AFS-13-098-E March 29, 2013

Exemption No. 10741 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2010-0920

Mr. Wayne Ehlke 135 Maintenance Compliance Manager Air Methods Corporation

7211 South Peoria Englewood, CO 80112

Dear Mr. Ehlke:

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 November 26, 2012, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Air Methods Corporation (A ir Methods) for an extension of Exemption No. 10162. That exemption from §§ 47.49 and 91.203(a) and (b) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allowed Air Methods to temporarily operate its U.S.-registered aircraft in domestic operations without the registration or airworthiness certificates on board. That exemption, however, expired on October 31, 2012; therefore, we will treat your request as a new petition.

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 Air Methods.

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. 6019 (copy enclosed), the FAA found that the loss of aircraft registration and/ or airworthiness certificates presents a unique problem to those operators that utilize their aircraft in revenue service. Currently, when an air2

carrier’s aircraft certificate of registration or airworthiness is missing or mutilated, it renders the aircraft unusable, sometimes resulting in substantial inconvenience to the public.

Under circumstances in which the petitioner has petitioned for exemption from §§ 47.49 and 91.203(a) and (b), there would be no change in ownership, the registration number of the aircraft, or the condition of the aircraft thereby preventing the aircraft from meeting the type certificate. The certificates for these aircraft have not been surrendered by the owner or operator and have not been revoked or suspended by the FAA. Further, the maintenance status of the aircraft has remained current under the airline’s FAA-approved maintenance program, and the registration of the aircraft has been recorded on the airline’s FAA-approved operations specifications.

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

 they are similar in all material respects to relief previously requested in the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 6019;

 the reasons stated by the FAA for granting the enclosed Grant of Exemption No. 6019 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 Air Methods Corporation an exemption from 14 CFR §§ 47.49 and 91.203(a) and (b) to the extent necessary to allow temporary operation of U.S.-registered aircraft in domestic operati ons without the registration or airworthiness certificates on board, subject to the conditions and limitations described below.

Conditions and Limitations

1. Air Methods, before utilizing the exemption, must apply for and receive from the district office responsible for its air carrier certificate an amendment to its operations specifications authorizing it to exercise the privileges of this exemption.

2. Air Methods, before utilizing the provisions of this exemption, must develop a comprehensive program that provides for continued operation of the aircraft through use of an appropriate entry in the aircraft logbook when the certificate of registration or airworthiness for such aircraft is lost, stolen, or mutilated; ensure that timely application is made to the FAA for a replacement certificate; and provide for the temporary operation of the aircraft during the interim required to receive a replacement certificate from the FAA and install it on the affected aircraft. This program must be FAA approved and instructions for its use shall be included in the air carrier’s manual required by 14 CFR § 135.21.3

3. The comprehensive program specified in paragraph 2 must contain:

a. A requirement that the following statement be entered into the appropriate section of the aircraft logbook whenever this exemption is to be utilized: “This aircraft is being operated without a certificate of registration (or airworthiness, as applicable) under the provisions of Exemption No. _____ for a period of 3 days beginning:

Time__________ Date_______ 20___.”

The signature, title, and station location of the person(s) authorized by paragraph b shall be affixed to this statement.

b. An identification of the designated person or persons within the air carrier’s maintenance organization authorized to enter the statement outlined in paragraph 3a and the method or methods wherein the documents required under paragraph 5 will be transmitted to the affected aircraft.

c. An arrangement whereby those persons within the Air Methods organization responsible for certificates of registration and airworthiness

will maintain a current record of the data from the certificates of each aircraft within its fleet which may be effected by the exemption. The data must be made readily available to the elements within Air Methods’s maintenance organization identified in paragraph 3b and must be kept

current at all times.

d. Procedures to ensure that the FAA principal maintenance inspector with responsibility for Air Methods is immediately notified of a missing or mutilated certificate and that timely application is made to the FAA for a replacement certificate (in the case of an airworthiness certificate) or a duplicate certificate (in the case of registration certificate).

e. Procedures which will describe specific duties and responsibilities by job

title.

4. The privileges of this exemption may only be exercised by Air Methods for temporary replacement of a missing and mutilated certificate which is current andin effect and only applies to U.S.-registered aircraft listed in Air Methods’s FAAapproved operations specifications. Where Air Methods is not the registered owner of the aircraft, they must have prior written consent of the registered owner authorizing the use of the program allowed by this exemption. Air Methods must4

file a copy of the written consent document with the FAA certificate-holding district office and must maintain a copy of the consent document in its own files.

5. A copy of this exemption and a copy of the operations specifications authorizing its use must be carried on board the aircraft when exercising the privileges of this exemption.

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

This exemption terminates on April 30, 2015, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

Michael J. Zenkovich Acting Deputy Director, Flight Standards

Service

Enclosure