October 1, 2011

Docket Management Facility

U.S. Department of Transportation

1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.

West Building Ground Floor Room W12-140

Washington, DC 20590

Submitted via www.regulations.gov

Subject: Petition for Exemption from 14 CFR 43.3(g) to allow properly trained pilots to accomplish supervised 

updates of FMS navigational software databases

References: 14 CFR§ 43.3(a), 14 CFR§ 43.3(g), Appendix A to Part 4, 14 CFR§ 135.435(b)

SUMMARY OF RELIEF REQUESTED

Heritage Aviation, Inc. d/b/a Heritage Flight, Air Carrier Certificate IGXA989E, (hereafter referred to as Heritage 

Flight) is requesting exemption from the requirement of 14 CFR§ 43.3(g) that pertains to holders of pilot certificates 

issued under part 61 being authorized to perform preventative maintenance on aircraft operated by that pilot not used 

under 14 CFR Part 135 so as to specifically allow properly trained pilots (under an approved training program) to 

accomplish supervised updates of the navigational software databases of Flight Management Systems (FMS) 

installed in aircraft operated by Heritage Flight under 14 CFR Part 135.

14 CFR§ 43.3(a) references Appendix A to Part 43 as containing the items considered to be a major alteration, a 

major repair, or preventative maintenance; specifically (c)(32) of Appendix A identifies “updating selfcontained...Air Traffic Control (ATC) navigational software data bases...” as a preventative maintenance item. In 

essence, the current rule prevents a pilot who operates an aircraft under 14 CFR Part 135 from accomplishing 

navigation database updates and requires those updates to be performed by authorized maintenance personnel.

PUBLIC BENEFIT

Heritage flight currently operates 10 aircraft in over 2,000 ights annually to domestic and international destinations 

in a highly competitive business environment. Many of the airports to which Heritage Flight customers fly have 

limited or no scheduled air service; access to more of these airports, especially during periods of low visibility, is 

becoming increasingly dependent upon the use of RNAV procedures. Additionally, many of the major metropolitan 

airports are increasing their usage of and dependence upon RNAV Standard Instrument Departures (SID) and 

Standard Terminal Arrivals (STAR) for improved air traffic flow. The number of RNAV based airways in the form 

of “Q” and “T” Routes in increasing, as is the amount of airports served solely by RNAV procedures. Advanced 

RNAV capability is a key component in the FAA’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).
The FAA had promoted RNAV as serving the general public interest because RNAV benefits the safety, access, 

capacity, predictability, and operational efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS), and reduces the 

environmental impacts of aviation; specifically RNAV procedures provide:

 Reduced risk of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT).

 Improved airport and airspace assess in all weather condition and ability to meet environmental and obstacle 

clearance constraints.

 Enhanced reliability and reduced delays by defining more precise terminal area procedures.

 Reduced workload and improved productivity of air traffic controllers.

Heritage Flight aircraft are appropriately equipped and authorized by the FAA to use RNAV routes and procedures; 

all terminal RNAV procedure operations as well as some RNAV routes authorizations require ATC navigational 

database be “current”. RNAV allows Heritage Flight to serve airports and routes that better serve its customers 

needs; however these needs sometimes leave an aircraft away from a location where authorized maintenance 

personnel would normally be available to update the navigation database when the previous database expires. While 

it may be possible to operate an aircraft with an “expired” navigation database under its FAA approved Minimum 

Equipment List (MEL), the use of RNAV routes and/or procedures may be restricted by requiring a “current” 

database.

The interests of Heritage Flight customers and the general public are not served if an airport cannot be accessed or 

routes cannot be flown due to an out of currency navigation database. Negative consequences of allowing only 

maintenance personnel to update navigation databases include:

 Unnecessary positioning flights to maintenance locations or transporting maintenance personnel to the 

aircraft for the sole purpose of updating a navigation database are in direct conflict with the benefits of using 

RNAV procedures and routes (see above).

 Such maintenance positioning flights can needlessly lead to increased flight delays, increased airspace 

congestion, and increase carbon emissions and pollution.

