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# GAROFALO GOERLICH HAINBACH PC

1200 NEW I IAMPSHlRE AVENUE NW
. SUITE 590· WASHINGTON DC 20036-6802

TELEPHONE; January 9,2015 Docket Operations Facility U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E. Room W12-140 Washington, D.C2059Q
Re: Family Assistance Plan of Aerodynamics Inc

. (Docket DOT-OST-1996-1960) Ladies/Gentlemen: Please find attached the current Family Assistance Plan of Aerodynamics Incorporated (ADI)

. This plan supersedes ADI's pre-existing plan filed with the Department on March 11, 2004. Please contact me if you have any questions. Thank you. Sincerely,

Aaron A. Goerlich Garofalo Goerlich Hainbach PC Counsel for Aerodynamics Incorporated

# AERODYNAMICS

Aerodynamics Inc. Family Assistance Plan

# Family Assistance Plan

Overview Aerodynamics Family Assistance Plan describes the methods by which Aerodynamics, in cooperation with the National Transportation Safety Board, (NTSB) other governmental entities, and the American Red Cross, will provide family assistance after an aviation accident involving a flight operated by Aerodynamics

. The purpose ofthis plan is to ensure that Aerodynamics efforts are made in the best interests of survivors and families and to respect the cultural &religious backgrounds of survivors and families. Aerodynamics provides fami-lyassistanee without regard to an individual's status asa revenue customer, non-revenue customer, or crew member. The Aerodynamics plan meets the provisions of 49 CFR USC Part 1136. Certain specialized services that are required following an accident may be accomplished on behalf of Aerodynamics by vendors having expertise in those areas.


### Pre-Response Planning Committing Sufficient Resources Aerodynamics maintains agreements with providers who offer comprehensive emergency response and family assistance programs, which utilize a broad spectrum of human and technological resources in the event of an accident. During such crises, thousands of specially trained responders work.around the clock

.on issues including family assistance, accident, investigation, media relations, and liaisons with government agencies and support organizatio~s

. They are directed via a dedicated command center network linked by worldwide communications. Aerodynamics maintains cooperative working relationships with the external organizations involved in 

### acrisis and has designed its emergency response structure specifically to allow separate management of the crisis while continuing the safe operation ofthe airline. 

### Aerodynamics Family Assistance Aerodynamics is a member ofthe Family Assistance Foundation, a non-profit organization that supplements Aerodynamies' resources with apool ofthousands of organized and trained volunteers established to enhance communication between Aerodynamics and the families affected by an accident and to respond to needs that survivors and families may have. Every effort is made to ensure well trained volunteers are available in all areas served by Aerodynamics around the world and organized in a manner that will allow for immediate mobilization.

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# Family Assistance Plan

Training In addition to the intensive training provided to family assistance teams, customer service training is

-also-provided to personnel in-public-contaet positions throughout the Aerodynamics system. Families may call any reservation office or may seek assistance at airports that are either the origin or the destination ofthe flight involved in an accident. As with any training program, enhancements are continually made to include lessons learned from survivors, family members, industry partners, and mental health professionals. Periodic simulations ofAerodynamics' comprehensive emergency response plan are made in cooperation with regular airport drills. In addition, Aerodynamics and its partners routinely coordinate with federal, state, and local authorities that have emergency responsibilities. Toll-free telephone number Aerodynamics will activate atoll-free telephone number within one hour after notification to our emergency call center provider, after receiving information indicating that an aircraft operated by Aerodynamics has been involved in an accident and that there are serious injuries and/or fatalities. This number will be staffed by our Emergency Call Center provider. These trained individuals will provide information authorized for release by Aerodynamics' Corporate Communications department and will collect contact information from inquiring individuals.

