### BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OFTRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of VOLGA-DNEPRJ.S. CARGOAIRLINE for an emergency exemption pursuant to 49

## u.s.c. § 40109(g) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) McChord AFB/Tacoma, W A - Eielson AFB, AK ) Eielson AFB, AK

- McChordAFB/Tacoma, W A )


# _______________________________) Docket OST-2010-



### APPLICATION OF VOLGA-DNEPRJ.S. CARGOAIRLINE FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION Communication with respect to this document should be addressed to: Alexey 

### I. Isaikin Chairman Volga-DneprJ.S. Cargo Airline 14 Karbysheva Street 1215 Ulyanovsk, Russia



### DATED: November 21,2011 Artem Tarasenko Operations Manager Volga Dnepr-UniqueAirCargo, Inc. 9400 Grogan's Mill Road, TownCenterPlaza, Suite 220, TheWoodlands, TXUSA (832) 585-8611

NOTICE: THIS APPLICATION IS FILED PURSUANTTOTHEEMERGENCY EXEMPTION PROCEDURES OF 14 C.F.R. 

### § 302.410, WHICHAUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENTTO ACT ON EMERGENCY EXEMPTIONS IMMEDIATELY. ANY PERSON INTERESTED IN FILING AN ANSWER IS REQUESTED TO DO SO INTHE ABOVE DOCKET IMMEDIATELY. COPIES OF THE SUBMISSION SHOULDBE SERVED ON THE PERSONS LISTED ABOVEAND ON THEATTACHED SERVICE LIST.

### BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C.

Application of VOLGA-DNEPR J.S. CARGOAIRLINE for an emergency exemption pursuant to 49

# u.s.c. § 40109(g) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) 

### ) McChordAFBffacoma, W A - Eielson AFB, AK ) EielsonAFB, AK- McChord AFBffacoma, W A ) 

# ____________________________) Docket OST-2010-



### APPLICATION OF VOLGA-DNEPRJ.S. CARGO AIRLINE FOR AN EMERGENCY EXEMPTION

Volga-DneprJ.S. Cargo Airline ("Volga-DneprAirlines" or "Volga-Dnepr") respectfully requests an emergency exemption from the provisions of49 U.S.C. §§ 40109(g) and 41703(c), and otheiWise applicable provisions ofthe Department ofTransportation ("DOT') regulations,
so as to permitVolga-Dneprto operate two (2) one-way all-cargo charterflights, utilizing VolgaDnepr's AN-124-100 aircraft, to transport outsize cargo from McChord AFBffacoma, W A to Eielson AFB, AK; and one (I) one-way all-cargo charter flight, utilizing Volga-Dnepr's AN124-100 aircraft, to transport outsize cargo from Eielson AFB, AK to McChord AFBffacoma, WA on oraboutNovember26, 2011 -November30, 2011, on behalfofU.S. TRANSCOM. Thecargo to be transported byVolga-Dnepr from McCbord AFBffacoma, AK to Eielson AFB, AK will consist often (10) UH-60 helicopters and associated equipment The cargo to be transported by Volga-Dnepr from Eielson AFB, AK to McChord AFB!facoma, AK will consistof three (3) UH-60 helicopters and associated equipment. Each helicopter's dimensions are L646" 

### xW-117" 

### x H-148" weighing approximately 14,500pounds. In support ofits application, Volga-Dnepr states as follows: 1. Volga-Dnepr is a foreign air carrier holding appropriate DOT authority to conduct allcargo charter foreign air transportation between a point or points in Russia and a point orpoints in the United States, and all-cargo charter transportation between the United Sates and third countriespursuantto 14 C.F.R. Part212. 2. Volga-Dneprwill opemte flights on behalfofU.S. TRANSCOM as part ofan effort to provide needed lift to complete the required equipment rotation as set forth above. The cargo
was originally planned to be transported by U.S. TRANSCOM on organic lift, however, due to the need to divert available organic lift to other areas, U.S. TRANSCOM is requiring this cargo to be transported by commercial aircmft. U.S. Carriers were solicited for movement of this cargo, however did not have the required availability, or required aircraft to meet the requested movement timeline outlined byU.S. TRANSCOM for transport ofthe cargo. 

