AFS-11-038-E 

Dec 20 2010 

 Exemption No. 10184 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2010-1128 

Mr. Santi Lombardo 

Vice President of Flight Operations 

Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. 

1689 Nonconnah Boulevard, Suite 111 

Memphis, TN 38132 

Dear Mr. Lombardo: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your request for exemption. It transmits our 

decision, explains its basis, and gives you the conditions and limitations of the exemption, 

including the date it ends. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated October 22, 2010 and supplemental information dated November 18, 2010, 

you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. 

(Pinnacle), for an exemption from §121.652(a) and (c) of Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR). That exemption, if granted, would allow a new Pinnacle pilot in 

command (PIC) that is subject to higher landing weather minimum requirements to operate to 

the normal, lower Category I minimums under the conditions stipulated. 

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

in the Federal Register because the requested exemption would not set a precedent, and any 

delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to Pinnacle. 

The FAA has issued a grant of exemption in circumstances similar in all material respects to 

those presented in your petition. In Grant of Exemption No. 5549 (copy enclosed), the FAA 

found that to ensure equivalent or greater safety than that intended by § 121.652, only certain 

heads-up display and autoland systems, used with appropriate instrument flight and crew 

procedures and at appropriate airports and runways, should qualify for the credit. Use of 

these systems must be considered as a comprehensive package, considering factors such as 

the category of landing minimums sought, characteristics of the airborne system, appropriate 

operating limits and procedures, appropriate crew experience pairing, and suitable ground 
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facilities. The credit allowed also must be fully consistent with the training the crews 

received and any initial operating experience completed and include use of appropriate 

training devices or simulators approved for the pertinent low visibility scenarios that are 

applicable. 

Having reviewed your reasons for requesting an exemption, I find that— 

 they do not differ materially from those presented by the petitioner in the enclosed grant 

of exemption; 

 the reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed exemption also apply to the 

situation you present; and 

 a grant of exemption is in the public interest. 

Our Decision 

Under the authority contained in 49 U.S.C. 40113 and 44701,which the FAA Administrator 

has delegated to me, I hereby grant Pinnacle Airlines, Inc., an exemption from 

14 CFR § 121.652(a) and (c) to the extent necessary to allow a new Pinnacle PIC that is 

subject to higher landing weather minimum requirements to operate to the normal, lower 

Category I minimums under the conditions stipulated, subject to the conditions and 

limitations described below. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. General. To use either Category I or Category II instrument approach procedure 

weather minimums under any provisions of this exemption a certificate holder must 

ensure that its flightcrew training and qualification program meets the following 

general requirements: 

a. Suitable low visibility instrument approach, landing, and missed approach 

scenarios are included in flight training using the applicable airborne system 

and appropriate training devices or simulators for those scenarios; and 

b. Specific approval by the certificate holder's principal operations inspector to 

use this exemption is obtained for each aircraft type. 

2. Category I, specific. A PIC with fewer than 100 hours as PIC in the airplane being 

operated may be authorized to use the lowest applicable Category I instrument 

approach minimums for a particular runway and instrument approach procedure if 

each of the following conditions is met: 

a. The PIC and other required flightcrew members are trained and qualified for 

Category II or Category III, or are trained to an equivalent level with respect to 

the airborne system use, ground facility use, associated procedures, and any 

other relevant topics; 
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b. The aircraft and associated airborne systems are eligible for Category I or II 

for that operator when the certificate holder's approved training program 

incorporates the use of an approach coupler or a head-up display (HUD) 

system that provides flight guidance information to decision height; 

c. The approach coupler or HUD system is used for the approach to decision 

height or until initiation of a missed approach; 

d. The flightcrew must use appropriate instrument approach procedures for 

Category II or III, or equivalent instrument approach procedures acceptable to 

the Administrator; and 

e. Category I instrument approach procedures or landings will not be initiated 

when the weather conditions are below 4,000 runway visual range (3/4 mile 

visibility) and the cross-wind component exceeds 15 knots combined with a 

braking action report of less than "good." 

3. Category II, specific. A PIC with fewer than 100 hours as PIC in the airplane being 

operated may conduct Category II operations in accordance with Operations 

Specifications paragraph C059 if each of the following conditions is met: 

a. The PIC has at least 300 hours as a PIC or second in command in a turbojet 

airplane; 

b. The PIC and other required flightcrew members are trained and qualified in 

Category II or III instrument approach procedures, and use those procedures 

appropriately; 

c. The aircraft and associated airborne systems are approved for Category III for 

the certificate holder, or for Category II for the certificate holder using an 

approach coupler and an autoland system or HUD which provides flight 

guidance information to decision height; and 
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d. The approach coupler and autoland system or HUD is used for the instrument 

approach procedure and landing or until initiation of a missed approach. 

This exemption terminates on January 31, 2013, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

Raymond Towles 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service 

Enclosure