AFS-12-060-E 

November 21, 2011 

 Exemption No. 4504K 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2002-14012 

Captain G.A. McWherter 

U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron 

The Blue Angels 

390 San Carlos Road, Suite A 

Pensacola, FL 32508 

Dear Captain McWherter: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption 

No. 4504, as amended. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists 

the conditions and limitations. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated October 19, 2011, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of the Blue Angels, U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels), for 

an extension of Exemption No. 4504, as amended. That exemption from §§ 91.117(a) and 

(b), 91.119(c), and 91.303(c), (d), and (e) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 

allows the Blue Angels to conduct demonstration rehearsals involving low-level, high-speed, 

and aerobatic flight, subject to certain conditions and limitations. 

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons 

relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption. 

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

in the Federal Register because the requested extension of the exemption would not set a 

precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to the Blue Angels. 
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Our Decision 

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 4504, as 

amended, remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. 

Therefore, under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA 

Administrator has delegated to me, I grant your petition, subject to the following conditions 

and limitations. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. Operations under this exemption may be conducted only in Class C and Class D 

airspace at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida; NAS Choctaw, Florida; and 

Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, California, below 10,000 feet mean sea level. 

2. Operations in the NAS Pensacola, Florida, Class C airspace must be conducted in 

accordance with a notification procedure with the operators of Ferguson Airport. As a 

minimum, the Blue Angels must provide Ferguson Airport operators with the 

following information: 

a. A schedule of the Blue Angels’ planned rehearsal sessions; and 

b. The planned locations and flightpaths of rehearsal operations. This 

information shall be in a form that facilitates the recognition of flightpaths and 

alternatives to flight into such locations. 

3. The areas and flightpaths in the NAS Pensacola Class C airspace that are used 

frequently by pilots operating to and from the Ferguson Airport must be avoided when 

conducting operations under the terms of this exemption. 

4. Information required by Condition No. 2 of this exemption must be provided within a 

sufficient period of time, in advance of the beginning of an actual demonstration 

rehearsal operation, so that users of Ferguson Airport may avoid locations and 

 flightpaths of the operations conducted under the terms of this exemption. 

5. Operations in the NAF El Centro, California, Class D airspace must be conducted 

under a notification procedure with the operators of Imperial Airport. As a minimum, 

the operators of Imperial Airport must be provided with the following information: 

a. A schedule of the Blue Angels’ planned rehearsal sessions; and 

b. The planned locations and flightpaths of rehearsal operations. This 

information shall be in a form that facilitates the recognition of flightpaths and 

alternatives to flight into such locations. 

6. The areas and flightpaths in the NAF El Centro Class D airspace used frequently by 

pilots operating to and from the Imperial Airport must be avoided while conducting 

operations under the terms of this exemption. 
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7. Information required by Condition No. 5 of this exemption must be provided within a 

sufficient period of time, in advance of the beginning of an actual demonstration 

rehearsal operation, so that users of Imperial Airport may avoid locations and 

 flightpaths of the operations conducted under the terms of this exemption. 

8. During operations in the NAF El Centro location, the NAF El Centro Tower must 

monitor the Imperial Airport UNICOM frequency and advise the Blue Angels of any 

aircraft approaching Imperial Airport. In the event that an aircraft approaching 

Imperial Airport is within the NAF El Centro Class D airspace and is not within the 

Imperial Airport traffic pattern, the Blue Angels must halt its demonstration rehearsal 

until such traffic has cleared. 

9. During operations in the NAF El Centro location, the Blue Angels must remain at or 

above 1,500 feet above ground level when within 1.5 nautical miles of the Imperial 

Airport boundary. 

10. Demonstration rehearsal operations may be conducted only during the day, under 

visual flight rules, when the reported visibility is at least 3 statute miles and the 

reported ceiling is at least 1,000 feet above the surface and 500 feet above the 

maximum altitude of any planned maneuver. 

11. Operations conducted under this exemption may not be conducted at indicated 

airspeeds in excess of 600 knots for maneuvering flight and 300 knots when flying 

 en route. 

12. Demonstration rehearsal operations may be conducted after advance coordination has 

been accomplished with the Birmingham, Alabama, or San Diego, California, Flight 

Standards District Office (FSDO), as applicable, and with appropriate FAA air traffic 

officials. A letter of agreement with the affected FAA officials, FAA air traffic 

control, and FSDO representatives constituted advance coordination. The team must 

notify the appropriate FAA Flight Service Station (FSS) of the date, time, place, areas, 

altitudes, nature of the activity, and duration of the operation and request that a notice 

to airmen be issued. Such notice must be accomplished by providing the controlling 

FSS with a copy of this exemption at least 48 hours before the first scheduled event 

and no more than 72 hours before the event. 

13. Operations conducted under the terms of this exemption must not be— 

a. Directed toward any person observing the demonstration rehearsal activity; 

b. Conducted at a distance less than 1,500 feet from any person when conducting 

aerobatic maneuvers; or 

c. Conducted at a distance less than 500 feet horizontally from any person when 

conducting nonaerobatic flight operations. 
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14. “Person,” as used in Condition No. 13, does not refer to persons who are members of 

the U.S. military service working under the direct supervision of the U.S. Navy in 

connection with operations conducted under this exemption. 

15. Operations must be halted for any reason that is in the interest of safety. Operations 

also must be halted when unauthorized persons, vehicles, or aircraft enter the 

operations area and are not associated with the U.S. military service working under the 

direct supervision of the U.S. Navy in connection with the exempted operation. 

16. A control point must be established where the exemption holder or its representative 

must coordinate the demonstration. The control point must be continuously available 

to FAA personnel upon request. 

17. This exemption is not valid for any flight demonstration by the Blue Angels at any 

public aviation event that would otherwise require a Certificate of Waiver granting 

relief from any pertinent section of 14 CFR. 

The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 4504, as amended, to 

March 31, 2015, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Raymond Towles 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service