## Constructio n Helicopter s INCORPORAT E D 25-May-201 0

^'^M- % U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n Docke t Managemen t

Syste m 40 0 7 * Stree t

S W A|tpomPL40 1 • Woahington^ D C 20591^000 1 RE : Exemptio n No . 9525 , Docke t No . FAA-2007-002 9 O n Octobe r

25 , 2007 , Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . receive dapprova l t o us e a n alternat e metho do f complianc e i n meetin g th e airborn e rada r requirement s o f

1 4 CF R§ 135.17 5 (a ) an d1 4 CF R§135.173 . Thos e method s include dth e us e o f cockpi t displaye dsatellit e relaye dweathe r o f hig h resolutio n NEXRAD , clou dech o tops , lightin g strikes , metars , spec i reports , etc . A t thi s tim e w e hav e not

change do r

adde daircraf

t t o ou r Part-13 5 certificat e an dhav e no t change dou r operatio n sinc e th e previou s approva l ( othe r tha n achang e o f

corporat e address , howeve r w e ar e stil l serve db y th e sam e FSD O ) . W e ar e i n complianc e with th e five condition s an dlimitation s liste do n pag e tw o o f you r approva l letter . Ou r

FSD O ha s reviewe dan dapprove dou r method s o f

determinin g whethe r

a flight ma y b e release di n th e even t thunderstorm s ar e forecas t an dthes e method s hav e bee n documente d i n ou r GOM . Base do n th e previou s approval , th e experience dgaine di n usin g thes e altemat e method s an dthat n o substantiv e change s i n operation s hav e occurred , w e ar e therefore , requestin g arenewa l / reissuanc e o f Exemptio n 9525 . Sincerely , ^li mHarri s Chie f Pilo t

Enc : 1 - FA A Exemptio n No . 9525,25-Oct-200 7 2 - CH I - Initia l Waive r

Reques t - 07-Sept-200 7

367 9 Bowe n Roa d • Howell , M l 4885 5 • 800-521-513 0 • 800-521-427 5 fa x • www.construcfionhelicopters.co m tev. 3 , Ref . 10-Radar_Waiva-0521b.do c EXTERNA L LIF T SPECIALIS T SINC E 198 0 s26.May-1 0 (S j 14: 1 U P

g 1 o f 1

# e USDepatmen t aO O independenc e Av

e . S W . OfTransportOfiCX l Washington , DO . 2059 1 Federa l AvkiHo n Administratio n

OC T 2 6 2007 Exemptio n No . 952 5 Regulator y Docke t

No . FAA-2007-002 9 Mr . Jame s W . Hani s Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . 80 7 Willo w Ru n Airpor t Ypsilanti,M I 4819 8 Dea r Mr . Harris : Thi s lette r

i s t o infor myo u tha t

w e hav e grante dyou r

reques t for exemption . I t

transmit s ou r decision , explain s it s basis , an dgive s yo u th e condition s an dlimitation s o f th e exemption , includin g th e dat e i t

ends . Th e Basi s fo r

Ou r Decisio n O n Septembe r

25,2007 , yo u petitione dth e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) o n behal f o f Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . (CHI ) for an exemptio n fro m§ 135.175(a ) o f Title 14 , Cod e o f Federa l Regulation s (1 4 CFR ) t o th e exten t necessar y t o allo w CH I t o conduc t flights unde r visua l flight

rule s (VFR ) wit h larg e transpor t category aircraf

t i n passenger-carryin g operation s withou t

airborn e weathe r

rada r installed . Th e FA A ha s determine dtha t goo dcaus e exist s for

not publishin g asummar y o f th e petitio n i n th e Federa l Registe r

becaus e th e requeste dexemptio n woul dno t se t aprecedent , an dan y delay i n actin g o n thi s petitio n woul db e detrimenta l t o CHI . Th e FA A ha s issue dagran t o f exemptio n i n circumstance s similar i n all materia l respect s t o thos e presente di n you r

petition . I n Gran t

o f Exemptio n No . 525 4 (cop y enclosed) , th e FA A foun dthat th e cost s o f

installin g th e radar

equipmen t

woul dfa r outweig h th e benefit s t o b e derive dfro mit s us e an dtha t a n exemptio n t o operat e withou t i t i s warrante dan dwil l provid e aleve l o f safet y equivalen t

t o tha t provide db y th e regulations , subjec t t o certai n condition s an dlimitations .V