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# Family Assistance Plan

Passenger Manifest, Ticket Reconciliation, and Notification Passenger Manifest and Ticket Reconciliation Immediately after the accident, Aerodynamics will begin the process to match the current computerized reservations (passenger Name Records) for that flight with the ticket coupons and other verifying data that were collected at the departure airport(s.) All known passengers will be validated including those with reservations, standby tickets, rerouted tickets, jump seat authorization, and non-revenue passengers and crew. Unfortunately, this process can be delayed by persons traveling under different names, changing seats, and infants traveling without tickets. Accordingly, Aerodynamics" Reservations Sales policy prohibits the unauthorized release ofthis confidential, sensitive manifest information. Upon the request ofthe National Transportation Safety Board and/or the American Red Cross, a list of names of passengers aboard the aircraft (based on the best information available at the time ofthe request) will be sent to the NTSB Office of Transportation Disaster Assistance. The Manager of Aerodynamics' Family Assistance will ensure that the list is marked "preliminary and unconfirmed" and will continue to update itperiodically. Although the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996 does not state atime frame for this action, apreliminary list will be available within the first three hours. As names ofpersons on board are reconciled, they will be given to our Emergency Call Center provider, so the notification process can proceed while the remainder of the manifest continues to be verified. Ifcitizens of countries other than the United States are on board, Aerodynamicswilltransmit a list oftheir names to the United States Department of State. Notifying Passengers' Families Specially trained personnel from our Emergency Call Center provider will notify the family of each passenger as soon as 

### itappears that the individual was on board. Aerodynamics will not wait for all the names of passengers to be verified. However, identifying and contacting some passengers' next-of-kin may be delayed depending on the amount and accuracy of information available. Callers who have inquired about a name appearing on the manifest will be contacted by our provider until Aerodynamics is satisfied that the next-of-kin or the person who stated that they were the family's contact has been notified. As the passenger list is validated, subsequent incoming 

### cans from family members win be routed to OUF 

### call center provider for appropriate handling. Aerodynamics will not release a passenger's name publicly until after the next-of-kin has been notified. Ifthe next-of-kin requests that the passenger's name not be made public, Aerodynamics will convey that information to the NTSB in order to honor the request.

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# Family Assistance Plan

Passenger Identification The local medical examiner or coroner in the county or location ofthe accident is responsible for the positive identification of fatalities-and will provide official notification of death to the family

. In cases where local capacity for victim identification and mortuary services is exceeded, this task may be supplemented by members ofthe Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. These teams (D-MORT) are organized and activated by the Public Health Service, a division of the US Department of Health and Human Services. For injured passengers, the hospital is responsible for periodic status updates and either the hospital or Aerodynamics will continue to advise the families.


### Family Access to the

-Accident City Aerodynamics will arrange for the family of a passenger to travel to the city nearest the accident ifthey so desire. Once at the location, family assistance personnel will be assigned and dedicated to each family to coordinate such things as accommodations, ground transportation, communications, the purchase of personal incidentals, visiting survivors in the hospitals, etc
. If a family prefers, family assistance personnel will be available to travel to the family's.home, location to provide personal assistance, communications, and logistical support. When requested by survivors or family members, professional counseling services will be made available through Aerodynamics' close coordination with the American Red Cross which is responsible for mental health assistance. Aerodynamics will make provi-s-ions- for ajoint family support operations center to include space, communications, and logistical support for federal and American Red Cross staff. Aerodynamics will endeavor to secure a suitable facility to protect families from intrusions by the media and by unwelcome solicitors. The National Transportation Safety Board has accident-site jurisdiction. Within site security limitations that these authorities-establish, Aerodynamics- will

-respond to family requests for visits to the accident scene. Access to the site may be limited by terrain, biohazard and/or hazardous materials concerns, security measures, or other unforeseen conditions

. Aerodynamics family assistance personnel will continue to assist family members as they depart the accident location and Aerodynamics personnel will maintain contact with the family until they advise that this is no longer necessary.



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## Family Assistance Plan

Human Remains and Personal Effects The local medical examiner or coroner in the county or location ofthe accident is responsible for the disposition of identifiable and unidentifiable human.remains, Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams may be activated by the NTSB to assist with this process. Aerodynamics and its provider contracted to assist with these tasks will comply with decisions made by the responsible authorities and help to ensure that the families are advised as to the plans for disposition. The next-of-kin's wishes as to arrangements for remains identified as those ofthe passenger will be honored. 

