AFS-16-2-E 

January 12, 2016 

 Exemption No. 14380 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2015-4654 

Mr. Gregory Morris 

Owner 

Omega Warbirds LLC dba Gauntlet Warbirds 

719 W. Evergreen Avenue 

Chicago, IL 60610 

Dear Mr. Morris: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. 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 October 21, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of Omega Warbirds LLC dba Gauntlet Warbirds (Gauntlet Warbirds) for an 

exemption from § 91.315 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to the extent 

necessary to allow Gauntlet Warbirds to provide initial and recurrent training flights in its 

Grumman TBM/TBF Avenger airplane certificated as a limited category civil aircraft. 

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

in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any 

delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Gauntlet Warbirds. 

The FAA has issued a grant of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to 

those presented in your petition. In Grant of Exemption No. 12558 (copy enclosed), the FAA 

found that it is becoming increasingly difficult to provide initial and recurrent training in 

older, high performance aircraft. The FAA concluded that an equivalent level of safety could 

be met by the petitioner’s use of approved flight and maintenance manuals, as well as 

following the conditions and limitations stated in this exemption. 
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Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that— 

 they are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in the enclosed Grant 

of Exemption No. 12558; 

 the reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 12558 

also apply to the situation you present; and 

 a grant of exemption is in the public interest. 

Our Decision 

Under the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA 

Administrator has delegated to me, I hereby grant Omega Warbirds LLC dba Gauntlet 

Warbirds an exemption from 14 CFR § 91.315 to the extent necessary to allow Gauntlet 

Warbirds to provide initial and recurrent training flights in its Grumman TBM/TBF Avenger 

airplane certificated as a limited category civil aircraft, subject to the conditions and 

limitations described below. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. This exemption applies only to the Grumman TBM/TBF Avenger aircraft. The 

aircraft, when used for flight instruction under this exemption, must be in the 

operational control of Gauntlet Warbirds. 

2. The privileges of this exemption are limited to flight training intended for the 

purpose of recurrent pilot training, proficiency, or training for an FAA certificate, 

rating, or authorization. 

3. Persons receiving flight training under this exemption must hold at least a private 

pilot certificate with applicable category and class ratings. 

4. The privileges of this exemption may only be exercised under the auspices of a 

training manual that identifies specific syllabi for all ground and flight training 

activities conducted. The exemption holder must provide all students with a copy 

of the appropriate syllabus prior to conducting training. The training manual must 

also contain the following information: 

a. A syllabus of each training activity under this exemption. 

b. A description of operational limitations for each aircraft used for flight training 

under this exemption. 

c. A requirement that pilots receiving instruction under this exemption must log 

the flight time in a pilot logbook or training record. Each entry must cite the 

appropriate Gauntlet Warbirds syllabus and lesson taught during that flight. 

d. The training manual must identify the name and contact information for the 

individual acting as chief instructor for Gauntlet Warbirds operations under 
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this exemption. The individual named as chief instructor must meet all the 

following qualifications: 

i. Hold a commercial pilot certificate or airline transport pilot certificate 

with instrument, category, and class, ratings for all aircraft operated 

under this exemption. 

ii. Hold a flight instructor certificate with appropriate category and class 

ratings. 

5. Before Gauntlet Warbirds may exercise the privileges of this exemption, it must 

provide the following documents to the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) 

with geographic responsibility for the principal airport where flight training will 

be conducted, and must be provided to any representative of the FAA 

Administrator upon request: 

a. A copy of the current exemption; 

b. A copy of the most current Gauntlet Warbirds training manual; and 

c. The qualifications of each instructor conducting training under the terms of the 

exemption. 

6. Gauntlet Warbirds must continue to maintain its TBM/TBF Avenger aircraft in an 

airworthy condition in accordance with the: 

a. Maintenance requirements specified in the TBM/TBF Avenger aircraft type 

specification sheet, as amended; 

b. FAA-approved maintenance inspection program that meets the requirements of 

§§ 91.409(a) and (b); and 

c. Appropriate military technical manuals for the TBM/TBF Avenger aircraft. 

