AFS-12-179-E 

February 27, 2012 

 Exemption No. 7132F 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2002-11485 

Ms. Leslie C. Abbott 

Senior Attorney 

Southwest Airlines Company 

1901 L Street NW., Suite 640 

Washington, D.C. 20036 

Dear Ms. Abbott: 

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption No. 7132, 

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

limitations, and provides the date of expiration. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

By letter dated January 13, 2012, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 

on behalf of Southwest Airlines Company (Southwest) for an extension of Exemption 

No. 7132, as amended. That exemption from § 121.434(c)(1)(ii) of Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations allows Southwest to substitute a qualified and authorized check airman in place 

of an FAA inspector to observe a qualifying pilot in command (PIC) while that PIC is 

performing prescribed duties during at least one flight leg that includes a takeoff and a 

landing when completing initial or upgrade training as specified in § 121.424. 

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 extension of the exemption would not set a 

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

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 7132, 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, subject to the following conditions 

and limitations. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. Each check airman performing the duties otherwise appropriate to an FAA inspector, 

under this exemption, must: 

a. Be an employee of Southwest; 

b. Be qualified and current in the duties of the PIC in the aircraft being operated; 

c. Be approved by the FAA Aircrew Program Manager; and 

d. Have been employed by Southwest as a check airman for a minimum of 6 months. 

2. Southwest must submit and have approved by its FAA principal operations inspector 

(POI), in a letter of approval, the name of each check airman to be used under this 

exemption before this use occurs. 

3. Before each observation conducted under this exemption, Southwest must contact its POI 

or the POI’s designated representative. No observation may be conducted under this 

exemption unless the FAA determines there is not an FAA inspector available to observe 

the affected operation and so informs Southwest. 

4. The check airman observing the qualifying pilot must be other than the check airman 

conducting the operating experience flight. 

5. The check airman observing the flight may not previously have conducted any operating 

experience flight during the current, initial, or upgrade training of the qualifying PIC. 

6. Each operation conducted under this exemption must be recorded in Southwest's approved 

training records. 

7. No observations may be conducted under this exemption until the qualifying PIC has 

completed the minimum number of hours specified in Section 121.434(c)(3). 

8. Under this exemption, no more than 50 percent of the required operating experience 

observations may be accomplished by a qualified and authorized check airman rather than 

an FAA inspector during any 6-month period. 

9. Southwest must submit a training schedule in written form to its POI that includes the 

date(s) of each observation to be conducted under Section 121.434. This training 

schedule must be submitted at least 20 days before any observation. 
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10. Southwest must maintain the records necessary to demonstrate compliance with the 

conditions and limitations of this exemption. 

The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 7132, as amended, to 

February 28, 2014, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

John M. Allen 

Director, Flight Standards Service