AFS-11-300-E 

May 19, 2011 

 Exemption No. 9844A 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2004-17207 

Mr. Gregory J. Moreland 

Thrush Aircraft, Inc. 

P.O. Box 3149 

300 Old Pretoria Road 

Albany, GA 31217 

Dear Mr. Moreland: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption 

No. 9844. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the conditions 

and limitations. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated January 12, 2011, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of Thrush Aircraft, Inc. (TAI), for an extension of Exemption No. 9844. That 

exemption from § 61.31(a)(1) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allows TAI pilots to 

operate certain aircraft as pilot in command (PIC) without holding a type rating for that 

aircraft when operating an Ayres Model S2R-T660 aircraft. 

 

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 because the requested extension of the exemption would not set a 

precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to TAI. 
 2

Our Decision 

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 9844 

remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the 

authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has 

delegated to me, I grant your petition, subject to the following conditions and limitations. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. This exemption applies to pilots operating S2R-T660 aircraft that hold a restricted 

 category airworthiness certificate for operations involving agricultural, forest protection, 

 and narcotic crop eradication flight operations. 

2. TAI must develop and maintain a training manual that includes aeronautical 

 knowledge training on the S2R-T660 aircraft systems, performance, handling 

 characteristics, and cockpit familiarization. 

3. Before a pilot can serve as PIC in the S2R-T660, that pilot must have 

 satisfactorily completed familiarization ground training for the S2R-T660 that includes a 

 review of the S2R-T660 approved aircraft flight manual and cockpit familiarization 

 checkout. The review of the flight manual and cockpit familiarization checkout must 

 include ground training on the aircraft's systems, performance, handling characteristics, 

 and cockpit layout. 

4. TAI must— 

 a. Ensure each pilot logs the ground training in his or her logbook, or TAI must record 

 such training in the pilot's training record; and 

 b. Make this record of training available for review to the local Flight Standards District 

 Office upon request. 

5. Any person providing the familiarization ground training as stated in Condition No. 3 must 

 be employed as an Ayres factory test pilot for the S2R-T660 or must be approved by 

 TAI to conduct the familiarization ground training for the S2R-T660. 

6. TAI must make a copy of this exemption available to each pilot who serves as PIC in 

 the S2R-T660. 
 3

The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 9844 to May 31, 2013, unless 

sooner superseded or rescinded. 

All conditions and limitations of Exemption No. 9844 remain the same. This letter must be 

attached to, and is a part of, Exemption No. 9844. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Raymond Towles 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service 
 4

Project No.: AFS-11-300-E 

Project Officer: _______________ 

ARM-105:TTHOMAS:05/09/11:Doc#32413 

ARM-1/100/10:AFS-800 

 Statistics: ThrushAircraft.doc, 550 words 

 Original, 09 May 2011 14:32 

 Style Index 5 Excellent for a Regulation 

 Average Sentence Length 15 Excellent

 Passive Index 5 Excellent 

MR GREGORY J MORELAND 

THRUSH AIRCRAFT INC 

PO BOX 3149 

300 OLD PRETORIA ROAD 

ALBANY GA 31217