AFS-16-4359-E 

March 24, 2016 

 Exemption No. 5891J 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2001-9618 

Major Andrew B. Krebs 

Department of the Air Force 

HQ AFFSA/XOF 

6500 South MacArthur Blvd Bldg 4 

Oklahoma City, OK 73169-6918 

Dear Major Krebs: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption No. 5891, 

as amended. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and 

limitations of the exemption, including the date it ends. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated November 4, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of the Department of the Air Force (USAF) for an extension of Exemption 

No. 5891, as amended. That exemption from § 91.209(a) and (b) of Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR) allows the USAF to conduct helicopter night vision flight training 

operations without lighted aircraft position lights at or below 500 feet above ground level 

(AGL). 

In your petition, you requested that this exemption be extended for 3 years. The FAA finds 

that since this is a long standing exemption it will grant that request. 

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. 
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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 the exemption would not set a 

precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the USAF. 

Our Decision 

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 5891, as 

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

Therefore, under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the 

FAA Administrator has delegated to me, I grant the Department of the Air Foce (USAF) an 

exemption from 14 CFR § 91.209 (a) and (b) to conduct helicopter night vision flight training 

operations without lighted aircraft position lights at or below 500 feet above ground level 

(AGL), subject to the conditions and limitations listed below. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. This exemption is limited to night-vision flight training in USAF helicopters. 

2. Safety Observers. 

a. An airborne training operation: 

1) may be conducted in a flight of two or more helicopters with a 

dedicated observer on duty aboard each helicopter. The flight shall be 

conducted in such a manner as to enable the observers collectively to 

survey fully about the entire flight for nonparticipating aircraft; or 

2) shall be escorted by a properly lighted aircraft serving as an 

observation platform dedicated to surveillance for nonparticipating 

aircraft. 

b. Traffic notifications from the observer to the training flight shall be timely 

commensurate with the position and speed of the observed nonparticipating 

traffic. 

c. When nonparticipating traffic is relevant, the pilot of each training flight 

aircraft shall alter course, as appropriate, to remain well clear of such traffic 

until it is no longer a factor. 

3. Unlit airborne operations may not be conducted above 500 feet above the surface and 

must be contained within a prescribed and publicized area that: 

a. Is simply defined, e.g., the radius area of a point or location; 

b. Is established in an area of low traffic density; 
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c. Is not within 5 nautical miles of any public use airport; 

d. Does not affect any Class D airspace area; and 

e. Has been coordinated with the appropriate FAA regional Service Centers and 

Flight Standards Division offices. 

4. The petitioner shall advertise each approved training area to operators at all airports 

within 50 nautical miles of the area for 60 days preceding its initial use. 

5. Ground (airport/staging area) operations in noncompliance within § 91.209(b) may be 

conducted at locations where only the petitioner’s aircraft are involved and suitable 

alternative measures for collision avoidance are instituted. 

6. Each pilot who will conduct operations under this exemption must be thoroughly 

familiar with its provisions. 

The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 5891, as amended, to 

April 30, 2019 unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

//s// 

John Barbagallo 

Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service