AFS

- 15

- 3817

- E October 13, 2015

Exemption No. 13184 Regulatory Docket No. FAA

- 20 15

- 3743

Mr. Larry Lippert Director of Operations

Era Helicopters, LLC

P.O. Box 6550/70606 Lake Charles, LA 70605

Dear Mr. Lippert:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of t he exemption, including the date it ends.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated July 2, 2015, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Era Helicopters, LLC (Era Helicopters) for an exemption from § 91.9(a) of Title 14,

Co de of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to the extent necessary to allow Era Helicopters to operate Sikorsky S

- 92A (S

- 92A) helicopters with limited exposure to engine failure during takeoff and landing while carrying up to 19 passengers between land

- based and o ffshore facilities or when operating between two offshore facilities, day, night, visual flight rul es, and instrument flight rules.

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 Era Helicopters.

The FAA has issued a grant of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to those presented in your petit ion. In Grant of Exemption No. 10507 (copy enclosed), the FAA

found that a grant of exemption would be in the public interest and would provide a level of safety equivalent to that provided by the current regulations. Specifically, the FAA found that2

ope rations to offshore facilities present a unique operating environment that requires special consideration in operations, training, and standardization, but also recognized there may be very short periods of time during takeoff and landing in which a safe f orced landing may not be possible due to environmental or other factors. Notwiths tanding, the FAA concluded the petitioner ’s proposed operational controls were consistent with those in OpSpec H100 and that a grant of exemption was in the public interest b ecause the use of the S

- 92A provides its passengers with safe transportation, while maintaining an efficient transportation system to

and from elevated helidecks.

Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that

—

• they are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 10507;

• the reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 10507 also apply to the situation you present; and

• a grant of exemption is in the public interest.

Our Decision

Under the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113 and 44701
, which the FAA Administrator has delegated to me, I hereby grant Era Helicopters, LLC an exemption from

14 CFR § 91.9(a) to the extent necessary to al low Era Helicopters to operate Sikorsky S

- 92A (S

- 92A) helicopters with limited exposure to engine failure during takeoff and landing while carrying up to 19 passengers between land

- based and offshore facilities or when operating

between two offshore facili ties, day, night, visual flight rul es, and instrument flight rules, subject to the conditions and limitations described below.

Conditions and Limitations

1. This exemption is limited to operations conducted in Era Helicopters’ S

- 92A helicopters.

2. This exemp tion is limited to operations conducted between land

- based airports and offshore heliports, or operations conducted between two offshore heliports.

3. This exemption is not valid for operations in foreign airspace without the prior

authorization of the Civil Aviation Authority with jurisdiction over that airspace.

4. Occupants of flights conducted under this exemption must wear personal floatation equipment whenever the aircraft is over water and the aircraft must be equipped with floats, accessible rafts, and a 406 megahertz ( MHz ) beacon.

5. Era Helicopters must make available and provide access, upon request by the FAA, to its engine reliability historical data for the S

- 92As in its fleet in order to provide ongoing surveillance of engine reliability.3

6. Computati ons regarding the determination of the approach and departure profiles must not exceed the ICAO standard of 9 seconds of exposure to engine failure related to Performance Class 2 with limited exposure to engine failure.

7. Operations will not be conducte d unless the current aircraft weight, altitude and temperature, as provided in the S

- 92A Rotorcraft Flight Manual, ensure the ability to climb 150 feet per minute at 1,000 feet above the takeoff surface with one engine inoperative and the remaining engine at maximum continuous one

- engine inoperative (OEI) power.

8. Era Helicopters must comply with, in addition to other routine preflight computations, the procedures cited in the S

- 92A Rotorcraft Flight Manual, Part 2, Section III, Supplemental Performance Da ta, page III

- 1

- 50, contained in the paragraphs titled “Elevated Helideck Takeoff and Landing

– Limited Exposure

– (At Figure 3

- 22 WAT)” and the paragraph following titled “Vertical Takeoff

– Elevated Helideck.”

9. Operations under the provisions of this exe mption must be flown by 2 pilot crews that are qualified and current in the operation of the S

- 92A.

10. Era Helicopters’ approved training program must include provisions for training of appropriate crews on the profiles associated with a Performance Class 2 with limited exposure takeoff and arrival, including performance planning. Era Helicopters must document the conduct and completion of that training for appropriate flight

crewmembers.

11. Proficiency in the use of the profiles described in Condition No. 10 must be demonstrated satisfactorily during recurrent evaluations required by §§ 135.293 or

135.299.

12. Era Helicopters must establish parameters for takeoff and arrival at helidecks for its flight data monitoring program and provide ongoing surveillance of t hose operations.

13. Era Helicopters must advise all S

- 92A flight crewmembers of the provisions of this exemption, and document that notification.4

14. A copy of this exemption must be carried onboard each S

- 92A utilizing these provisions.

This exemption termin ates on October 31, 201 7 unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John S. Duncan Director, Flight Standards Service

Enclosure