June 14, 2010 

VIA EMAIL (ORIGINAL VIA OVERNIGHT DELIVERY)

Attn.: Ms. Vanessa R. Balgobin 

Acting Chief, Air Carrier Fitness Division 

Office of Aviation Analysis 

Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

RE: Docket DOT-OST-2005-21533 

Application to resume scheduled passenger operations as a commuter air carrier

Dear Ms. Balgobin: 

 I refer to your letter dated April 23, 2010 with attached Information Request containing ten 

questions. Friendship Airways, Inc. d/b/a Yellow Air Taxi respectfully responds to this Information 

Request in the attached Responses. An 18 U.S.C. §1001 Certification is also attached hereto as Exhibit 

YAT-702A. 

 I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration. 

 Respectfully submitted, 

 Christopher B. Behnam 

 President 

 
DOT-OST-2005-21533 

Mr. Jerry Proenza 

Mr. Steve Adams 

Federal Aviation Administration 

South Florida FSDO 

2895 SW 145th Avenue 

Suite 120 

Miramar, FL 33027 

 
INFORMATION REQUEST RESPONSE OF 

FRIENDSHIP AIRWAYS, INC. d/b/a YELLOW AIR TAXI 

“1. Please place a copy of YAT’s Pre-Application Statement of Intent (“PASI”) filed with the Federal 

Aviation Administration, in the docket of this proceeding, together with information on any changes that 

have been made to this filing since its original submission.” 

Response of YAT:

 See: Exhibit YAT-101A attached hereto. Since its original submission, Mr. David Randall 

Conley was approved by the FAA as Chief Pilot for Yellow Air Taxi. 

“2. Please provide balance sheets and income statements for Friendship Airways Leasing, Inc. for the 

three most recent calendar or fiscal years, and for a period ending no more than three months prior to the 

date of filing. This information should include explanatory footnotes (including a description of 

company’s significant accounting policies, such as for depreciation, amortization of intangibles, 

overhauls, unearned revenues, and cost capitalization).” 

Response of YAT:

 Please See: Exhibit YAT 302A Pages 1-3 of 4 attached hereto. 

“3. In its application, YAT indicates it is in the process of purchasing or leasing another Cessna 402 

aircraft. Please provide documentation of this transaction. Please include details of any subcontracting or 

“power by the hour” arrangements YAT has made with the leasing company.” 

Response of YAT:

 Since the submission of its application, Yellow Air Taxi has decided not to add the Cessna 402-B 

to its fleet. It has no plans to add any other additional aircraft to its fleet at this time. 

“4. Please provide FAA Air Transport Pilot certificate numbers and current type ratings for YAT’s 

Chief Pilot, D. Randy Conley. Please also provide Mr. Conley’s work history for the years 1995-1998.” 

Response of YAT:

 Mr. Conley’s Air Transport Pilot certificate number is 3018998. His type ratings include BE-300 

and F-27. See: YAT-201A, page 1 of 3 attached herein. During the period 1995-1998 he was selfemployed as owner of Construction Planning and Management. 

“5. Does YAT’s Director of Maintenance, Glenn A. Horton, hold an Airframe and Powerplant 

Certificate? If so, please provide the certificate number. 
Response of YAT:

 Mr. Horton’s Airframe and Powerplant Certificate number is 2766237. See: YAT-201A page 2 

of 3. 

“6. Please provide an updated resume for Mr. Christopher Behnam that indicates his experience with 

YAT, including his position of Operations. Please also describe how Mr. Behnam plans to divide his 

time between his job(s) as Director of Operations at YAT, President of the Behnam Group, and Pilot at 

United Airlines.” 

Response of YAT:

Mr. Behnam has served as Director of Operations for Yellow Air Taxi since 2004. See: Exhibit 

YAT-201A page 3 of 3. The Behnam group is not an active enterprise. As a senior pilot for United 

Airlines, Mr. Behnam is able to work at a reduced schedule. As Director of Operations for YAT, Mr. 

Behnam is in constant communication with the YAT management team, via cell phone and email, when 

out of town. 

