AFS-16-12043-E September 6, 2016

Exemption No. 11197A Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2014-0063

Mr. Jason Kulbeth Director of Operations NorthStar Trekking, LLC

P.O. Box 32540 Juneau, AK 99803

Dear Mr. Kulbeth:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend and amend Exemption No. 11197. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the

revised conditions and limitations.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter posted to the docket on June 7, 2016, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of NorthStar Trekking, LLC (NorthStar) for an extension and amendment to Exemption No. 11197. That exemption from §§ 136.9(a), 136.11(a), and 136.11(c)(2) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to the extent necessary to allow NorthStar to operate helicopter commercial air tour flights over bodies of water and beyond shorelines crossed while equipped with a life preserver for each occupant but without each occupant wearing a life preserver and without its helicopters being float equipped.

In your petition, you indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption.

The amendment you request would add an additional helicopter of the same make and similar model to the helicopter model already covered by the existing exemption. This addition does not materially alter the conditions and limitations as the added model has identical autorotational characteristics and performance as the original make and model.2

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition in the Federal Register because the requested extension and amendment to the exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to

NorthStar.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 11197 remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. §§ 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has delegated to me, NorthStar Trekking, LLC is granted an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 136.9(a), 136.11(a), and 136.11(c)(2) to the extent necessary to allow Northstar to conduct helicopter tour operations, over water, not requiring passengers to wear life preservers while

overwater within autorotational distance of a suita ble landing area in an aircraft without fixed or inflatable floats, subject to the conditions and limitations listed below.

Conditions and Limitations

1. NorthStar’s helicopters are always operated in a manner that precludes the possibility of landing in the water, unless meeting the requirements of §§ 136.9(a), 136.11(a), and 136.11(c)(2).

2. NorthStar will conduct annual training for pilots using an FAA approved training module added to its 14 CFR part 135 training program. This module will address the environmental aspects and autorotational techniques unique to the specific approvedroutes used. Subjects must include specific tour routes and minimum altitudes, preflight analysis of winds, visibilities, and ceilings to pre-determine availability of minimum crossing altitudes along specific tour routes, appropriate diversion flight paths from those routes to several specific emergency landing sites surrounding the body of water to be crossed. The designated emergency landing sites for each flight will be chosen from sites that were previously identified, assessed, and approved by the operator.

3. NorthStar will incorporate into its General Operations Manuals a requirement for its pilots to operate at or above the altitude needed to maintain power-off autorotational glide capability to designated site-specific emergency landing areas from any point over water on each of the subject routes.

4. Any changes in engine type or helicopter make and model being operated by NorthStar Trekking will require the preparation of a detailed analysis demonstrating the probability of engine failure does not exceed the 10-6 acceptable risk and designated minimum altitudes, routes, and designated emergency landing areas are suitable for the new helicopter. This analysis has been presented and accepted for the following helicopter make and models:3

a. Airbus Helicopter AS350B2 (Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 engine)

b. Airbus Helicopter AS350B3e (Turbomeca Arriel 2D engine)

5. NorthStar will continue to make life preservers readily available to each passenger on all air tour flights. Life preservers are m ounted in NorthStar helicopters in an open slot located between each passenger’s legs.

6. As part of the preflight briefing, NorthSta r will instruct passengers on the location of, and proper donning and use of life preservers following a successful egress from the aircraft in the event of a forced water landing as required by § 136.7.

The Effect of Our Decision

This exemption terminates on March 31, 2019, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/
John Barbagallo Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service