### Having reviewedyou

r reason s fo r requestin g a

n exemptipji , I |in dthat

—, . • they do no t

diffe r materially fi-omthos e presente dby th e petitione r in the enclosedgran

t of exemptipn ; : ^ „ . ' ..i ; . . ; ' • the reason s statedb

y the FA A fo r granting th e enclose dexemptio n als o appl y to th e situatio n yo

u present ; an

d • agran t o f exemptio n i s i

n the publi c interest . Ou r Decisio n . . v Unde r the authorit

y containe din 4 9 U.S.C . 4011 3 an d44701 , which the FA

A Admtefstiy»V"^ ^ ha s delegate dt

o me , I hereby gran

t Constructio n Helicopters , Inc. , a n exemptio n fro

m 1 4 CF R§ 135.175(a

) to the extent

necessar y to allo w CH

I t o conduct

flights unde

r VF Rwit h larg e transpor

t categor y aircraf t i n passenger-canyin g operation s without airborne weathe

r rada r installed , subject

t o the condition s an

dlimitation s describe dbelow . Condition s an dLimitation s 1 . Thi s exemptio n i s limite dto thos e CH I helicopters , which ar

e configuredfo

r 9 or les s passengers , liste di

n it s operation s specifications . 2 . Thi s exemptio n i s limite dt o operation s conducte dduring da y VF Rweathe r condition s only . 3 . CH I ma y not releas e aflight

whe n thunderstorm s or

othe r potentially hazardou s weathe r condition s ar

e reporte do

r forecas t along th e route s t

o b e flown fo

r th e perio d o f tim e require dfo

r th e flight. 4 . Notwithstandin g Conditio n No . 3 above , CH I ma y releas e aflight

unde r thi s exemptio n whe

n thunderstorm s ar

e forecas t in CHI' s are aof

operatio n provide dtha

t CH I ha s ametho dof

determinin g the occurrenc e o f thunderstorm s along it s rq^t^ s an d the metho di s approvedb

y the certificat

e holdin g FA

A distric t office . Proc^tia^ S t o be followed , unde

r a n approvedmetho dto determi|i e th ? presenc e o f thiuiil^^iljas , mus t b e include di

n the operation s manua

l require db y §135. 2 K

" 5 . N o operation s unde

r thi s exemptio n ma

y b e conducte dunti l the metho dan d procedvire s have been approve db y th e FA A distric t office an dhav e bee n inpludedin the manual .

### 6 . CHI' s flight mus t no t transvers e an

y are aof knov mhazardoii s Weathe

r conditions. ' Thi s exemptio n terminate s o n Octobe r 31,2009 , unles s soone