“7. Please provide clarification of YAT-603, detailing the number and frequency of scheduled flights 

that YAT intends to operate if granted commuter authority.” 

Response of YAT:

If granted commuter authority, Yellow Air Taxi intends to operate one flight per day between 

Fort Lauderdale and Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. 

“8. Please provide clarification of YAT-604-2 and YAT 604-3, indicating the breakout of costs for 

only the air carrier’s planned scheduled service.” 

Response of YAT:

 Revised Projected P&L’s are attached hereto as Exhibit YAT-604A. 

“9. Please provide further detail on which aircraft (by N-number) YAT intends to designate for 

scheduled service.” 

Response of YAT:

With Yellow Air Taxi’s completion of the Supplemental Inspection Program on N522FA, the 

FAA approved it as a commuter aircraft for use in scheduled service. See: Exhibit YAT-401A Pages 1-3 
of 3 attached hereto. N526FA is in process of the Supplemental Inspection Program and will be added to 

the commuter fleet upon its completion. 

“10. Please provide a detailed pre-operating expense forecast for the proposed scheduled operations. 

This forecast should include, among other things, lease deposits and rents, legal expenses, station 

expenses, facility deposits and rents, training, insurance, general, administrative, and employee expenses, 

and expenses related to FAA certification. Additionally, such list should distinguish between preoperating expenses that have been paid, and those which remain to be paid. If there are no pre-operating 

costs, please explain.” 

Response of YAT:

 All the expenses that are questioned in Question #10 are expenses that have been already paid and 

have been addressed above, including expenses related to FAA certification. Attached hereto, please find 

a listing of actual pre-operating expenses incurred in 2010. See: Exhibit YAT-302A Page 4 of 4 attached 

hereto. 
Signed Certification

The contents of this application and the attached exhibits are true and correct to the best of my 

knowledge and belief. Pursuant to Title 18 U.S.C. §1001, I, Christopher B. Behnam, in my individual 

capacity and as authorized representative of the applicant, have not in any manner knowingly and 

willfully falsified, concealed or failed to disclose any material fact or made any false, fictitious, or 

fraudulent statement or knowingly used any documents which contains such statements in connection 

with the preparation, filing or prosecution of the application. I understand that an individual is found to 

have violated the provisions of 18 U.S.C. §1001 shall be fined or imprisoned not more than five years, or 

both. 

June 14, 2010 _____________________________ 

 Christopher B. Behnam 

 President & CEO 

 Friendship Airways, Inc. 
Note: Friendship Airawys Leasing, Inc. only services

the lease payments of Yellow Air Taxi

and has no other operational income or expenses

Jan - Dec 07 Jan - Dec 08 Jan - Dec 09

Ordinary Income/Expense

I

Friendship Airways Leasing, Inc

Profit & Loss

2007 through 2009

Income

Lease Payments Colleted 48,232.67 55.256.42 57,153.56

Total Income 48,232.67 55.256.42 57,153.56

Expense

Lease P[ayments Served 48,232.67 55.256.42 57,153.56

Total Expense 48,232.67 55.256.42 57,153.56

Net Ordinary Income 0.00 0.00 0.00
Note: Friendship Airawys Leasing, Inc. only services

the lease payments of Yellow Air Taxi

and has no other operational income or expenses

Jan - Mar 10

Ordinary Income/Expense

Income

Lease Payments Colleted 14,562.42

Total Income 14,562.42

Expense

Lease Payments Served 14,562.42

Total Expense 14,562.42

Net Ordinary Income 0.00

Friendship Airways Leasing, Inc

Profit & Loss

January through March 2010
June 1, 2010

ASSETS

Current Assets

Checking/Cash

Wachovia Checking 500                  

Total Checking/Cash 500                  

Total Current Assets 500                  

Other Assets

Fuel Truck 85,000            

Total Other Assets 85,000            

Total Assets 85,500            

Liabilities & Equity

Liabilities

Current Liabilities

Accounts Payable 65,400            

Total Current Liabilities 65,400            

Total Liabilities 65,400            

Equity 20,100            

Total Equity 20,100            

Total Liabilities & Equity 85,500            

Friendship Airways Leasing, Inc.

