AFS-14-002-E

December 17, 2013

 Exemption No. 10444A

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2012-0030

Mr. Richard Litka

Director of Maintenance

Aero Contractors, Ltd.

3463 Swift Creek Road

Smithfield, NC 27577

Dear Mr. Litka:

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

No. 10444. It explains the basis for our decision and describes its effect.

The Basis for Our Decision

By docket submission on October 1, 2013, you petitioned the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) on behalf of Aero Contractors, Ltd. (Aero) for an extension of

Exemption No. 10444. That exemption from § 125.226(e) and (f) of Title 14, Code of 

Federal Regulations (14 CFR) allows Aero Contractors the continued operations of four 

CASA 235-300 series airplanes for 24 months from the date of this letter without complying 

with 14 CFR § 125.226(e) or (f), as applicable.

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 exemption would not set a precedent, and any 

delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Aero.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 10444

remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the 
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authority provided by 49 U.S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator 

has delegated to me, I grant Aero Contractors, Ltd. this exemption from 14 CFR § 125.226(e) 

and (f), as applicable, to operate the four CASA 235-300 series airplanes until they are 

retrofitted and evaluated to meet the requirements of that section, subject to the conditions and 

limitations listed below.

Conditions and Limitations:

1. This exemption applies only to the following airplanes:

Make Model Serial No.

CASA CN-235-300 C-135

CASA CN-235-300 C-139

CASA CN-235-300 C-143

CASA CN-235-300 C-145

2. This exemption applies only to the recordation of the parameters required by:

a. 14 CFR § 125.226(e) and listed in §§ 125.226(a)(24), (25), (29), (30), (31), (33), (36), 

(45), (46), (55), (56), by airplane with serial number C-135, and

b. 14 CFR § 125.226(f) and listed in §§ 125.226(a)(24), (25), (29), (30), (31), (33), (36), 

(45), (46), (55), (56), (60), (74), (75), (77), (78), (82), (83), (84), and (85) by airplanes 

with serial numbers C-139, C-143, and C-145.

3. Beginning March 4, 2012, Aero Contractors must submit to its PAI a monthly status 

report outlining its progress with the image recorder manufacturer in developing the 

modifications necessary to demonstrate compliance with 14 CFR §§ 125.226(e) and 

125.226(f), as applicable. If the operator is unable to procure the equipment required to 

modify the installed image recorder system within 9 months of the date this exemption is 

granted, it must submit as its next monthly report a firm plan for bringing the aircraft into 

compliance with §§ 125.226(e) or 125.226(f), as applicable.

4. Within one month of procuring the equipment required for the modifications required by 

item No. 3, the operator must submit to its PAI a firm schedule for accomplishing the final 

modifications of the image recorder system used to collect the parameters of flight data 

required by 14 CFR §§ 125.226(e) or 125.226(f), as applicable.

5. Within one month of accomplishing the final modifications of the image recorder system, 

the operator must submit to its PAI a firm schedule to evaluate the equivalency of the 

image data to the FDR requirements in part 125, Appendix E before the termination date 

of this exemption.
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6. No airplanes may be added to the list of affected airplanes listed in Condition No. 1, 

regardless of the date of acquisition. 

The Effect of Our Decision

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 10444, as amended, to 

January 31, 2015, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely,

/s/

John Barbagallo

Acting Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service