BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGO AIRLINE 

for an emergency exemption pursuant to 

49 u.s.c. § 40109(g) 

Huntsville, AL - Vandenberg AFB, CA 

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Docket OST-2010-

APPLICATION OF 

VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGO AIRLINE 

FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION 

Communication with respect to this document should be addressed to: 

Alexey I. Isaikin 

Chairman 

Volga-Dnepr J.S. Cargo Airline 

14 Karbysheva Street 1215 

Ulyanovsk, Russia 

DATED: April18, 2012 

Artem Tarasenko 

Operations Manager 

Volga Dnepr-Unique Air Cargo, Inc. 

9400 Grogan's Mill Road, 

Town Center Plaza, Suite 220, 

The Woodlands, TX USA 

(832) 585-8611 

NOTICE: THIS APPLICATION IS FILED PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY 

EXEMPTION PROCEDURES OF 14 C.F.R. § 302.410, WHICH AUTHORIZE THE 

DEPARTMENT TO ACT ON EMERGENCY EXEMPTIONS IMMEDIATELY. ANY 

PERSON INTERESTED IN FILING AN ANSWER IS REQUESTED TO DO SO IN THE 

ABOVE DOCKET IMMEDIATELY. COPIES OF THE SUBMISSION SHOULD BE 

SERVED ON THE PERSONS LISTED ABOVE AND ON THE A IT ACHED SERVICE LIST. 
BEFORE THE 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Application of 

VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGO AIRLINE 

for an emergency exemption pursuant to 

49 U.S.C. § 40109(g) 

Huntsville, AL- Vandenberg AFB, CA 

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Docket OST-2010-

____________________________ ) 

APPLICATION OF 

VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGO AIRLINE 

FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION 

Volga-Dnepr J.S. Cargo Airline ("Volga-Dnepr Airlines" or "Volga-Dnepr") respectfully 

requests an emergency exemption from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. §§ 40109(g) and 41703(c), 

and othetwise applicable provisions of the Department of Transportation ("DOT") regulations, 

so as to permit Volga-Dnepr to operate two (2) one-way cargo charter flights, utilizing VolgaDnepr's AN-124-100 aircraft to transport cargo from Huntsville, Alabama to Vandenberg AFB, 

California on around April 26, 2012 - May 1, 2012, on behalf of United Launch Alliance. 

The outsize cargo to be transported by Volga-Dnepr consists of the Atlas Centaur III 

tank, measuring (52' L x 12' W x 14' H), weighing approx. 40,150 pounds, and the Atlas 

Booster tank, measuring (119' L x 13'6" W x 14' H), weighing approx. 81 ,400 pounds. As 

described, the payload is outsized and cannot be accommodated by domestic commercial carrier 

aircraft. 

In support of its application, Volga-Dnepr states as follows: 
1. Volga-Dnepr is a foreign air carrier holding appropriate DOT authority to conduct allcargo charter foreign air transportation between a point or points in Russia and a point or points 

in the United States, and all-cargo charter transportation between the United Sates and third 

countries pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 212. 

2. Volga-Dnepr will operate the flights on behalf of United Launch Alliance as part of an 

effort to provide urgently needed lift to leave Huntsville not later than the set dates. United 

Launch Alliance is shipping the payloads to complete aggressive fabrication and launch 

schedules, while only the use of Volga-Dnepr's outsized aircraft can make it possible to perform 

the services in question within the set schedule. 

3. Due to the extreme size, the delicate nature of the cargo and its extremely high value, 

United Launch Alliance cannot use surface transportation to ship the payload. A technical 

evaluation conducted by Lockheed Martin determined that over-the-road transportation would 

place the cargo in conditions that are incompatible with maintaining system integrity 

compliance. 

4. Given the tight schedules associated with the fabrication, mission integration and 

launch activities, Volga-Dnepr must perform the operations not later than within the set dates. 

Volga-Dnepr is polling all U.S. certificated air carriers on the attached service list and will 

inform the Department of the results of that poll. 

5. Under 49 U.S.C. § 40109(g), the Department may authorize a foreign air carrier to 

transport commercial traffic between U.S. points under limited circumstances. Specifically, the 

Department must find that the authority is required in the public interest; that because of an 

emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business the 

traffic cannot be accommodated by U.S. carriers holding certificates under 49 U.S.C. § 41102; 

that all possible efforts have been made to accommodate the traffic on U.S. certificated air 

carriers; and that the exemption is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the traffic. This 
application is consistent with the public interest and meets all of the relevant criteria under 49 

U.S. C. § 401 09(g) for the grant of an exemption. 