r supersede dor

rescindeH; ' Sincerely , 

# ^0^ - &t;M^- ^ jMe s J . ^lloug h ( j Drrector , Fligh t

Standard s Servic e Enclosur eSeptembe r25 , 200 7

U.S . Departmen t o f Transportatio n Docke t Managemen t Syste m 40 0 7'^ ^ S t SW Roo m P L 40 1 Washington , D C 20591-000 1 Dea rSi ro rMadam : Pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R § § 11.15 , 11.8 1 an d othe rpertinen t section s o f 1 4 CF R part 11 , Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . hereb y petition s th e Federal Aviatio n Administratio n fo rexemptio n fro m th e Airborn e Weathe rrada requipmen t requiremen t o f 1 4 CF R § 135.17 5 (a) . Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . reques t th e Federal Aviatio n Administratio n t o exemp t Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . fro m 1 4 CF R §135.75(a ) subjec t t o th e exemptio n bein g limite d t o VF R helicopte roperation s conducte d durin g visua l meteorologica l weathe rcondition s wit h th e aircraf t configure d fo r9 o rles s passengers . Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . i s th e holde ro f Ai rCarrie rCertificate s JTAA383F , JTAG383 F an d JTAL383F . Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . ha s operate d Sikorsk y mode l 58 T rotorcraf t fo rth e pas t 2 6 years . Ou roperation s unde rth e certificat e ar e limite d t o VF R wit h 9 o rles s passengers . Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . ha s als o operate d th e Sikorsky mode l S61 N i n exces s o f 1,30 0 hour s sinc e 200 5 an d i s currentl y i n th e proces s o f addin g th e Sikorsk y mode l 861 N aircraf t t o th e certificat e subjec t t o th e sam e VF R onl y limitation . Additionally , w e ar e limitin g th e passenge rcapacit y t o 9 o rles s passenger s usin g a n STC' d 9-passenge rseatin g configuration . 1 4 CF R § 135.17 5 (a ) State s n o perso n shal l operat e large , transpor t categor y aircraf t i n passenger-carryin g operation s unles s approve d airborn e weathe rrada requipmen t i s installe d i n th e aircraft . Althoug h ou rSikorsky S-61 N helicopte ri s considere d a larg e transpor t category aircraft , w e ar e limitin g th e numbe ro f seat s i n th e helicopte rt o 9 seats . I n accordanc e wit h 1 4 CF R 135.411 , w e wil l maintai n ou rhelicopte runde rpart s 9 1 an d 4 3 o f 1 4 CF R an d §§135.415 , 135.416 , 135.417 , 135.42 1 an d 135.422 . Ou rS-61 N helicopte rwil l hav e a n equivalen t o r greate rleve l o f safet y tha n othe rhelicopter s limite d t o 9 o rles s passengers , a s the y ar e exemp t fro m th e requirement s o f 135.17 5 sinc e the y ar e no t "larg e transpor t categor y aircraft" . 1 4 CF R § 135.17 3 exempt s helicopter s operatin g unde rvisua l meteorologica l condition s fro m th e requiremen t t o hav e eithe rapprove d thunderstor m detectio n equipmen t o rapprove d airborn e weathe rrada requipment . Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . recognize s 135.17 3 doe s no t appl y t o transpor t category helicopters . However , th e Sikorsk y S61 N operate d b y Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . ha s a n installe d an d operatin g satellit e weathe rreceive rcapabl e o f hig h resolutio n NEXRAD , clou d ech o top s an d lightin g strike s display s i n additio n t o Metars , TAFs , etc . Wit h th e capabilit y o f thi s equipment , a n equivalen t o rgreate rleve l o f safet y wil l b e achieve d tha n fo rnon-transpor t categor y helicopter s carryin g 9 o rles s passenger s whe n operate d unde rvisua l meteorologica l conditions .

Rev . 2 , Re f 07RadarWaivert)72Sdo c Sl3-Oct-O9@12.54 : P g 1 o f 2A

! • , 

### Pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R § 11.87 , Constructio n Helicopters , Inc . request s th e FA A t o waiv e th e requiremen t fo rpublicatio n o f thi s petitio n i n th e Federa l Register . Th e grantin g o f thi s exemptio n doe s not se t a precedent . I t i s ou runderstandin g that exemption s t o 135.175(a ) hav e bee n grante d t o othe rcertificat e holder s wh o have les s weathe rdetectio n an d avoidanc e capabilit y tha n ou rcapabilitie s indicate d above . (Referenc e Exemptio n #3487 , #525 4 an d #8712 ) I f yo u hav

e an y question s concernin g thi s petition , pleas e d o not hesitat e t o contac t m e at th e addres s below . Sincerely , Jame s W . Harri s Constructio n Helicopters , In c jharris@ConstructionHelicopters.co m

Re v 2 , Re f

07RadarWaiver0726.do c Sl3-Oct-09 @ 12:54 , P g 2 o f 2