### Request to Use CA**RES for Larger/Older Persons**

I am writing to request an exemption from 14 CFR § 121.311(b) to the extent required for Carrissa Anne Price to be able to use an FAA Approved Child Restraint System even though **she** exceeds the weight limits for the CRS. In addition, if my petition is granted, I request that any air carrier or commercial operator operating under part 121 while Carrissa Anne Price is aboard its aircraft is granted an exemption from 14 CFR § 121.311(b) (2)(iii)(B) to the extent necessary to allow Carrissa Anne Price to exceed the specified weight limit for an FAA

approved child restraint system during use of that child restraint system aboard an aircraft.

I believe the pertinent section from 14 CFR part 121 from which we seek relief is Section 121.311 Seats, safety belts, and shoulder harnesses.

My **daughter's** physical condition is as follows Carrissa is a 17 year old quadruple amputee due to meningococcemia at age three. Her residual lower limbs are too short for her to be safely restrained in a lap belt only, it is therefore necessary for her to use the Cares harness system to fly safely. . As a result of **her** physical condition, **she** needs the support and security provided by an FAA Approved Child Restrai nt, but because of **her** weight is incapable of compliance with the regulation.

I understand that the regulation is written to create a high level of safety for each individual passenger by ensuring that they are securely restrained in their seats during al l phases of flight. The regulation also ensures that an individual does not cause harm to other passengers on the airplane by being thrown into them during turbulent or emergency conditions.

I propose that Carrissa Anne Price be allowed to occupy an FAA A pproved Child Restraint (CARES, manufactured by AmSafe Corporation), even though **she** exceeds the manufacturer’s

we ight limits. This ensures a high level of safety for Carrissa Anne Price and a high level of safety for the other passengers and crew on the a irplane. In fact, in Carrissa Anne Price **'s** case, safety is greatly enhanced by the extra support and security that the FAA Approved Restraint System will provide during the entire flight.

Enhancing safety for Carrissa Anne Price is in the public interest. In addition, the public interest is also served by the fact that the use of this FAA Approved Child Restraint System allows **her** to use commercial air transportation. Wi thout the support and security of the FAA Approved Child Restraint System, **she** would be unable to fly 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 safety to that provided by the affected regulation. The CARES restraint has been certified b y 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 quickly in an accident scenario and this might cause a higher HIC load for the person seated in the seat behind the passenger using the CARES restraint (because the seatback moving forward more quickly would mean that it would not be there to attenuate the energy from the impact of the person seated behind the person using the CARES restraint).
In order to achieve an equivalent level of safety as that provided by the affected regulation, I propose that the FAA establish a limitation in a grant to this petition that Carrissa Anne Price only sits in a passenger seat with no passenger seated behin d her. Therefore, no unsafe condition would exist for a passenger seated behind Carrissa Anne Price while **she** is using the CARES restraint. I also propose that all operations under this exemption be conducted with at least one of Carrissa Anne Price parents or a caregiver accompanying him or her. In addition, I propose that Carrissa Anne Price parent or caregiver must carry a copy of this exemption.

I also request that the processing of this petition not be delayed for publication and comment in the Federa l Register. Wewant to travel **on April 3,2012 and return on April 13,2012** . 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 F ederal 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

we ight limits for the CRS. Due to physical challenges, without the support and security of this FAA Approved Child Restraint System, this child would be unable to fly. W e request that this child be allowed to occupy an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES, manufactured by AM SAFE INC. ), even though **she** exceeds the manufacturer’s weight limits of 44 pounds. In this case, the safety of this child is greatly enhanced by the extra support and security that the FAA Approved Restraint System will provide for **her** during the flight.