Patricia C. Hooke 7504 Maple Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815 (301)951

- 0929 March 3, 2014
U.S. Department of Transportation **Federal Aviation Administration Safety Regulations**  800 Independence Avenue, SW **Washington** , **DC** 20591 **Request to Use CARES Child Restraint System for Larger/Older Persons** 
I am writing to request an exemption from 14 CFR § 121.311(b) to the extent required for Gregory F. Hooke to be able to use an FAA Approved Chil d Restraint Sy stem even though **he** exceeds the weight limits for the CR S. In addition, if my petition is granted, I request that an y air carrier or commercial operator operating under part 121 while Gregory F. Hooke is aboard its aircraft is granted an exemption from 14 CFR § 121.311(b)(2)(iii)(B) to the extent necessary to a llow Gregory

F. Hooke to exceed the specified weight limit for an FAA

- approved child restraint s ys tem during use of that child restraint s ys tem aboard an aircraft. I believe the pertinent section from 14 CFR part 121 from which we seek relief is Section 12 1.311 Seats, safet y belts, and shoulder harnesses. My **son** is 15 y ear’s old, weighs 74 pounds, and is 4’10’’ inches tall. My **son** ’s ph ys ical condition is as follows : Quadriplegic /Cerebral Palsy . As a result of **his** physical condition, **he** needs the support an d security provided by

an FAA Approved C hild Restraint, but because of **his** weight is incapable of compliance with the regulation. **I am also submitting the following contact information:**  **Patricia C. Hooke ,**  **7504 Maple Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815**  **and email add ress**  **: pattyhooke@aol.com.** I understand that the regulation is written to create a high level of safety for each individual passenger b y ensuring that they are securely restrained in their seats during all phases of flight. The regulation also ensures that an individual does not cause harm to other passengers on the airplane b y being thrown into them during turbulent or emergency

conditions. I propose that Gregory

F. Hooke be allowed to occupy an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES, manufactured by AmSafe, Inc.), even though **he** exceeds the manufacturer’s weight limits. This ensures a high level of safet y for Gregory Hooke and a high level of safet y for the other passengers and crew on the airp lane. In fact, in Gregory’s case, safet yis greatly enhanced by

the extra support and security that the FAA Approved Restraint Sy stem will provide during the entire flight. Enhancing safety

for Gregory

F. Hooke is in the public interest. In addition, the public interest is also served b y the fact that the use of this FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem allows **him** to use commercial air transportation. Without the support and security of the FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem, **he** would be unable to fl y commercially.
I also believe that, with certain limitations established by the FAA in a grant to this petition, there can be an equivalent level of safet y to that provided by the affected regulation. The CARES restraint has been certified by the manufacturer for use by children 22

- 44 pounds. However, the components of the CARES restraint are the same as those used in restraints for adults on aircraft and would maintain their integrity if used by someone who weighed several hundred pounds. I believe that the limit of 44 pounds was established because, with the additional weight of the child attached to the seatback, the seatback would move forward more quickl y in an accident scenario and this might cause a higher HI C load for the person seated in the seat behind the passenger using the CARES restraint (because the seatback movin g forward more quickl y would mean that it would not be there to attenuate the energy from the impact of the person seated behind the person us ing the CARES restraint)

. I also propose that all operations under this exemption be conducted with at least one of Greg’s parents or a caregiver accompanying him or her. In addition, Ipropose that Greg’s parent or caregiver must carry a copy of this exemption.
I also request that the processing of this petition not be delay ed for publication and comment in the Fede ral Register. We want to travel April 12, 2014 through April 19, 2014 . If you take the time to put this in the Federal Register, it will delay the process and we may not be able to travel in this timeframe. If it is necessary

to put a summary

in the Federa l Register, I submit the following: This is a request for an exemption from FAR 121.311 (b) to the extent required for a child to use an FAA Approved Child Restraint System on an aircraft, even though the child exceeds the weight limits for the CRS. Due to phy sical challenges, without the support and securit y of this FAA Approved Child Restraint Sy stem, this child would be unable to fly . We request that this child be allowed to occupy an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES, manufactured by AmSafe, Inc.), ev en though **he** exceeds the manufacturer’s weight limits of 44 pounds. In this case, the safet y of this child is greatl y enhanced b y the extra support and security that the FAA Approved Res traint Sy stem will provide for **him** during the flight. Thank you for yo ur consideration of this request.