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- E May 29, 2013 Exemption No. 9844B Regulatory Docket No. FAA

- 2004

- 1720 7

Mr. Gregory J. Moreland Thrush Aircraft, Inc.

P.O. Box 3149

300 Old Pretoria Road Albany , GA 31217

Dear Mr. Moreland :

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption No. 9844

. It expl ains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the conditions and

limitations.

The Basis for Our Decisi on
By lette r dated November 30, 2012

, but posted to docket on January 7, 2013

, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Thrush Aircraft, I nc. ( TAI )

, for an extension of Exemption No. 9844 . That exemption from § 61.31(a)(1) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allows T AI pilots to operate as pilot in command (PIC) without holding a type rating when operating Thrush Model S2R

- T660 aircraft that have a maximum gross weight that exceeds 12,500 pounds.

In your petition, you i ndicate 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 beca use the requested extension of the exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to TAI.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exempti on No. 9844 remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. The FAA has also2 made some amendments to the conditions and limitations of Exemption No. 9844 t hat clarify our original intent and to refi ne our requirements. Specifica lly :

1. Condition/L imitation No. 2 is amended to clari fy the requirements for TAI’s training

manual contents.

2. Condition/Limitation No. 4 is added to standardi ze this exemption with similar exemptions to allow a pilot to act as PIC of the S2R

- T660 without c omplet ing the training requirements of Condition No. 3 if that pilot meets minimum experience

criteria.

3. Condition/Limitation No. 6 (former Condition/Limitation No. 5) is amended by adding

the minimum qualifications for a person to conduct TAI fami liarization ground training for the S2R

- T660 and to standardize this exe mption with similar exemptions

.

While the relief does not change substantially, all users of the exemption should thoroughly

review the revised conditions and limitations. In additio n, we advise the petitioner that a

S2R

- T660 training manual , required by condition/limitation No. 2, must be submitted for any future requests to extend Exemption No. 9844

.

U nder the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administr ator has delegat ed to me, I grant your petition, subject to the following conditions and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations

1. This exemption applies to pilots operating S2R

- T660 aircraf t that hold a restricted category airworthiness certificate for ope rations involving agricultural, forest protection, and narcotic crop eradication flight operations.

2. TAI must develop and maintain a training manual that includes aeronautical knowledge training on the S2R

- T660 aircr aft systems, performance, handling

chara cteristics

. This training manual must include characteristics that are unique to

S2R

- T660 aircraft that are operated above 12,500 pounds.

3. Except as provided in condition/limitation No. 4, b efore a pilot can serve as PIC in the

S2R

- T660 that pilot must have successfully c ompleted familiarization ground training

for the S2R

- T660 that in cludes a review of the approved ai rcraft flight manual and cockpit familiarization checkout . This checkout must include ground training on the aircraft’s systems, perform ance, and handling cha racteristic of the S2R

- T660

.
4. Pilots who have logged at least 100 hours of flight time, with at least 10 hours in the preceding 12 months, in a TAI S2R

- T660 need not complete the training requirements

of Condition No. 3. A record of t his flight time must be made available by the pilot upon request by the Administrator.

5. TAI must

—3 a. Ensure each pilot logs the ground training in his or her logbook, or TAI must record such training in the pilot's training record; and

b. Make this record of t raining available for review to the local Flight Standards District Office upon request.

6. The person qualified to give training under this exemption must meet the following minimum qualifications :

a. Be authorized by TAI to give this instruction;

b. Hold at least a commercial pilot certificate; and

c. Meet the following experience requirements:

i. 500 hours of flight time in turbine

- powered agricultural type airplanes;

or ii. 1000 hours of flight time in agricultural type airplanes which includes at least 100 hours of fligh t time in a S2R

- T660.

7. TAI must make a copy of this exemption available to each pilot who serves as PIC in

the S2R

- T660.

The Effect of Our Decision

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 9844 to November 30 , 201 3

, unless so oner su perseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

John M. Allen Director, Flight Standards Service