Balance Sheet

As of June 1, 2010
Advertising and Marketing $8,000.00

Baggage Carts $800.00

Computer System $3,100.00

GOM Scheduled Revisions $1,200.00

Reservation System $4,300.00

Legal Fees $2,800.00

Maintenance $18,000.00

Office Furniture $900.00

Rent Deposit $1,200.00

Station Manager Training $1,000.00

Station Personnel Training $1,000.00

Telephone System $5,300.00

Ticket Counter Fabrication $1,300.00

Ticket Counter Display $980.00

Travel $4,200.00

Total Pre‐Operating Expenses $54,080.00

Yellow Air Taxi Pre‐Operating Expenses

For Planned Scheduled Flights Only


Christopher B. Behnam 

Director of Operations 

Experience: 

Yellow Air Taxi 

Director of Operations, 2004-Present. Perform all DO responsibilities of an FAR 135 on-demand and 

scheduled service airline. Ensure that company operates in conformity with the FARs and supervises-- 

Chief Pilot, Director of Maintenance, and Flight Department activities. Responsible for operational 

control. 

United Airlines 

Line Check Airman, 1999-Present. FAA approved liaison between UAL Management and Pilots. 

Responsible for instructing, mentoring and testing new captains as well as co-pilots on the actual daily 

procedures of domestic and international (South American and Atlantic operations) passenger flights. 

Emphasis on problem solving, public relations, emergency procedures, and leadership through teamwork. 

Captain, 1995-Present. Responsible for ensuring the safety of crew and passengers, through coordination of 

efforts of ground, in-flight, headquarters, and air traffic personnel. Emphasis on crew management about 

multiple levels for a successful completion of all daily missions. 

Flight Officer, 1987-1995. Advanced from entry level position to Pilot in command of B747-400 for 

transcontinental domestic transpacific flights to Asia and Australia. 

Responsible for systems and fuel management, communications, international public relations, and crew 

resource management. 

West Air Airlines (United Express – California) 

Captain/Line Check Airman, C-402C and SD-360, 1983-1987. Assisted with the development of route 

structure and aircraft fleet planning of start-up California regional airline. Analyzed route structure and 

made recommendations for new routes and new stations. Advised on Shorts 360 program. Airline grew 

from seven 402Cs and two Twin Otters to thirty-six Turbo Props and six Jets within three years. 

Responsible for instructing and evaluating new captains as well as co-pilots on daily procedures. 

Aviation Training INC/Sierra Academy of Aeronautics 

Flight Instructor, 1979-1983. Instructed flight students on theoretical and practical applications of aviation. 

Emphasis on communication skills, mentoring, task analysis, and career preparation. 

Education: 

Sierra Academy of Aeronautics, 1982, Airman Certificates 

Private Pilot through Airline Transport Pilot Licenses. Emphasis on major airline operations and 

management 

Newbury College of further Educations, 1979, Bachelor of Science 
Jul '10 Aug '10 Sep '10 Oct '10 Nov '10 Dec '10 Jan '11 Feb '11 Mar '11 Apr '11 May '11 Jun '11 Total

Ordinary Income 65,200 65,200 65,200 65,200 110,500 110,500 110,500 110,500 110,500 110,500 110,500 110,500 1,144,800

Flight Costs 18,000 18,000 18,000 18,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 36,000 360,000

Marketing 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 12,000

IT 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 30,000

Bahamian Labor 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 54,000

Credit Card Processing 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 52,000Office Supplies 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 3,600

Office Expenses 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 350 4,200Langing Fees 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 500 6,000

Bahamian Fees 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 4,500 46,000

Payroll 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 300,000

Professional Fees 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 12,000

Rents 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 4,000 48,000

Telephone 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 18,000

Total Expenses 46,150 46,150 46,150 46,150 50,150 50,150 50,150 50,150 50,150 50,150 50,150 50,150 585,800

Net Profit 1,050 1,050 1,050 1,050 24,350 24,350 24,350 24,350 24,350 24,350 24,350 24,350 199,000

Yellow Air Taxi Planned Scheduled Operations Only

Profit and Loss Projection July 2010 through June 2011