AFS-15-585-E

April 24, 2015

 Exemption No. 10231B

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2006-26080

Mr. Herman F. Gillis, III

Director of Operations

Sky Lease I, Inc., dba TradeWinds Airlines, dba TradeWinds

243-A Burgess Road

Greensboro, NC 27409

Dear Mr. Gillis:

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

No. 10231, as amended. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists 

the conditions and limitations.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated February 10, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of Sky Lease I, Inc. dba TradeWinds Airlines dba TradeWinds (Sky Lease)1 for an 

extension of Exemption No. 10231, as amended. That exemption from 

§ 121.434(c)(1)(ii) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) allows Sky Lease to 

substitute a qualified and authorized check airman or aircrew program designee for an FAA 

inspector to observe a qualifying pilot in command (PIC) who is completing initial or upgrade 

training specified in § 121.424 during at least one flight leg that includes a takeoff and a 

landing.

 

1 Although the previous petition used another short-hand identifier, the FAA has changed it to say Sky Lease, 

which refers to the same entity and is more relevant to the petitioner’s name.
2

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 Sky Lease.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 10231, as 

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

under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA 

Administrator has delegated to me, Sky Lease I, Inc. is granted an extension to Exemption 

No. 10231, as amended, for § 121.434(c)(1)(ii) that allows Sky Lease to substitute a qualified 

and authorized check airman or aircrew program designee for an FAA inspector to observe a 

qualifying PIC who is completing initial or upgrade training specified in § 121.424 during at 

least one flight leg that includes a takeoff and a landing, subject to the following conditions 

and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations 

1. A Sky Lease check airman or aircrew program designee may conduct a PIC 

observation in place of an FAA inspector when—

a. The Administrator preapproves that substitution for each observation of a 

qualifying PIC candidate, thus reserving first right of refusal to the FAA in 

each case. Sky Lease, therefore, must contact an appropriate FAA office, in 

each instance, before substituting that check airman or aircrew program 

designee;

b. The qualifying PIC candidate has completed no less than 10 hours of 

supervised operating experience (OE) and accomplished no fewer than two 

takeoffs and landing; and 

c. The qualifying PIC candidate is performing PIC duties during a complete flight 

leg, including flight deck preparation, before starting engines checklist, taxi, 

takeoff, all other flight phases, landing, taxi, and securing checklist.

2. Each Sky Lease check airman or aircrew program designee conducting a PIC 

observation in place of an FAA inspector must—

a. Be approved by the Administrator to conduct the observation;

b. Have served as a check airman or aircrew program designee for Sky Lease no 

less than 6 months; and

c. Not supervise the OE or conduct the initial line check for the qualifying PIC 

candidate being observed.
3

3. Sky Lease must maintain student, check airman, and aircrew program designee records 

that demonstrate compliance with the conditions and limitations of this exemption.

The Effect of Our Decision

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 10231 to April 30, 2018, unless 

sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan

Director, Flight Standards Service