Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. 

P.O. Box 1144 

Belfast, ME 04915 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

Docket Operations, M-30 

West Building ground floor 

Room W12-140 

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE 

Washington, DC 20590 

November 2, 2012 

PETITION FOR EXEMPTION EXTENSION 

Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. 

P.O. Box 1144 

Belfast, ME 04915 

mainescenicairways@myfairpoint.net 

Telephone: 207 338 4736 

z~ 1 z · ;v - B P 1: 4 3 

Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. is reque$ting an extension of Exemption No: 9831 

from 14 CFR (FAR Section) - 121, Appendix ofF AR- I and J ·dockct number · ·· · · 

FAA-2009~0131 I· .• I ' • . . . • "'·.·. • 

I' . 

· Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. seeks to be allowed to continue its FAR 135 

operations and FAR 91 operations under one drug and alcohol program. Maine Scenic 

Airways, Inc. is a very small company with only three pilots on its current drug and 

alcohol program and has only one airplane involved in these operations. One pilot, the 

owner/manager and the only full time employee, flies the single pilot FAR 135 operations 

and FAR 91 air tour operations. The other two other pilots are part time. Both currently 

fly the occasional FAR 91 air tour. Because of the present recession, Maine Scenic 

Airways, Inc. will continue to operate only one plane for all FAR 91 air tour and FAR 

135 operations for the foreseeable future. Again,.it does not seem reasonable to expect 

that implementing two separate and distinct drug and alcohol programs would, given the 

small size of the company, enhance safety in any way. Instead, doing so would only 

increase an already intense paper work/management burden and impose additional costs 

upon Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. 

Granting Maine Scenic Airways, Inc.'s request will help the public. First, it will 

help keep the .cost of charter flights and air tours down. Second, by not imposing 

needless expense, it will help keep a small flight school/charter operator/ air tour 

operator/FBO in business. The FBO at Belfast is also the pro bono assistant airport 

,manager and is the only person who is regularly at the airport. Maine Scenic Airways, 

Inc. has als~ provided parttime employment and flying lessons to local area teenagers. 

Presently, Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. has two high school students who are completing 
their Private Pilots Licenses and will be including that qualification on their applications 

to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University this fall. Three of Maine Scenic Airways' 

former flight students are flying for the United States Air Force. It would be a sad thing 

to lose this opportunity for local youth as well as local residents. If Maine Scenic 

Airways, Inc. were to close its doors, it is unlikely that another similar business would 

open up any time soon as many small flight schools and FBOs are struggling and going 

out of business. 

Granting the requested exemption extension would not harm safety as all 

employees who perform safety sensitive functions are on an approved drug program 

under the same management. Unless it could be demonstrated that two drug programs 

operating in parallel are more effective than one, the requirement to have two is 

redundant and creates an unnecessary burden. 

Maine Scenic Airways, Inc. does not wish to exercise the privileges of this 

requested exemption extension outside the United States. 

Si~l~~ 

:$.' ;eynolds, P sident 

Maine Scenic Airways, Inc.