 Additional costs accruing from the use of alternate airports or routes that do not require a current navigation 

database are ultimately borne by Heritage Flight customers. Having to use alternate airports or routes in this 

circumstance is a major economic burden to Heritage Flight customers and the public.

Heritage Flight believes that granting this exemption will significantly reduce the number of flights operated with an 

expired navigation database and will benefit Heritage Flight customers and the general public.

AFFECT ON SAFETY OF FLIGHT 

When the current rule defining database updates as preventative maintenance was issued in May of 1996, updating 

navigation databases often required removal of the navigation unit from the instrument panel, and in some cases, 

disassembly of the unit itself. The rule intended to adapt federal regulation to the state of modern technology in use 

at that time.

In the ensuing years FMS technological advances have led to simple, user-friendly procedures for updating 

navigation databases. In no case does the navigation database updating procedure prescribed for any Heritage Flight 

aircraft require parts removal, disassembly of a panel-mounted unit, or the use of any special tools. Instead, all flight 

management systems in Heritage Flight aircraft have simple data loaders that provide navigational database updates 

via a commonly used digital medium (such as a USB drive or floppy disks). The procedures for accomplishing the 

navigational database updates are contained within the Pilot Operating Handbook for the installed FMS.
Heritage Flight believes that allowing its trained and supervised pilots to accomplish updates of navigational 

software databases in their assigned aircraft provides an equivalent level of safety to that achieved by having 

authorized maintenance personnel accomplish the update because:

 Heritage Flight pilots use the FMS in their aircraft every day they fly and are thoroughly trained in all 

aspects of its normal operation and non-normal operating characteristics, including the installed navigational 

software database.

 Updating the navigational database is simple and does not require any special tools or removal / disassembly 

of any components.

 There are no known instances of an incident or accident attributable to pilot updating a navigation software 

database.

 Heritage Flight pilots will be specifically trained in all aspects of the updating procedure, including nonnormal indications, any required operational check, and the requirement to contact Heritage flight 135 

Maintenance if any abnormalities are encountered while accomplishing the update.

 The pilot accomplishing the navigational database update will complete the required documentation after 

successfully accomplishing the update and advise Heritage Flight 135 Maintenance of the update.

 A certificated and authorized Maintenance Technician of Heritage Flight 135 Maintenance will approve the 

work accomplished by the pilot as the person in charge of maintenance in accordance with 14 CFR§ 

135.435(b) after reviewing and confirming with the pilot that the update was accomplished in accordance 

with the prescribed procedure.

 The required aircraft log entry for the update will be signed by the certificated and authorized Maintenance 

Technician of Heritage Flight 135 Maintenance, transmitted to the pilot for insertion into the Aircraft Binder,

and the aircraft will be returned to service in accordance with Heritage Flight’s approved maintenance 

procedures.

FEDERAL REGISTER SUMMARY AND PUBLICATION 

Heritage Flight Exemption seeks an exemption to 14 CFR§ 43.3(g) as it pertains to pilots performing preventative 

maintenance so as to specifically allow properly trained pilots to accomplish supervised updates of the navigational 

software databases of flight management systems (FMS) installed in aircraft operated by Heritage Flight under 14 

CFR Part 135. Granting this requested exemption will benefit the public by reducing the number of times Heritage 

Flight operates an aircraft with an expired FMS database which will also better support the FAA’s NextGen efforts. 

As evidenced by the information presented herein, approval of this request would in no way adversely affect safety 

of flight.

Heritage Flight requests a waiver of the 120-day filing requirements and the publishing of a summary of the petition 

in the Federal Register. Any delay in granting of this exception request will needlessly encumber FAA resources and 

result in additional delay for relief.

Please contact either signatory below if further information is requires.

Sincerely,

Vanda E. Crook, Director of Operations Mark G. Wise, Director of Maintenance

Heritage Aviation, Inc. d/b/a Heritage Flight Heritage Aviation, Inc. d/b/a Heritage Flight