AFS-13-104-E

January 22,2013

 Exemption No. 7389G

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2000-8187

Maj. Alex E. Krause

Department of the Air Force

HQ AFFSA/A3OF

6500 South MacArthur (AJW31AF)

Oklahoma City, OK 73169

Dear Maj. Krause:

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to amend Exemption No. 7389, 

as amended. It explains the basis for our decision and describes its effect, and lists the revised 

conditions and limitations.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated November 27, 2012, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) on behalf of the United States Department of the Air Force (USAF) for an extension of 

Exemption No. 7389, as amended. That exemption from § 91.169(b) of Title 14, Code of 

Federal Regulations allows the USAF to conduct local area and other flight training missions 

under instrument flight rules (IFR) without designating an alternate airport. The amendment 

you request would update the airports listed in this exemption.

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 FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition 

in the Federal Register because the requested amendement of the exemption would not set a 

precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to USAF.
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Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 7389, as 

amended, remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, 

under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator 

has delegated to me, I grant your petition, and list the revised conditions and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations

1. Helicopters operating under the provisions of this exemption may file an IFR flight 

plan without designating an alternate airport if, during the period from the estimated 

time of departure to 1 hour after the estimated time of arrival, the worst weather is

forecast to be a ceiling of 700 feet or higher and a visibility of 1 statute mile or more.

2. Fixed-wing aircraft operating under the provisions of this exemption may fly local 

training missions without designating an alternate airport provided –

a. The departure airport and destination airport are the same;

b. An instructor pilot is a crewmember; and

c. Weather conditions are reported and forecast to have a ceiling of at least 1,500 

feet and visibility of at least 3 statute miles for the estimated time enroute plus 

2 hours.

3. The exemption provided for in Condition No. 2 applies at the following airports that 

host Air Education and Training Command operations:

a. Altus AFB, Oklahoma

b. Columbus AFB, Mississippi

c. Dobbins AFB, Georgia

d. Fairchild AFB, Washington

e. Kingsley Field, Oregon

f. Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

g. Lackland AFB, Texas

h. Laughlin AFB, Texas

i. Little Rock AFB, Arkansas

j. Luke AFB, Arizona

k. Moody AFB, Georgia

l. Pensacola NAS, Florida
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m. Randolph AFB, Texas

n. Sheppard AFB, Texas

o. Springfield-Beckley Municipal, Ohio

p. Tucsan International Airport, Arizona

q. Tyndall AFB, Florida

r. United States Air Force Academy, Colorado

s. Vance AFB, Oklahoma

4. This exemption is not valid for operations outside the United States.

The Effect of Our Decision

The termination date of Exemption No. 7389, as amended, remains November 30, 2015, 

unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely,

/s/

John M. Allen

Director, Flight Standards Service