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 (Air 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 air 
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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operator and have not been revoked or suspended by the FAA.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 operations 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. 
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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 and 

in 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 must 
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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