6. Grant of this application is in the public interest. As is evidenced by the attached 

correspondence, timely shipment of the payloads is imperative to avoid substantial delay in 

Lockheed Martin's fabrication, mission integration and launch schedules. 

7. In this instance, an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the 

normal course of business exists as a result of the size of the payloads, as well as the exigent 

circumstances surrounding the impossibility to use any other mode of transportation, and the 

lack of availability of U.S. commercial aircraft of the nature of the AN-124-100 operated by 

Volga-Dnepr Airlines. As a result, the best way to resolve this emergency is for the AN-124-100 

aircraft to transport the payloads in question. 

8. As previously stated, no U.S. carrier operates aircraft that are able to transport this 

cargo. Indeed, there is no viable transportation option by any commercially available means 

other than Volga-Dnepr's aircraft. 

9. Grant of this exemption application is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the 

traffic at issue. 

10. Volga-Dnepr's fitness and ability to carry out the proposed transportation has been 

amply demonstrated through its conduct of numerous cargo charter operations on behalf of 

United Launch Alliance in and out of the United States and throughout the world. 

11. Grant of this application is consistent with Department precedent. Foreign air carriers 

have been granted emergency exemption authority to carry cargo between U.S. points when an 

emergency existed as a result of unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of 

business. See, e.g., Orders 96-6-31, 96-4-29, 95-11-35, 95-2-35, 94-11-6 and 94-4-14, as well as 

Notices of Action Taken in dockets OST-04-17906, OST-07-26806, OST-07-27125, OST-07-

28857, OST-08-0003, and OST-09-0041. 
12. In light of the exigent circumstances, Volga-Dnepr requests expeditious processing 

and the immediate grant of this emergency exemption application. The Department's Procedural 

Regulations provide that the Department can act on an emergency exemption application 

immediately. Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr will promptly advise the Department of the 

responses of the interested U.S. carriers to the telephone poll regarding this application. 
WHEREFORE, Volga-Dnepr respectfully requests that the Department issue an 

emergency exemption permitting it to operate two (2) one-way cargo charter flights, utilizing 

Volga-Dnepr's AN-124-100 aircraft; to transport cargo from Huntsville, Alabama to Vandenberg 

AFB, California on or around April26, 2012 - May 1, 2012, as described herein, and grant such 

further relief as the Department deems to be consistent with the public interest. 

Dated: April 18, 2012 

Respectfully submitted, 

Artem Tarasenko 

Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr Airlines 

(832) 585-8611 
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE 

I hereby certify that I have on this day served a copy of the foregoing document upon all 

persons named on the attached service list via electronic mail. 

Artem Tarasenko 

Dated: April 18, 2012 
.......... --... united Launch AIHance 

United Launch Alliance 

100 Atlas Avenue 

Trinity, Al 35673 

March 29, 2012 

Department of Transportation 

400 7th Street S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 

Attn: Robert Finamore 

This letter is submitted in support of United Launch Alliance (ULA) need for the services of a Volga-Dnepr 

Airlines AN-124-100 Cargo Aircraft to support the following shipment: 

• April 26, 2012-Transport AVC033 to VAFB, California 

• April30, 2012-Transport AVB033 to VAFB, California 

The AVB033 Booster in its shipping configuration measures 119' long, 13' 6 "wide, 14' high weighing 

approximately 81,400 pounds with support equipment per Atlas V Booster. 

The AVC033 Atlas Centaur Ill Upper Stage in its shipping configuration measures 52' long, 12' wide, 14' high and 

weighing approximately 40,150 pounds with support equipment per Atlas Centaur Ill Upper Stage. 

Domestic commercial carrier aircraft cannot accommodate any ofthese shipments. 

Due to the delicate nature, extreme high value, and risks inherent with the surface transport, we cannot use 

surface transportation. ULA technical evaluation of the conditions seen during over-the-road transport places 

the launch vehicles in conditions that are deemed unsuitable ~o maintaining system integrity compliance. 

ULA is trying to ship these vehicles in order to complete aggressive launch and fabrication schedules that include 

subsequent launch integration activities. 

In order to maintain the scheduled launch from Vandenberg Air Force Station, California, the launch vehicle 

stages must ship from Huntsville, Alabama no later than April 26, 2012. This will enable us to complete mission 

integration activities within the limited time available. 

If additional information is required, please contact me at once. 

Respectfully, 

John C. Morrow 

ULA Transportation 

256-432-1596 

256-318-1062 (Cell) 

john.c.morrow@ulalaunch.com 

United Launch Atliance • 100 Atlas Avenue ·Trinity, Al 35673-6637 • www.ulalaunch.com