PINNACL E 

AIRLINES , INC . 

FAR 121.652 Exemption 

Application 
PINNACL E 

L I N I N C. 

Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. 

1689Nonconnah Blvd. 

Suite 111 

Memphis, TN 38132 

Ph 901-348-4100 

Fax 901-348-4103 

July 16, 2010 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Docket Operations 

West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

Dear, Sir / Madam 

Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., REXA-257A requests the approval for issuance of an Exemption similar to 

Exemption 5549 in relief of FAR 121.652. 

Approval of this Exemption will benefit the flying public by improving reliability of air service for 

numerous communities served by Pinnacle Airlines. Also, by reducing the number of diversions 

caused by low weather minimums, safety will be enhanced due to the fact diversions are rarely 

practiced, whereas Category II approaches are highly trained and monitored. 

Thank you for your consideration of our request. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have 

any questions concerning this proposal. 

Respectfully submitted. 

^^upiL^jL ^ 

Santi Lombardo 

VP, Flight Operations 

(FAR 119 Director of Operations) 
TABLE O F CONTENT S 

Naming of Exemption: 3 

Conditions and limitations: 4 

Procedures for complying with the conditions and limitations associated with this 

exemption: 5 

Condition 1: 5 

Condition 2: 5 

Conditions: 5 

Condition 4: 6 

Condition 5: 6 

Condition 6: 6 

Condition 7: 7 

Condition 8: 7 

Condition 9: 7 

Condition 10: 8 

Flight Operations Manual Material: 9 

Pilot and Dispatcher Training Material: / / 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Naming of Exemption: 

Throughout this application references are made to our application for Exemption 5549 for clarity sake. We 

understand that when Pinnacle Airlines receives approval for this exemption the actual exemption number 

will be different. When the new exemption number is assigned we will use that exemption number firom that 

point forward for all references to said exemption. 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Conditions and limitations: 

Pinnacle Airlines proposes the following conditions and limitations in association with this proposal when 

operating under this exemption: 

1. This exemption will apply to the CL-65 fleet. 

2. Pinnacle Airlines must maintain authority to operate under the provisions of OpSpec C059. 

3. This exemption will only apply to Category I operations. 

4. Pinnacle Airlines will maintain a "Crew Pairing" policy which ensures either the PIC or SIC has at 

least 75 hours of line operating flight time as either the PIC or SIC in the type aircraft being flown. 

5. The PIC and SIC must be fiilly qualified for Category II operations. 

6. The aircraft and associated airborne systems must be fully functional for Cat. II operations. 

7. A coupled approach is used for the approach, to decision height or until initiation of a missed 

approach. 

8. The flight crew must use an appropriate Category II instrument approach procedure. 

9. Category 1 instrument approach procedures or landings will not be initiated or completed when 

the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR (3/4 Mile Visibility) and if either the cross-wind 

component exceeds 15 knots or the braking action is reported as less than good. 

10. Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet the 300 hour PIC requirement in turbojet airplanes to 

conduct Category II operations in accordance with approved operations specifications C59(d) may 

conduct Category II operations under the appropriate provisions of this exemption provided he or 

she has accumulated 300 hours as a pilot in a turbojet airplane. 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Procedures for complying with the conditions and 

limitations associated with this exemption: 

Condition 1: 

This exemption will apply to the CL-65 fleet 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Condition 2: 

Pinnacle Airlines must maintain authority to operate under the provisions of 

OpSpec C059 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Condition 3: 

This exemption will only apply to Category I operations 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Condition 4: 

Pinnacle Airlines will maintain a crew pairing policy which ensures either the PIC or SIC 

has at least 75 hours of line operating flight time as either the PIC or SIC in the type 

aircraft being flown 

-Pinnacle currently operates with a crew pairing policy which meets the above 

requirement. This policy is located in section 5 of the FOM, a reference to this 

Exemption will be added to the FOM ensuring that if the crew pairing policy is 

not maintained, the Exemption will not be used. 