7. The person providing instruction in the TBM/TBF Avenger must: 

a. Hold at least a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land 

rating and flight instructor certificate (CFI) with airplane single-engine rating; 

and 

b. Have at least a total of 1,500 hours of aeronautical flight experience, including 

25 hours as pilot-in-command in the aircraft make and model; 25 takeoffs and 

25 landings in any variant of TBM/TBF Avenger; and have accomplished 

within the previous 90 days, three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop in 

any variant of TBM/TBF Avenger airplane. 

8. Gauntlet Warbirds must inform anyone receiving flight instruction under this 

exemption that its aircraft hold a limited airworthiness certificate, explain the 

significance of the airworthiness certificate as compared to a standard 
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airworthiness certificate, and that the FAA has authorized this flight under a grant 

of exemption from the requirements of § 91.315. The explanation of the 

significance of a limited airworthiness certificate compared to a standard 

airworthiness certificate must include at least the following information: 

a. The FAA has not established nor has it approved limited category 

airworthiness certificated aircraft manufacturing standards. In contrast, 

standard category airworthiness certificated aircraft are manufactured to FAAapproved standards, including standards addressing the design of the aircraft 

and life-limited parts; 

b. Limited category airworthiness certificated aircraft are issued when the FAA 

finds the aircraft— 

i. Has been previously issued a limited category type certificate and the 

aircraft conforms to that type certificate; and 

ii. To be in a good state of preservation and repair and is in a safe 

operating condition. 

c. Standard category airworthiness certificates are issued for an aircraft when the 

FAA finds the— 

i. Aircraft has been built and maintained in accordance with that 

aircraft’s type certification standards as established by the FAA; and 

ii. Aircraft’s inspection and maintenance requirements are in compliance 

with the applicable Federal Aviation Regulations. 

9. Gauntlet Warbirds must notify the jurisdictional FSDO by written report, 

electronic mail, or facsimile, of any of the following occurrences within 24 hours. 

For the purpose of this section, “during flight” or “in-flight” means the period 

from the moment the aircraft leaves the surface of the earth on takeoff until it 

touches down on landing. 

a. Any of the following in-flight occurrences: 

i. Each in-flight fire in any system or area that requires activation of any 

fire suppression system or discharge of a portable fire extinguisher; 

ii. Each aircraft component or system that causes, during flight, 

accumulation or circulation of noxious fumes, smoke, or vapor in any 

portion of the cabin or crew area; 

iii. Each occurrence of in-flight engine shutdown or propeller feathering 

and the reason for such shutdown or feathering; 

iv. Any landing gear system or component failures or malfunctions which 

require use of emergency or standby extension systems; and 
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v. Each malfunction, failure, or defect in any system or component that 

requires taking emergency action of any type during the course of any 

flight. 

b. Any of the following in-flight and/or ground occurrences: 

i. Each exhaust system component failure, including the 

turbocharger/supercharger components, that causes damage to any 

engine, structure, cowling, or components; 

ii. Each failure of the propeller governing systems or feathering systems; 

and 

iii. Each failure or malfunction of the fuel system, tanks, pumps, or valves. 

c. Each failure or malfunction of the wheel brake system that causes any loss of 

brake control on the ground; and 

d. Each aircraft structure that requires major repair due to damage, deformation, 

or corrosion and the method of repair. 

10. All flight operations must be conducted with a minimum flight visibility of not 

less than three statute miles and a minimum ceiling of not less than 1,500 feet 

above ground level (AGL), unless the flight is conducted under instrument flight 

rules (IFR) or special visual flight rules (SVFR). 

11. No one other than the following persons may be permitted aboard the aircraft 

during flight operations: 

a. The person acting as flight instructor; and 

b. The person who possesses at least a private pilot certificate with appropriate 

single engine airplane category and class rating receiving flight instruction. 

12. All aircraft must have the equipment listed in §§ 91.205 (as applicable to the 

operation being conducted) and 91.207 and that equipment must be in an operable 

condition during the flight. 

13. Failure to comply with any of the conditions and limitations of this exemption will 

be grounds for the immediate suspension or revocation of this exemption. 

14. This exemption is not valid for operations outside the United States. 
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This exemption terminates on January 31, 2018, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

//s// 

John Barbagallo 

Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service 

Enclosure 

Exemption No. 12558 
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Project No.: AXX-xx-xxx-E 

Project Officer: _______________ 

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