BEFOR ETH E FEDERA LAVIATIO N ADMINISTRATION "

OFFIC EO FHEARING S WASHINGTON , D.C . v-» *

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I NTH EMATTE RO F CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . FA A Docke t No . CPlOSWOOl l FA A Cas e No . 2009SW27005 8 DM S No . FAA-2010-097 8 Judg e Richar dC . Goodwi n

ANSWE RO F CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . n o po o

—cr i Pursuan t

t o Rul e 20 9 o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s (1 4 C.F.R . Par t

13 , Subpar t

G) , Continenta l Airlines , Inc . ("Continental " o r "Respondent") , b y th e undersigned , files thi s Answe r t o th e Complain t

o f th e Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio n("FAA" ) i nth e above-captione dcas e tha t wa s serve db y certifie dmai l o nOctobe r 13 , 2010 , an dstate s a s follows : Admission s an dDenial s 1 . Th e procedura l histor y recite di nComplain t sectio nidentifie da s I i s ADMITTED . 2 . Th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 ar e ADMITTED .Answe r o f Continenta l AirHnes , Inc . Pag e 2 3 . Th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 2 quot e firom Continental' s aircraft

maintenanc e log , whic hspeak s fo r itsel f an di s th e bes t

evidenc e o f it s contents . Continenta l i s withou t svifficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e remainin g allegation s o f Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s I I 2 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 4 . Th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 3 constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio no f th e aircraft

maintenanc e lo g reference di ntha t paragraph , whic hspeak s fo r

itsel f an dth e bes t

evidenc e o f

it s contents . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e remainin g allegation s i n Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s I I 3 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t discover y i n thi s matte r

i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A CivU Penalt y Action s an d th e Procedura l Order . 5 . Th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 4 ar e ADMITTED . 6 . Th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 5 constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio nof , an dquot e from , aWor k Card , whic hspeak s fo r itsel f an di s th e bes t evidenc e o f

it s contents . 7 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 6 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order .Answe r o f Continenta l Airlines , Inc . Pag e 3 8 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 7 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 9 . Th e allegation s o f Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s I I 8 constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio no f ME L22-04 , whic hspeak s fo r itsel f an di s th e bes t

evidenc e o f it s contents . 10 . Continenta l ha s insufficien t knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i nComplain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 9 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 11 . Th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s IIl O constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio no f Continental' s operation s specifications , whic hspea k fo r themselve s an dar e th e bes t evidenc e o f

thei r contents . 12 . Th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s II1 1 constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio no f Continental' s Genera l Maintenanc e Manua l an dCAMP , whic hspea k

fo r themselve s an dar e th e bes t evidenc e o f

thei r contents . 13 . Th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s II1 2 constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio no f Continental' s maintenanc e progra man doperation s specifications , whic hspea k fo r themselve s an dar e th e bes t evidenc e o f

thei r contents . 14 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 3 an dintend s t o conduc tAnswe r o f Continenta l AirHnes , Inc . Pag e 4 discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 15 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s II1 4 an dintend s t o conduc t discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 16 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 5 an dintend s t o conduc t discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s of Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 17 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s o f

Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 6 an dintend s t o conduc t discover y i nthi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 18 . Continenta l DENIE S tha t i t violate dth e regulation s i nparagraph s a- c followin g Complain t

paragrap hidentifie da s II16 , pendin g discover y i nthi s matter . Answerin g further . Continenta l state s tha t th e regulation s cite di nthos e paragraph s spea k fo r themselve s an dar e th e bes t evidenc e of

thei r contents . 19 . Continenta l ADMIT S tha t th e maximu mpenalt y pe r violatio nunde r

th e regulation(s ) cite di nparagrap hII I 1 o f th e Complain t

i s $25,000 , bu t

Continenta l DENIE S tha t

i t violate dth e regulation(s ) cite di nth e Complaint , pendin g discover y i n thi s matter , o r

i s otherwis e subjec t

t o acivi l penalt y i nthi s case .Answe r o f Continenta l Airlines , Inc . Pag e 5 20 . Continenta l DENIE S an y allegatio ni nth e Complain t no t specificall y addresse di nthi s Answer . Affirmativ e Defense s 1 . Fo r it s first affirmativ e defense , Continenta l assert s tha t th e FA A ha s faile dt o stat e aclai mupo nwhic hrelie f ca nb e based . 2 . Fo r it s secon daffibrmativ e defense . Continenta l assert s tha t th e propose d civi l penalt y i s excessive , no t appropriat e an dunwarrante dunde r th e circumstance s presented . Rehe f Requeste d Continenta l respectfull y request s tha t th e Complain t

b e dismisse dwit h prejudice . Plac e o f Hearin g Continenta l request s tha t th e hearin g i nthi s matte r b e hel di nHouston , Texas , whic hi s th e corporat e headquarter s fo r Responden t

an dth e plac e fro mwhic hmos t Continenta l witnesse s wi U Hkel y b e calle dt o testify . Duratio no f

Hearin g Continenta l expect s a t

thi s tim e tha t

th e hearin g wil l las t

thre e days , bu t

ma y tak e substantiall y longe r dependin g o nth e witnesse s t o testif y an dth e evidenc e t o b e presented .

### Answe r o f Continenta l Airlines , Inc . Pag e 6

Novembe r

16 , 201 0 DCrWDMS : 13752687_ 1 

### Respectfull y submitted , CONH5?JENTAL^RZ&ES , INC .

Thoma s Newto nBoilin g Managin g Attorney , RegulatorylAlfair sAnswe r o f Continenta l AirUnes , Inc . Pag e 7 CERTIFICAT EO FSERVIC E I certif y tha t o nthi s 16*^

^ da y o f Novembe r

2010, 1 cause datru e cop y o f th e foregoin g Answe r

t o b e served : b y U.S . certifie dmai l (origina l an don e copy) , retur nreceip t requested , to : Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W100 0

an db y U.S . certifie dmai l (on e copy) , retur nreceip t requested , to : Ti mDuff

, Complainant' s Counse l Attorney , Offic e o f

Regiona l Counsel , ASW- 7 Southwes t

Regio n Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio n 260 1 Meacha mBoulevar d For t Worth , T X 76193-000 7 Th e Honorabl e Richar dC . Goodwin , Administrativ e La w Judg e U.S . Departmen t

of Transportatio n Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Eas t Building , Groun dFloor , Roo mE12-32 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 

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