Maine477CongressSt.,Ste.M 1Portland,ME04101,·7'.MAI<._E·@_)YfSH.207-221-2306tel207-221-2028fox800-491-3171tollfreewww.maine.wish.orgBOARDOFDIRECTORlfebruary25.2015MichaelCelesteBoordChairRickCyrTreasurerStacyVarneyViceChairlisoAndersonlynnBakThomasCyrAdamDunbarBrionFournierPatrickGaetaniBethGoodrichGeofflocuessaSusanKoobMeredithleiterSusanMacMillanRebeccaMarrPaulMeservePhillipPoirierJenniferRichardColetteSabbagh,MDElizabethShisslerJonTardiffSTAFFThomasPeocoExecutiveDirectorKateVickeryProgramDirectorEileenChretienVolunteerDirectorToWhomitMayConcern:Iamwritingtorequestanexemptionfrom14CFR§121.311(b)totheextentrequiredforRichardHamOn,II("Ricky")tobeabletouseanFAAApprovedChildRestraintSystemeventhoughheexceedstheweightlimitsfortheCRS.IamwritingonbehalfofRicky,asIamtheProgramDiredorforMake-A-WishMaine,andwearegrantingawishtoRickywhichrequireshistransportoncommercialaircraftinordertomakehiswishcometrue.IamalsorequestingexpeditionofthisrequestasthefamilyIsscheduledtotravelMarch4-10.2015.Iapologizefortherushrequestbutwehavepulledthistogetherveryquicklyforthisfamilyandaretryingourbesttocoverallbaseswithregardstotheirtravelplans.Myformalrequestisasfollows:Iomwritingtorequestanexemptionfrom14CFR§121.311(b)totheextentrequiredforRichardHamOn,IItobeabletouseanFAAApprovedChildRestraintSystemeventhoughheexceedstheweightlimitsfortheCRS.Inaddition,ifmypetitionisgranted,Irequestthatanyaircarrierorcommercialoperatoroperatingunderpart121whileRichardHamlin.Ifisaboarditsaircraftisgrantedanexemptionfrom14CFR§121.311(b)(2)(iii)(B)totheextentnecessarytoallowRickytoexceedthespecifiedweightlimitforanFAA-approvedchildrestraintsystemduringuseofthatchildrestraintsystemaboardanaircraft.Ibelievethepertinentsectionfrom14CFRpart121fromwhichweseekreliefisSection121.311Seats.safetybelts.andshoulderharnesses.Rickyis12year'sold.weighs72pounds,andis54inchestaiLHisphysicalconditionisCerebralPalsy.Asaresultofhisphysicalcondition.heneedsthesupportandsecuriiyprovidedbyanFAAApprovedChildRestraint.butbecauseofhisweightisincapableSonyaPuringtonCommunicationsondMarketingDirectorofcompliancewiththeregulation.IamalsosubmHtingthefoUowingcontactinformationforRicky'smotherandprimarycaregiver,whowillbetraveHngwithhimatMeredithJonesDonorCoreManagerWhitneyMillerOfficeManageralltimes:TaraHamlin,105UnityRoad.Albion,ME04910andthamlin77@yahoo.com.Wegrantthewishesofchildrenwithlife-threateningmedicalconditionstoenrichthehumanexperiencewithhope,strengthandjoy.

## I understand

that the regulation

is written

to create

a high level
of safety
for each individual passenger

by ensuring
that they ere 

## securely restrained

in their seats during all phases

of flight. The regulation

also ensures that an individual does not cause harm to other passengers

on the arplane

by being thrown into them during h.xbulent

or emergency conditions

. I propose that Ricky be allowed

to occupy

an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES. manufactured

by AmSafe. Inc.}. even though

he exceeds

the manufacturer's
weight limits. This ensures

a high level

of safety
for Ricky and

a high level
of safety
for the other passengers

and crew on the aiplane

. In fact.

in Ricky's case. safety

is greatty enhanced

by the extra support and security that the FAA Approved Restraint System will provide during the entire flight. Enhancing safety
for Ricky

is in the public interest

. In addition.

the public interest

is also served

by the fact that the use of this FAA Approved Child Restraint System allows him to use commercial

air transportation. Without

the support and security

of the FAA Approved
Child Restraint System.

he would

be unable

to fly commercially. I also believe that. with certain limitations established

by the FAA
in a grant

to this petition. there can be an equivalent
level
of safety

to that provided

by the affected regulation

. The CARES restraint
has been certified

by the manufacturer

for use by children

22- 44 pounds

. However.

the components

of the CARES restraint

ere 

## the same as those used

in restraints

for adults

on aircraft and would maintain their integrity

if used by someone
who weighed several hundred pounds. I believe that the fimit of 44 pounds was established because.
with the additional weight

of the child attached

to the seotback.

the seatback would move forward more quickly

in an accident scenc:rio
and this might cause

a hig-ter HIC load for the person seated

in the seat behind
the passenger
using the CARES restraint (because

the seatback moving forwad more quicldy would mean that

it would not be there

to attenuate

the energy from the impact

of the person seated behind
the person using the CARES restraint}. In order

to achieve

on equivalent
level
of safety

as that provided

by the affected regulation.

I propose
that all operations under this exemption

be conducted

with atleast one of Ricky's parents

or
a caregiver accompanying

him.

In addition.

I propose that Ricky's parent

or caregiver
must cary

a copy

of this exemption. I also request that the processing

of this petition
not be delayed

for publication

and comment

in the Federal Register.

We are ganfing Ricky's special wish
to travel

to Walt Disney World, March 4-10, 2015.

If you take the time
to put this

in the Federal Register,

it will delay the process and we may not be able
to travel

in this timeframe. If it is necessary

to put

a summary

in the Federal Register.

I submit the following: This

is a request

for an exemption

from FAR 121.311

(b) to the extent required

for

a child to use an FAA Approved Child Restraint System

on an aircraft. even though
the child exceeds

the weight limits for the CRS. Due
to physical challenges, without
the support and security

of this FAA Approved
Child Restraint System.

this child would

be unable

to fly. We request that this child be allowed

to occupy

an FAA Approved Child Restraint (CARES. manufactured

by AmSafe.lnc.).

even though

he exceeds



### the manufacturer's weight limits
of 44 pounds.

In this case. the safety

of this child

is greatly enhanced

by the extra support and security that the FAA Approved Restraint System

will provide

for him during the flight. Thank you for your consideration

of this request. 

# s~ Kale 

# Vickery~ Program Director Make-A-Wish
Maine kv1ckerv maine.w1sh.org 207-221-2306 

### Wish Child: Richard "Ricky" Hamlin,

II Parent:

Tara Hamlin Phone: 207-314-Q

136 

### Address:

105 Unity Road. Albion.

ME 04910