### The military stands to face substantial delays in highly time sensitive opemtions if the mission is not completed within the set schedule, while only the use of Volga-Dnepr's aircraft can make 

### it possible to perfonn the service in question on time. 

### 3. Due to the nature of the cargo, as well as the urgency ofthe shipments, the military cannotuse alternative surface transportation to ship the systems and equipment. 4. Given the tight schedule associated with the missions, Volga-Dnepr must perform the operations not later than stated above. Volga-Dnepr is polling all U.S. certificated aircarriers on the attached service list and will inform the Department ofTransportation on the results ofthe poll. 5. Under 49 U.S.C. 

### § 40109(g), the Department may authorize a foreign air carrier to tmnsport commercial tmffic between U.S. points under limited circumstances. Specifically, the Department must find that the authority is required in the public interest; that because of an

### emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business the traffic cannot be accommodated by U.S. carriers holding certificates under 49 U.S.C. § 41102; that all possible efforts have been made to accommodate the traffic on U.S. certificated air carriers; and that the exemption is necessary to avoid unreasonable hardship for the traffic. This application is consistent with the public interest and meets all of the relevant criteria under 49 U.S.C. 

### §40109(g) for the grant ofan exemption. 6. Grant of this application is in the public interest. As is evidenced by the attached correspondence, timely shipment ofthe payloads is imperative to avoid substantial delay in U.S. TRANSCOM's operations. 

### 7. In this instance, an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course ofbusiness exists as a result ofthe diversion ofU.S. TRANSCOM's organic fleet to other emergency tasks related to ongoing operations worldwide, the exigent circumstances surrounding the lack ofavailability ofU.S. civil aircraft and the urgency ofthe shipment. As a result, the best way to resolve this emergency is for the AN-124-100 to transport the payload in question. 

### 8. As previously stated no U.S. carrier is available or has the aircraft to transport this cargo within the dates requested by U.S. TRANSCOM. Indeed, there is no viable transportation option by any commercially available means other than Volga-Dnepr's aircraft to meet desired timeline. 9. Grant ofthis exemption application is necessary to avoid unreasonablehardship for the traffic at issue. In fact, the shipper stands to sufferconsiderable disruption to its operations in the interest ofnational security and safety ifthe shipments are delayed. 10. Volga-Dnepr's fitness and ability to carry out the proposed transportation has been amply demonstrated through its conduct of numerous cargo charter operations world-wide, including traffic in and out ofthe United States, over the past several years - on behalfofthe U.S. TRANSCOM.

### 11. Grant ofthis application is consistent with Department precedent. Foreign aircarriers have been granted emergency exemption authority to carry cargo between U.S. points when an emergency existed as a result of unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business. See, e.g., Orders 96-6-31, 96-4-29, 95-11-35, 95-2-35, 94-11-6 and 94-4-14, as well as Notices ofAction Taken in dockets OST-04-17906, OST-07-26806, OST-07-27125, OST-07- 28857, OST-08-0003, and OST-09-0041. 12. In light of the exigent circumstances, Volga-Dnepr requests expeditious processing and the immediate grant ofthis emergency exemption application. The Department's Procedural Regulations provide that the Department can act on an emergency exemption application immediately. Designated agent for Volga-Dnepr will promptly advise the Department of the responses ofthe interested U.S. earners to the poll conductedregarding this application.

# *******
WHEREFORE, Volga-Dnepr respectfully requests that the Department issue an emergency exemption permitting 

### it to operate two (2) one-way all-cargo charter flights, utilizing Volga-Dnepr's AN-124-100 aircraft, to transport cargo from McChord AFB!facoma, WA to Eielson AFB, AK; and one (1) one-way all-cargo charter 

### flight, utilizing Volga-Dnepr's AN124-100 aircraft, to transport cargo from EielsonAFB, AKto McChord AFB!facoma, WA on or around November 26, 2011 -November 30, 2011 as described herein, and grant such further reliefas the Department deems to beconsistentwith thepublic interest

Dated: November 21, 2011 

### Respectfully submitted,

Artem Tarasenko Designated agent for Volga-DneprAirlines (832) 585-8611CERTIFICATE OFSERVICE



### I hereby certify that I have on this day served a copy ofthe foregoing document upon all persons named on the attached service list via electronic mail.

