November 18,2011 

Mr. David Seymour 

Senior Vice President – Technical Operations 

US Airways, Inc. 

4000 E. Sky Harbor Blvd. 

Phoenix, AZ 85034 

Dear Mr. Seymour: 

This letter is to inform you that we are unable to process your request for an exemption from 

§ 121.703 (d) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). It explains why we can’t 

process your request, gives you some important information about how we have handled 

similar requests, and tells you what you should do in the next 30 days. 

Why We Can’t Process Your Request

We entered your October 19, 2011, exemption request for US Airways, Inc. (US Airways) 

into the public docket (No. FAA-2011-1184), but we are unable to process your request any 

further. The information you sent doesn’t comply with the requirements of 14 CFR 11.81 

(copy enclosed). For us to consider the request any further, you must send us all of the 

following: 

 The specific section or sections of 14 CFR from which you seek relief, the extent of the 

relief you seek, and the reason you seek relief. 

 The reasons granting the request would be in the public interest; that is, how it would 

benefit the public as a whole. 

 The reasons the exemption wouldn’t adversely affect safety or how the exemption would 

provide a level of safety at least equal to that provided by the rule from which you seek an 

exemption. 

 Any more information, views, or arguments available to support your request. 
2 

How We Have Handled Similar Requests 

Your request for exemption concerns the requirement to report major repairs, cracks, 

permanent deformation, or corrosion of aircraft structure, as required by 14 CFR § 121.703 

(a)(14)-(15), within 72 hours of the reporting period. You are requesting to submit the report 

within 72 hours of the aircraft is airworthiness release. 

We note that we denied a similar US Airways petition in 2004 (Exemption No. 8486, Docket 

No. FAA-2004-18242). It is enclosed for your review. As noted in the denial, the FAA 

determined that the submission of the required report following the heavy maintenance 

inspection visit is not equal to the regulatory requirement for reporting. 

Because the previous denial of exemption dealt with circumstances similar to those presented 

in your petition, there is little reason to believe that we would grant your petition for 

exemption. 

What You Should Do 

 Before we commit agency resources to process and analyze your exemption request, we 

suggest that you review the enclosed denial of exemption. 

 If, after that review, you still want the agency to process your petition, you must tell us 

how the facts and circumstances of your particular situation are significantly different 

from the enclosed denial of exemption. 

 Send the information about your particular situation, and the information we requested 

earlier in this letter that will enable us to process your request, to reach us within 30 days. 

We will consider the docket on your request open for that period. 

If We Don’t Hear From You 

If we don’t hear from you within 30 days, we will close the docket without telling you further. 

If you have any questions or need more time, you may call Frances Shaver at (202) 267-4059. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Brenda D. Courtney 

Manager, Aircraft and Airport Rules Division 

Enclosures