Condition 5: 

The PIC and SIC must be fully qualified for Category II operations 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Condition 6: 

The aircraft and associated airborne systems must be fully functional for Cat. 

operations 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading and the Minimum Equipment Lists (MEL's) in 

all affected aircraft will be updated to reflect this limitation 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Condition 7: 

A coupled approach is used for the approach, to decision height or until initiation 

of a missed approach. 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Condition 8: 

The flight crew must use an appropriate Category II instrument approach 

procedure 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Condition 9: 

Category 1 instrument approach procedures or landings will not be initiated or 

completed when the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR (3/4 Mile Visibility) 

and if either the cross-wind component exceeds 15 knots or the braking action is 

reported as less than good. 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Condition 10: 

Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet the 300 hour PIC requirement in turbojet 

airplanes to conduct Category II operations in accordance with approved 

operations specifications C59(d) may conduct Category II operations under the 

appropriate provisions of this exemption provided he or she has accumulated 

300 hours as a pilot in a turbojet airplane. 

-This condition will be added to the Flight Operations Manual (FOM) under 

the Exemption 5549 heading 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Flight Operations IVIanual IVIaterial: 

The following material will be added to the FOM: 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 
Exemption 5549 

Exemption 5549 allows a High Minimums Captain to fly a Category II approach to 

Category I minimums. 

This Exemption increases safety by allowing a new pilot to fly a Category II 

Approach, which is coupled and monitored, rather than a non-monitored hand 

flown approach. 

This Exemption increases reliability by allowing slightly lower minimums for a 

High Minimums Captain, reducing the number of diversions to alternates. 

The following requirements must be followed when utilizing this Exemption: 

1. This exemption applies to the CL-65 (CRJ-200 and CRJ-900) fleet. 

2. This Exemption applies only to Captains who have less than 100 hours as PIC in the CL65 and are defined as High Minimums Captains by the FOM definition. 

3. As with all operations, either the PIC or SIC has at least 75 hours of line operating flight 

time as either the PIC or SIC in the type aircraft being flown. 

4. The PIC and SIC must be fully qualified for Category II operations. 

5. The aircraft and associated airborne systems must be fully functional for Cat. II 

operations. 

6. A coupled approach is used for the approach, to decision height or until initiation of a 

missed approach. 

7. The flight crew must use an appropriate Category II instrument approach procedure 

8. The approach (even though it is a Category II approach) will never be flown below 

Category I minimums 

9. Category 1 instrument approach procedures or landings will not be initiated or completed 

when the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR (3/4 Mile Visibility) and if either the 

cross-wind component exceeds 15 knots or the braking action is reported as less than 

good. 

10. Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet the 300 hour PIC requirement in turbojet 

airplanes to conduct Category II operations in accordance with approved operations 

specifications C59(d) may conduct Category II operations under the appropriate 

provisions of this exemption provided he or she has accumulated 300 hours as a pilot in 

a turbojet airplane. 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 10 
^ Pilot and Dispatcher Training IVIaterial: 

The following training material will be given to all pilots and dispatchers: 

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 11 
Exemption 5549 provides a new 

capability allowing us to deviate from 

the current high minimums Captain 

rule (FAR 121.652), in some very 

specific situations. 

Oilier lixcmjitions I 

Exemption 5549 is completely 

unrelated to Exemptions 3585 and 

10084, which you are all familiar with. 
Requirements 

In exchange for being able to lower the High 

Minimums Captain approach minimums to 

Category 1 standards, there are numerous 

requirements that must be met. 

Requirements 

-The approach must be flown coupled 

-Category 1 approach minima must be adhered to 

-Category 1 instrument approach procedures or 

landings will not be initiated or completed when 

the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR 

(3/4 Mile Visibility) and if either the cross-wind 

component exceeds 15 knots or the braking 

action is reported as less than good. 

R(,(.i(!f rfsnt ; 

flights meeting all the following 

requirements: 

-CRJ aircraft which is Category II caps 

-Category II capable Aircrew 

-Crew must fly a Category II approacl' 

Rcqu i 

-In accordance with current policy, either 

the Captain or First Officer must have 75 

hours in the CL-65 before using this 

Exemption 
J^imitiuions 

-Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet 

the 300 hour PIC requirement in turbojet 

airplanes to conduct Category II 

operations in accordance with approved 

operations specifications C59(d) may 

conduct Category II operations under the 

appropriate provisions of this exemption 

provided he or she has accumulated 300 

hours as a pilot in a turbojet airplane. 

-This Exemption will enhance safety 

increasing reliability fortiio traveling 

-If you have any concerns or questions please 

contact Flight Standards or System Operations 

Control Management to discuss the most 

appropriate, and safest course of action