September 28, 2012

U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

West Building Ground Floor Room W12-140

1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Washington, DC 20591-0001

Re: Exemption No. 5549, as amended; Docket No. FAA-2000-8434

Ladies/Gentlemen:

In accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14CFR) § 11.61(b), the 

Air Transport Association of America (ATA) dba “Airlines for America,” petitions the 

Administrator for an extension of Exemption No. 5549J (Docket No. FAA-2000-8434) 

on behalf of its member airlines1 and other similarly situated Part 121 certificate 

holders. This exemption is scheduled to expire on January 31, 2013.

Exemption No. 5549J provides relief from 14 CFR § 121.652(a) and (c) by permitting a 

pilot in command under Part 121 to conduct an instrument approach under certain 

weather conditions during the first 100 hours of service using an alternative means 

approved by the Administrator subject to certain conditions and limitations.

The conditions and circumstances which warranted the original grant of exemption, in 

regard to public interest and equivalent levels of safety, continue to exist. This petition 

does not seek to change the conditions and limitations of the current exemption. This 

exemption has been in use safely for almost ten years.

The renewal of this exemption is not a controversial issue. For this reason, and the 

reasons stated above, ATA requests that a finding of good cause be made for waiving 

publication in the Federal Register, (14 CFR §11.87). Granting the requested relief will 

set no precedents. The existence of the exemption is well known and widely accepted. 

_______________________________________________

1 A4A Members include: 

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Atlas Air, Delta Air Lines, Federal Express, Hawaiian 

Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, United Parcel Service Co., US 

Airways. Air Canada is an associate member.
U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

Docket No. FAA-2000-8434

September 28, 2012

Page Two

A summary of this petition as required by 14 CFR §11.81 is attached. 

If you have any questions or need additional information, please call me at (202) 626-

4012.

Very truly yours, 

Paul Railsback

 ______/S/____________________ 

Director - Operations

1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Suite 1100

Washington, D.C. 20004-1707 

(202) 626-4012

prailsback@airlines.org

Attachment
U.S. Department of Transportation

Docket Management System

Docket No. FAA-2000-8434

September 28, 2012

Attachment

SUMMARY OF ATA PETITION

The Air Transport Association, on behalf of its member airlines and other similarly 

situated Part 121 operators, petitions for an extension of Exemption No. 5549I. This 

exemption permits a pilot in command under Part 121 to conduct an instrument 

approach procedure to the weather minima prescribed by this exemption during the 

first 100 hours of service as a pilot in command, in the type of airplane he or she is 

operating, using an alternative means approved by the Administrator of satisfying 14 

CFR §121.652(a) and (c), subject to certain conditions and limitations.