :(1 ) "A n individua l (excep t a n airman servin g a s a

n airman ) or

smal l busines s concern i s liabl e to th e Governmen t fo r acivi l penalty of

no t mor e tha n $10,00 0 fo

r violatino... " (2 ) "Th e maximu mrang e applicabl e t o a n individua l not

servin g i n th e capacity o f a n airma n i s $4,00 0 - $11,000... " Th e actual writte n la

w i s state di

n 4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A) , whil e FAA Orde r 21530. B i s no t

reference di

n 4 9 U.S.C . 4630)(a)(5)(A ) o r Rule s o f Practic e fo

r FA A Civi l Penalt

y Proceeding s 1 4 C.F.R . §13.1 6 an dSubpar t G . Discussio n o f

FA A Orde r

2150.3 B A s state dpreviously , th e Responden t wa s unawar e o f

FA A Orde r 2150.3 B unti l receivin g th e Complainant' s Memorandu mo n Sanction . Orde r 2150.3 B clearl y state s i

n Chapte r 1 , section s 2 (b ) an d(c ) tha t th e orde r i s a"Staf f Manual... " an

dtha t th e orde r "doe s not giv e an y righ t o r benefit , substantiv e or

procedural , enforceabl e a t an y la w b y an y party agains t

th e FAA , it s officers , o r

it s employees... " O

n thi s basis , i

t i s th e Respondent' s posilio n tha t FA A Orde r 2150.3 B i s intende dto be aguidelin e fo r employee s o f

th e FA A o n ho w to act , especiall y lliroug h th e us e o f th e ter m"Staf f Manual. " I

t i s the positio n of

th e Responden t

tha t i n definin g th e documen t

a s a"Staf

f Manual" , i

t ha s n o legal basi s i

n U.S . Code . I

t i s th e Respondent' s belie f tha t FA A Order 2150.3 B i s essentiall y ase t o f guideline s outsid e o f

th e U.S . Code . A s suppor t fo r (hi s positio n th e Responden t

ca n hav e hi s nationa l Ca

r Clu b organizatio n draf

t adocumen t tha t state s al l Ca

r Clu b member s ca

n driv e 2 0 MPH ove r

an y poste dSpee dLimi t

withi n U.S . Borders , an

dhav e sai ddocumen t

notarize dan dmad e officia l withi n th e Club , bu

t an y polic e officer

vvil l stil l follo w th e cod e o f

la w a s se t fort h i n eac h state fo

r violation stherein . Als o a s support , 1 4 C.F.R . §13.1 6 an dSubpar t G state s tha

t th e Responden t

i s iiableunder49U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A) . Nowher e withi n 1 4 C.F.R . §13.1 6 or 4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A ) d o th e document s referenc e se c "Staf f Manual " (FAA Orde r

2150.3B ) fo

r ho w t o asses s violations . I t i s th e positio n of

th e Responden t

tha t FA A Orde r 2150.3 B ha s n o basi s i

n U.S . code , an dtherefore , an y presumptions , argument s or position s base do

n FA A Order 2150.3 B are invalid , an dtherefore , an y argumen t

mad e b y th e Complainan t

i s invalid . Finally , th e Responden t

move s fo r dismissa l o n thi s basis . Summar y o f

Responden t I t i s th e Respondent' s positio n tha t throug h the Citatio n or4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A ) ther e i s n o basi s fo r afine schedul e fo

r violation s o f

§§ § 121.580 , 121.317(f) , 121.317(k) , a s suc h violation s are no t mentione dwithi n th e sectio n of code , an dtha t there exist s n o informatio n withi n th e section s of cod e liste da s to guid e afine schedule . I

t i s als o th e Respondent' s positio n tha t th e us e of

FA A Order 2150.3B , make s an y an dal l discussio n o f

sanctio n invalid . I

t i s apparen t

tha t th e FA A Order i s a"Staf f Manual, " an dno t

codifie dlaw . Tlii s make s th e Orde r invali dfo

r discussio n a s i

t i s not base di n US Code , an dan y premis e base do n th e orde r invali dfo

r discussion . Finally , i

t i s th e positio n of

th e Responden t

tha t th e Complainant , withi n th e Complainant' s ow n argumen t neve r provide dalin

k to th e fact s of

th e Respondent' s action s t o an y precedent , o r fo r tha t matter , th e actua l citation s unde r §§ § 121.580 , 121.317(1) , 121.317(k) . Th e Complainan t

simpl y presente da

n excellen t

cas e liistor

y o f case s surroundin g §§ § 121.580 . 121.317(f) . 121.317(k) .FA A Orde r 2150.3 B i s no t

mentione dwithi n 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.1 6 or 4 9 U.S.C . 46301(a)(5)(A) , an dth e Complainan t di dno t relat e an y material fac t

o f th e Respondent' s action s to an y of

th e Precedent s mentione di n th e Complainant' s case . Havin g th e Complainan t

bas e an y fine schedul e withou t thes e link s to th e Responden t nullifie s an y argumen t fromth e Complainant . WHEREFORE,.th e Respondent , respectfull y request s tha t th e Administrativ e La w Judg e ente r

a n orde r tha t th e Civi l Proceeding s agains t th e Responden t

b e dismissed , an dn o civi l penalty assessed , a s ther e i s n o basi s fo r th e Complainant' s argument . Th e argumen t put fort h b y th e Complainan t

doe s no t relat e iiiateria l fact s o f

th e Respondent' s action s t o an

y preceden t

tha t th e Complainan t

describes , an dfinall y th e FA A Order 2150.3 B i s a"Staf

f Manual " an dno

t actua l codifie dla

w an dthereb y ha s n o lega l weight .

Brian A . Wallaes a Responden t 1127 2 WorthamCres t

Circl e Manassas , V

A 2010 9 (570)778-133 5 Date dFebruar

y 23 , 201 2Certificat e o f Servic e

h i th e matte r

of : FEDERA L AVIATIO N ADMINISTRATIO N Complainant , V . BRL\ N WALLAES A Responden t FDM S No . FAA-2010-062 8 Docket No . CPIOWPOOI

O Hon . Ronni e A . Yoder

I hereb y certif

y that 1 hav e han ddelivere dan dsen t o n thi s dat e b y Certifie dMai l acop y o f al l motion s an dfilings containe dherei n addresse dt o th e following : Peter J . Lync h Assistan t Chie f Counse l Enforcemen t

Division , AGC-30 0 Offic e o f th e Chie f Counse l Federal Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D.C . 2059 1 Tel : (202)267-314 3 Josep h A . Cont e Manager , Special Emphasi s Enforcemen t Enforcemen t

Division , AGC-30 0 Offic e o f th e Chie f Counse l Federal A.viniin

n Adniinistratio o 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D.C . 2059 1 Tel : (202)267-783 1 Th e Hon . Ronni e A . Yoder , Chie f Administrativ e La

w Judg e U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Offic e o f Healings , M-20 , Roo mE12-32 0 1200 New Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Washington , D C 2059 0 TEL : 202-366-214 2 FAX : 202^66-753 6Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n

80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington . D C 2059 1 Attn : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrioh t Buildin s - Suit e 2W100 0

Bria n A . Wallaes a Responden t 1127 2 Wortha mCres t

Circl e Manassas , V A 2010 9 (570)778-133 5 Date dFebruar y 24 , 201 2