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 Adm inistration (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 determ ined 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 aircra ft 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 term ination 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

Service4

Project No.: AFS-11-300-E

Project Officer: _______________

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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