BEFOR ETH E

•.:iV\R]MENTO F 

## U^'OKL TOPERATION S REC F \ /

FEDERA LAVIATIO NADMINISTRATIO N^ wB—V-^L- S V j m \ SE P t 2 A10

: 1 ^ OFFIC EO FHEARING S

WASHINGTON , D.G . SE P - 1 201 1 

## HEARIN G DOCK ^

I NTH EMATTE RO F CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . FA A Docke t No . C P FA A Cas e No . 2010SW27003 9 Judg e No

LYe t Assigne d

ANSWE RO F CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . Pursuan t

t o Rul e 20 9 o f

th e Rule s o f

Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s (1 4 C.F.R . Par t

13 , Subpart , G) , Continenta l Airlines , Inc . ("Continental " o r "Respondent'") , by tb o undersigned , files thi s Answe r t o th e Complain t

o f th e Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio n ('•F.AA" ) i nth e above-captione dcas e tha t wa s serve db y certifie dmai l o n Jul y 22 , 2011 , an dstate s a s follows : Admission s an dDenial s 1 . Th e procedura l histor y recite di nComplain t sectio nidentifie da s I i s ADMITTED . 2 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 ar e ADMITTED . 3 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 2 constitut e th e F/VA' s characterizatio n o f th e CA LB737-78 9 Flee t Illustrate dPart s Catalogue , whic h speak s for

itsel f an di s th e bes t

evidenc e o f

it s contents .Answe r

o f Continenta l Pag e 2 4 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragraj^ hidentifie da s I I 3 constitut e th e FAA' s characterizatio n o f th e CA LBoein g B737-7S 9 Airplan e Maintenanc e Manual , whic hspeak s for

itsel f an di s th e bes t

evidenc e o f

it s contents . 5 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 4 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 6 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s 1 1 5 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFAA Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 7 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 6 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s mattei " i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFAA Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 8 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 7 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover} ' i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Oi'der . 9 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 8 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccoi'danc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFAA Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Oj'der .Answe r

o f Continenta l Pag o 3 10 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s in.Complain t paragi'ap hidentifie da s I I 9 a t thi s tim e an dintend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s matte r i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i nFAA Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 11 . Continenta l i s withou t sufficien t

knowledg e o r

informatio nt o admi t

o r den y th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 0 a t thi s tim e an d intend s t o conduc t

discover y i n thi s riiatter i naccordanc e wit hth e Rule s o f Practic e i n FA A Civi l Penalt y Action s an dth e Procedura l Order . 12 . Th e allegation s i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 1 1 ar e DENIED , pendin g discover y i n thi s matter . 13 . Th e allegation s followin g Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s I I 11 , an d designate da s a , b , c an ddar e DENIED , pendin g discover y i nthi s matter . 14 . Continenta l ADMIT S tha t th e maximu mpenalt y pe r violatio nvmde r

th e rogulation(s ) cite di n paragrap hI I 1 1 o f th e Complain t

i s $25,000 , bu t

Continenta l DENIE S tha t

i t violate dth e regulation(s ) cite di nth e Complaint , pendin g discover y i n thi s matter , o r

i s otherwis e subjec t

t o acivi l penalt y i nthi s case . 15 . Continenta l DENIB] S an y allegatio ni nth e Complain t no t specificall y addresse di n thi s An.swer . Affirmativ e Defense s 1 . Fo r it s first affirmativ e defense , Continenta l assert s tha t th e FAA ha s faile dt o estate aclai mupo n whic hrelie f ca nb e ba.sed .Answe r

o f Continenta l Pag e 4 2 . Fo r

it s secon daffirmativ e defense , Continenta l assert s tha t th e propose d civi l penalt y i n Complain t paragrap hidentifie da s II I 2 i s excessiv e an dno t appropriat e unde r

th e circumstance s pi'esented .

Relie f Requeste d Continenta l respectfull y request s tha t th e Complain t

b e dismisse dwit h prejudice . Plac e o f Hearin g Continenta l request s tha t th e hearin g i nthi s matte r b e hel di nHouston , Texas , whic hi s acorporat e offic e for Responden t

an dth e plac e fro mwhic hmos t Continenta l witnesse s wil l likel y b e calle dt o testify . Duratio no f

Hearin g Continenta l expect s a t thi s tim e tha t

th e hearin g wil l las t

tw o days , bu t

ma y tak e substantiall y longe r dependin g o nth e witnesse s t o testif y an dth e evidenc e t o b e presented . Respectfull y submitted , CONTINENTA LAIRLINES , INC . By : ^^^^^^Jhrna^ /liU^JZyu^(rt^ . -VJ^. ' Thoma s Newto nBoilin g Vic e Presiden t

& Associat e Genera l Counse l Augus t 20 , 201 1Answe r

o f Continenta l Pag e 5 CERTIFICAT EO FSERVIC E I certif y tha t o n thi s 26^' ' da y o f

Augus t 2011 , I cau.se datru e cop y o f th e foregoin g Answe r

t o b e served : b y U.S . certifie dmai l (origina l an don e copy) , retur ni-eceip t requested , to : Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , ACTC-43( ) Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W100 0

an db y U.S . certifie dmail , retur nreceip t requested , to : Ti mDuff

, Attorne y Offic e o f Regiona l Counse l Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n Southwes t

Regio n 2t)0 1 Meaeha mBoulevar d For t Worth , TX 76137-429 8

^~h-'y%.'-y\.<U ^ ohnni e Jacks o