October 25, 2010

U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

400 7th Street SW, Plaza 401

Washington, DC 20591-0001

Re: Exemption No. 5549, as amended; Docket No. FAA-2000-8434

Ladies/Gentlemen:

In accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14CFR) § 11.61, the Air Transport 

Association of America (ATA), on behalf of its member airlines1and other similarly situated Part 

121 certificate holders, petitions the Administrator for an extension of Exemption No. 5549I

(Docket No. FAA-2000-8434). This exemption is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2011.

Exemption No. 5549I provides relief from 14 CFR § 121.652(a) and (c) by permitting a pilot in 

command under Part 121 to conduct an instrument approach under certain weather conditions 

during the first 100 hours of service using an alternative means approved by the Administrator 

subject to certain conditions and limitations.

The conditions and circumstances which warranted the original grant of exemption, in regard to 

public interest and equivalent levels of safety, continue to exist. This petition does not seek to 

change the conditions and limitations of the current exemption. This exemption has been in use 

safely for almost ten years.

The renewal of this exemption is not a controversial issue. For this reason, and the reasons stated 

above, ATA requests that a finding of good cause be made for waiving publication in the Federal 

Register, (14 CFR §11.87). Granting the requested relief will set no precedents. The existence of 

the exemption is well known and widely accepted. 

_______________________________________________

1/ Airline Members: 

ABX, Alaska Airlines, AirTran Airways, American Airlines, ASTAR Air Cargo, Atlas Air, Continental 

Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Evergreen International, Federal Express Corporation, Hawaiian Airlines, 

JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service, US Airways.

Associate Members: 

Air Canada, Air Jamaica, and Mexicana. 
U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

Docket No. FAA-2000-8434

October 25, 2010

Page Two

A summary of this petition as required by 14 CFR §11.81 is attached. 

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call me at (202) 626-4012.

Very truly yours,

AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION

OF AMERICA

By: __________________________ 

Paul Railsback

Director - Operations

1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 1100

Washington, D.C. 20004-1707 

(202) 626-4012

prailsback@airlines.org

Attachment
U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

Docket No. FAA-2000-8434

November 2, 2010

Attachment

SUMMARY OF ATA PETITION

The Air Transport Association, on behalf of its member airlines and other similarly 

situated Part 121 operators, petitions for an extension of Exemption No. 5549I. This 

exemption permits a pilot in command under Part 121 to conduct an instrument approach 

procedure to the weather minima prescribed by this exemption during the first 100 hours of 

service as a pilot in command, in the type of airplane he or she is operating, using an 

alternative means approved by the Administrator of satisfying 14 CFR §121.652(a) and (c), 

subject to certain conditions and limitations.