AFS-12-386-E 

 

August 10, 2012 

 Exemption No. 9944A 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2002-12249 

Mr. Peter W. Gretsch 

Director of Operations 

Flight Inspection Services 

6500 South MacArthur Boulevard 

Oklahoma City, OK 73169 

Dear Mr. Gretsch: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend and amend 

Exemption No. 9944. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the 

revised conditions and limitations. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated May 9, 2012, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of Flight Inspection Services (FIS) for an extension of Exemption No. 9944. That 

exemption from § 61.3(a) and (c) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) allows 

FIS to issue facsimile pilot certificates and medical certificates to crewmembers whose 

certificates have been lost, destroyed, or misplaced. In your petition, you ask that we amend 

Exemption No. 9944 to reflect an organizational name change from “Aviation System 

Standards” to “Flight Inspection Services” (FIS). 

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons 

relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption. 

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition 

in the Federal Register because the requested extension of and amendment to the exemption 

would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to 

FIS. 
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Our Decision 

The FAA has amended some of the conditions and limitations to update the exemption to 

reflect new capabilities of FAA Airman Services. While the relief granted does not change 

substantially, it is important the petitioner review these changes. 

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 9944 

remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the 

authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has 

delegated to me, I grant your petition, subject to the following conditions and limitations. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. This exemption is issued for the purpose of preventing cancellation of FIS flights in 

situations where a pilot flight crewmember’s FAA pilot certificate, FAA medical 

certificate, or photo identification are valid but physically unavailable. The privileges 

of this exemption are intended for situations where pilots have no access to airman 

services at the www.faa.gov website for receiving via FAX or internet download 

FAA-issued documents containing temporary authority to exercise certificate 

privileges. 

2. This exemption allows FIS to develop and issue to a pilot flight crewmember a 

document confirming his or her FAA-issued pilot and medical certification and 

personal identification. The document issued by FIS must be in the pilot flight 

crewmember’s physical possession when exercising the privileges of the exemption 

and must contain the following information: 

a. The pilot flight crewmember’s certification information from his or her pilot 

and medical certificates. 

b. The exact text or a photocopy of this exemption. 

c. The FAA confirmation document must include the statements “Issued under 

the authority of Exemption No. 9944” and “Expires [insert date and time 

72 hours after issuance].” 

3. Each pilot flight crewmember who operates a flight under this exemption must: 

a. As soon as practicable, obtain from airman services at the www.faa.gov 

website a document containing temporary authority to exercise certificate 

privileges. 

b. If the pilot flight crewmemember’s FAA pilot and medical certificate are 

permanently lost or destroyed, the pilot flight crewmember must comply with 

the requirements of § 61.29 and ensure a request for replacement certificate is 

requested from the FAA within 72 hours of the initiation of any flight 
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conducted under this exemption. FIS is authorized to make this application to 

the FAA on behalf of the pilot flight crewmember.

c. The pilot flight crewmember must provide a copy of FAA-issued documents 

containing temporary authority to exercise certificate privileges to FIS within 

24 hours of the receipt of that document.

The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 9944 to October 31, 2014, unless 

sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Raymond Towles 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service