### PersenalEffeets Local authorities such as the medical examiner or coroner should return identifiable personal items to the passenger's family rather than having the airline become custodian ofthem and local authorities should determine disposition of unidentifiable personal effects. Ifpersonal items-come into the airline's control, Aerodynamics or its

-provider will consult with each family about the disposition ofthe possessions. Unless requested otherwise, Aerodynamics or its vendor will describe to the next-of-kin the condition of each such possession and follow the direction ofthe next-of-kin as to the return or other disposition of such items regardless oftheir condition. Because specialized services such as the cleaning and restoration of personal effects may require a certain expertise, Aerodynamics has arranged for a contractor with this expertise to handle this with care on the airline's behalf After returning all possessions which can be associated with specific passengers, Aerodynamics will retain any unclaimed possessions which are within its control for no less than 18 months. Aerodynamics or its personal effects' vendor will create an inventory ofthese items and carefully store them. Monuments Ifthe families express a desire for a monument at the accident site, Aerodynamics will consult with the family of each passenger about its construction, including any inscription on the monument. All comments and concerns from families (along with the statutory and/or regulatory requirements or considerations ofthe place of construction) will be given careful consideration

. Each family will be given a choice of including or not including the passenger's name if an inscription ofthe names is planned in the agreed design

. The goal will be to achieve a full consensus of all families on a specific design. Should that not Depossible, in an effort to avoid lengthy delays, it may be necessary to implement aplan agreeable to the majority of the families. The next-of-kin will be given an opportunity to visit the monument when construction is complete.

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# Family Assistance Plan

Relationship with the American Red Cross Compensation to the American Red Cross A procedure will be developed to pay reasonable compensation to the American Red Cross for services provided by the organization. Aerodynamics has requested and expects to receive a plan oftasks and anticipated expenses prior to the American Red Cross' full deployment, consultation about costs as they are incurred, and an itemized list of services rendered and expenses to accompany the organization's invoice.


### Relationship with Domestic and

### International Partner Airlines Aerodynamics systematically works throughout the year on all elements of emergency response planning and procedures with the airlines having contracted partnership agreements with Aerodynamics. Goals include consistent terminology and structure, identification of mutual resources, maximum efficiency of resource deployment, cooperative management during drills and an accident response, etc. Aerodynamics is committed to providing each domestic connection or international code-share partner with assistance and support ifthey, as the operating carrier, have an accident. Conversely, in the event of an Aerodynamics accident, the partner airlines will provide assistance to meet language, resource, and personnel needs. 

### Flight Reservation Information Aerodynamics. will ensure, through its authorized providers, that it will inform any family of a passenger on the flight involved in an accident, whether or not their family member's name appeared on any preliminary passenger manifests, ifrequested by the family.



### Training OfEmployees and Agents Aerodynamics will ensure that all personnel involved in supporting families are adequately trained in meeting the needs. of survivors and-family members following an accident. This includes both employees ofAerodynamics and its authorized providers. Aerodynamics is committed to training its employees and using providers who employ only the most recent best practices for supporting both passenger and family survivors following an accident

.



### Accidents Occurring Outside the United States In-the event of an accident involving a flight operated by Aerodynamics, but occurring outside of the United States, Aerodynamics will provide support to passengers and families that is consistent with the type of support that would be provided for accidents occurring within the

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# Family Assistance Plan

United States. Furthermore, when providing support to passengers and families who are United States Citizens, Aerodynamics and its authorized providers will consult with both the National Transportation Safety Board and the US Department of State with respect to support for those persons 

### Damage To Man-Made Structures And Other Property On The Ground
In the event that an accident involving an Aerodynamics flight causes damage to man-made structures or other property on the ground, Aerodynamics will provide written notice to the property owner(s) instructing them to contact their insurer(s) in order to obtain authoritative informationwith regard to coverage and compensation relating to the property damage.and to advise them to obtain photographic or other detailed evidence of any property damage as soon as possible after the accident. 

### NTSB Hearings Greater Than Eighty Miles From the Accident Site Should the National Transportation Safety Board conduct public hearings (or comparable hearings) at a.location.that.is greater than eighty (80}roiles from the accident site, Aerodynamics will provide a means to simultaneously broadcast the hearing by electronic means at both the originating and destination city ofthe flight that was involved in the accident, ifthose cities are located in the United States.



### Filing Airline Plan With DOT and NTSB Aerodynamics has filed this Plan as required by the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996. In addition, Aerodynamics has submitted to the National Transportation Safety Board contact telephone numbers at its operational center, which can be used by the NTSB 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

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