AFS-16-13876-E 

November 8, 2016 

 Exemption No. 17140 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2002-11655 

Mr. Robert Curt Kelsey 

IHC Health Services, Inc. d.b.a. Intermountain Life Flight 

250 North 2370 West 

Salt Lake City, UT 84116 

Dear Mr. Kelsey: 

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 August 9, 2016, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of IHC Health Services, Inc. d.b.a. Intermountain Life Flight (ILF) for an exemption 

from § 133.45(e)(1) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to the extent 

necessary to allow ILF to conduct Class D rotorcraft-load combination rescue operations with 

the Agusta A109K2 and AgustaWestland AW109SP rotorcraft, certificated for Category A 

operations, in the normal category under part 27. 

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. 7118, as amended (copy 

enclosed), the FAA found that an exemption was appropriate to allow IHC Health Services, 

Inc. d.b.a. Intermountain Life Flight to safety conduct rotorcraft rescue operations, provided 

that conditions and limitations were followed. 

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. 7118, as amended; 

 The reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 7118, as 

amended, also apply to the situation you present; and 
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 For the reasons stated in Grant of Exemption No. 7118, as amended, a grant of exemption 

is in the public interest. 

Our Decision 

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 ILF. 

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 IHC Health Services, Inc. d.b.a. 

Intermountain Life Flight (ILF) an exemption from 14 CFR § 133.45(e)(1) to the extent 

necessary to allow ILF to conduct Class D rotorcraft-load combination rescue operations with 

the Agusta A109K2 and AgustaWestland AW109SP rotorcraft, certificated for Category A 

operations, in the normal category under part 27, subject to the conditions and limitations 

described below. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. ILF will conduct training for pilots and crewmembers in accordance with a Class D 

external load training program accepted by the Administrator before commencing the 

conduct of Class D rotorcraft load combination operations. The training program will 

include initial and recurrent training for pilots and other crewmembers, in accordance 

with § 133.37. 

2. ILF must submit a request to the certificate-holding district office (CHDO) for an 

amendment to its Class D authorization and training program to allow the conduct of 

Class D external load rescue operations with these additional limitations. 

3. The rotorcraft used in such rescue operations (Agusta A109K2 and AgustaWestland 

AW109SP) must be equipped with Arriel 1K1 turbine engines or Pratt & Whitney 

207C turbine engines, respectively. 

4. The pilot in command (PIC) for such rescue operations must have a minimum total of 

25 hours of flight time as PIC in the Agusta A109K2 or AgustaWestland AW109SP 

(or any combination thereof) with 10 hours of flight time as PIC in the make and 

model to be flown. Additionally, each PIC must have successfully conducted a total 

of 20 separate rescue hoist operations (either simulated or actual) in the A109K2 or 

AW109SP (or any combination thereof), with 10 separate rescue hoist operations 

(either simulated or actual) in the make and model to be flown. Each of these hoist 

operations shall be conducted at an altitude that requires the aircraft to hover out of 

ground effect. Each hoist operation shall encompass the following elements: 

a. Approach to the pickup site; 
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b. Establishment of a hover out of ground effect; 

c. Establishment of a hoist lift where the rescue target is hoisted from the surface 

and is retrieved to a position next to the aircraft; 

d. Repositioning flight to the nearest suitable landing one to land the rotorcraft 

and load the rescue target in the rotorcraft; and 

e. Departure from the landing zone. 

5. This exemption is not valid for operations conducted below 2,500 feet mean sea level. 

6. This exemption is not valid only for rescue operations undertaken to reduce or 

eliminate a significant imminent threat to human health or life and when no other civil 

aircraft is reasonably available that meets the requirements of § 133.45(e): 

a. In evaluating whether a threat is “significant and imminent,” ILF, in 

consultation with appropriate and qualified rescue or medical personnel, must 

reasonably determine that a threat of serious injury or death is present; and 

b. In evaluating whether any other civil aircraft is “reasonably available,” ILF 

must determine that, at the time of the rescue operation, no other civil aircraft 

meeting the requirements of § 133.45(e) is available and capable of responding 

to the threat in a timely manner. 

7. Prior to any flight conducted under this exemption, ILF must conduct and document a 

risk assessment to determine that the operation can be safely conducted. A copy of 

each completed risk assessment must be retained for 2 years and made available on 

request to the CHDO. 

8. ILF, in consultation with the appropriate rescue or medical personnel, must reasonably 

determine that an external load hoist operation is necessary to respond to the threat in 

that the rotorcraft external load hoist operation offers the best opportunity to reduce or 

eliminate the threat to human health or life. 

9. Transport of passengers rescued under this exemption must be conducted in 

accordance with the requirements of ILF’s 135 Air Carrier Certificate (Certificate No. 

I7LA073J) and Operations Specification paragraph A021. 

10. ILF must provide the FAA with current information on the status of its helicopter 

replacement project. This information must include an expected timeline for fleet 

replacement. This information must be provided to the CHDO on a yearly basis. 
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11. This exemption is not valid for operations outside of the United States. 

This exemption terminates on November 30, 2018, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

John Barbagallo 

Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service 

Enclosure 

Exemption No. 7118