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; and2

 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 certifi cate-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;3

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.4

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