# Interstat e HelicoDter s

580 9 Phili p J . Rhoads , Hanga r# 4 - ^ Bethany , O K7300 8 405.440.105 3

Februar y 24,201 0 U.S . Departmen

t o f Transportatio n Docke t Managemen

t Syste m 120 0 New Jerse y Avenue , SE . Wes t Buildin g Groun

d Floor , RoomWJ^-H O Washington , D C 2059 0 CT ) RE : Reques t

fo r Exemptio n unde

r 1 4 FA RCF R partl2 0 an

d explaine d in 1 4 CF

R§11.61-11.101 . T o Who mI t Ma y Concern : Pleas e accep t

thi s letter a s Interstate HelicopttT s Inc . (IHI ) forma l petitio n fo

r exemptio n i

n accordanc e wit h FAA' s requirement s establishe d underl4 CF R§ 11.61-11.101 , per

thi s petitio n IH

I i s requestin g relie f b y allowin g ou

r Dru g and Alcoho l testin g t o b e combine d unde r par t 13 5 operation . IH

I i s locate d a

t 580 9 Philip J Rhoad s Ave . Hanga r 4 , Bethan y O K 73008 . Ou

r office telephon e numbe

r i s 405.440.1053 , fa x 405.440.0115 . Ou

r emai l addres s isjjcopter@aol.com . Dru g and alcoho l testin g regulations , foun d i n 1 4 CF R par t 12 0 requir e tha t par t 11 9 certificat

e holder s wit h th e authorit

y t o operat

e unde r part s 12 1 o r

13 5 an d ai r tour operator s a s defined i

n §91.14 7 mus t implemen t aDru g an d Alcoho l testin g program . I t ha s bee n explaine d t o m

e tha t th e FAA' s interpretatio n o f thi s requiremen

t i s tha t becaus e i t doe s no t specificall y stat e th e tw o part s ca

n b e combine d th e FA

A i s interpretin g i

t s o tha t eac h operator

wil l b e re<^uire

d t o implemen

t separat e an d distinc t testin g programs . I t i s fromthi s requiremen

t tha t IH I i s seekin g relie f

an d exemption . EH

I request s th e abilit

y t o cove r bot h operation s wit

h on e testin g progra

mwit h thi s exemption . B y offerin g u s thi s relie f

i t wil l enabl e u s t o kee

p o r cost s competitiv e (small busines s relief) . Thi s relie f will allo w u s to continu e to offe r avariet y o f service s within ou

r communit y an d continu e t o employ helicopte r operator s a

t thi s busines s location . Thi s will als o allo w fo r competitio n withi n OklahomaCit y area . W e submit tha t there i s n o advers e affec

t t o tlti e communit

y a s awhol e or

t o a n individual(s ) who engag e ou r service s unde

r ou r par t 11 9 operatin g unde

r 12 1 or 13 5 or 9 1 §14 7 air

tour operators . Thi s i s th e cas e becaus e each o f

ou r personne l i s actively covere d unde r aDru g and Alcoho l testin g progra mmeetin g al l o f FAA' s requirements . T o hav e tw o separat e and distinc t

program s would i

n effect duplicat e th e amoun

t o f testin g necessar

y per 1 4 FA Rpar t 12 0 an d burden IHI wit

h unnecessar

y cost s without

providin g an

y additiona l protectiv e benefit s to th e communit y a t whol e o r t o individual s wh o actively see k ou r services .



# V .In summar

y 1 4 CF Rpar t 12 0 require s tha

t eaci h par t 11 9 certificat

e holde r wit h th e authorit

y t o operat

e unde r part s 12 1 o r

1 3 5 , and ai r

tour operator s a s defined in §91.14 7 mus t implemen t aDru g and Alcoho l testin g program . IH

I i s currently i

n complianc e wit

h thi s requirement . IH

I ha s been mad

e awar e tha t th e FAA' s interpretatio n i s tha

t sinc e th e regulation s d o no t specifically stat

e tha t th e Dru g and Alcoho l program s ma

y b e combine d there mus t

b e tw o separat

e and distinc t

testin g program s in existence . IHI cover s th e exac t

sam e poo l o f employee s in eac h o f

it s operation s and tiierefore w e believ e w e are meetin g th e inten

t o f existin g FA

A regulation s which woul d enabl e u s t o b e eligibl e t o b e considere d fo r a n exemptio n and allo w u s t o combin e bot h operation s unde

r on e testin g program . W

e ar e full y complian t wdt h th e inten t o f th e regulation s whic h i s t o protec t publi c a s awhol e and individually . Requirin g u s t o implemen

t tw o separat

e an d distinc t dru g and alcoho l program s woul d limi t profitabilit

y and jeopardiz e ou

r abilit y t o continu e offering Christma s tours , an d asmall samplm

g o f othe r tour s throughout

th e yea r whic h woul d no t

b e in th e bes t

interest s o f

th e OklahomaCit

y community . In addition , b y operatin g tw o program s i t would i n effec t duplicat e ou r complianc e wit

h th e requirement s fo

r Dru g an d Alcoho l testin g unde

r 1 4 CR F par t 120 . We respectfiill

y submit ou r petifion andfhahl : you fo

r you r tiiiie^dconsideralioh . ~ Smcerely , Kath y Blankenship Interstat e Helicopter s Inc . 40 5 44 0 105 3