Artem Tarasen.ko

Dated: November 21, 2011Marshall S. Sinick 202/626-6600 Squire, Sanders & Dempsey 1201 PennsylvaniaAvenue, N.W. Suite 400 Washington, DC 20004 For: ALASKAAIRLINES, INC. FLORIDAWEST (FAX: 202/626-6780) Carl B. Nelson, Jr. 202/496-5647 Associate General Counsel AMERICANAIRLINES 1101 17th Street, N.W. Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036 (FAX: 202/496-5660) Scott Yohe 202/216-0700 Vice-President, GovernmentMfairs 1629 K Street, N.W. Suite 501 Washington, DC 20006 For: DELTAAIRLINES, INC. (FAX: 202/216-0824) Department ofState

- EURJRUS Room 4223 2201 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20250 (FAX: 202/736-4710)

DeputyAssistant Secretary for TransportationAffairs DepartmentofState Bureau ofEconomics and Business Mfairs, EBITRA, Room 5830 2201 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20250 (FAX: 2021647-4324) Roger Rapier 202/267-9555 (A

TO-R) Office oflnternationalAviation FederalAviationAdministration 800 IndependenceAvenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20591 (FAX: 202/267-9208) 

### Service List Angelia Bird 901/434-8589 FEDERALEXPRESS CORPORATION 3620 Hacks Cross Rd. Memphis, TN 38125 (FAX: 9011434-9289)

MargotWiegele 907/249-5142 NORTHERNAIR CARGO, Inc. 3900 West InternationalAirport Road Anchorage, AK 99502 (FAX: 907/249-5190)

Tom Gillies 203/847-6000 President 117 GloverAvenue Norwalk, CT 06850 For: SOUTHERNAIR (FAX: 203/847-6000)

Russell E. Pommer 202/822-9121 Associate General Counsel and Directorof RegulatoryAffairs ATLAS AIR, INC. 1747 PennsylvaniaAve., N.W., Suite 875 Washington, DC 20006 (FAX: 202/822-9152) Jeffrey Manley 202/663-6655

1455 PennsylvaniaAve, N.W. Washington, DC 20004 For: UNITEDAIRLINES (FAX: 202/772-6670)

Pierre Murphy, Esq. 202/776-3980 1200 New HampshireAvenue, N.W. Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: ARROWAIR, INC. (FAX: 202/776-3975)David Vaughan 202/955-9864 Kelley Drye & Warren 1200 19th Street, N.W. Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: U.P.S. (FAX: 202/955-9792)



### Robert Silverberg 202-944-3300 Silverberg, Goldman 

### & Bikoff 1101 30th St., N.W., Suite 120 Washington, D.C. 20007 For: ABX Air, Inc 

### (FAX: 202/944-3304)
Hershel Kamen 713/324-6697 Senior Managing Director ofInternational Regulatory Mfairs CONTINENTALAIRLINES 2929 Allen Parkway Suite 1925 Houston, TX 77019 (FAX: 713/324-2749)
Ronald Priddy 703/358-8060 NationalAir Carriers'Association 1000 Wilson Bvd., Suite 1700 Arlington, VA 22209 (FAX: 703/358-8070)



### Ben Graves 503/472-9361 

### EVERGREENINTERNATIONAL, INC. 1401 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 530 Washington, D.C. 20005-2147 (FAX: 202/638-4593)

David Vaughan 202/955-9864 Kelley Drye & Warren 1200 19th Street, N.W. Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: U.P.S. (FAX: 202/955-9792) John L. Richardson 202/828-0158 202/371-2258 Crispin & Brenner

### I 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 1105 Washington, DC 20005 For: AMERIJETINTERNATIONAL, INC. (FAX: 202/828-0152) 

### MarkAtwood 202/463-2513 Sher & 

### Blackwell 1850 M Street, N.W., Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: KALI'ITAAIR, L.L.C. (FAX: 202/463-4950) Stephen H. Lachter 202/962-4321 1150 ConnecticutAve, N.W. Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20036 For: ASTARAIR CARGO (FAX: 202/835-3219)

Judy McKenzie 907/249-4100 6441 SouthAir ParkPlace Anchorage,AK 99502 LYNDENAIR CARGO (FAX: 907/245-0642)

Mark McMillin 770/632-8215 Assistant General Counsel HLH Bldg, 101 World Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269 For: WORLDAIRLINES (FAX: 770/632-8048)
Kevin P. Montgomery 202/828-1002 POLARAIR CARGO 1747 PennsylvaniaAve., N.W., Suite 875 Washington, DC 20006 (FAX: 202/828-1003)