AFS

- 13

- 567

- E November 22, 2013

Exemption No. 9844C Regulatory Docket No. FAA

- 2004

- 17207

Mr. Ed Rusk Thrush Aircraft, Inc.

P.O. Box 3149

300 Old Pretoria Road Albany , GA 31217

Dear Mr. Rusk :

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption No. 9844. It explains the basis for our decision, describes its effect, and lists the condition s and

limitations.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated September 16, 2013 , you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on behalf of Thrush Aircraft, I nc. (TAI), for an extension of Exemption No. 9844. That exemption from § 61.31(a)(1) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allows T AI pilots

to operate as pilot in command (PIC) without holding a type rating when operating Thrush

Model S2R

- T660 aircraft that have a maximum gross weight that exceeds 12,500 pounds.

In your petition, yo u indicate that there has been no change in the conditions and reasons relative to public interest and safety that were the basis for granting the original exemption.

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petiti on in the Federal Register because the requested extension of the exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to TAI.

Our Decision

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 9844 remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. The FAA has also made some amendments to the conditions and limitations of Exemption No. 9844 t hat clarify our original intent and to refine our requirements. Specifically:2

1. Condition/Limitation No. 2 was edited to require TAI to have an approved training manual along with approval documentation from the FAA’s General Aviation and

Commercial Divisio n in order to exercise the privileges of this exemption. An FAA approval training manual is meant to ensure that TAI is providing a training program that is in accordance with FAA safety standards. In addition, the conditions and

limitations note that th e training manual must be made available to any representative of the FAA Administrator upon request.

2. Condition/Limitation No. 5b was edited to clarify and standardize this exemption with similar exemptions to allow any representative of the FAA Administr ator the authority to review TAI’s record of training.

While the relief does not change substantially, all users of the exemption should thoroughly

review the revised conditions and limitations.

U nder the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has delegated to me, I grant your petition, subject to the following conditions

and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations

1. This exemption applies to pilots operating S2R

- T660 aircraft that hold a restricted

category airworthiness certificate for operations involving agricultural, forest protection, and narcotic crop eradication flight operations.

2. TAI must develop and maintain a training manual that includes aeronautical knowledge training on the S2R

- T660 aircraft sy stems, performance, handling characteristics. This training manual must include characteristics that are unique to

S2R

- T660 aircraft that are operated above 12,500 pounds. TAI may exercise the privileges of this exemption only if it has documentation show ing approval of its training manual from the FAA’s General Aviation and Commercial Division,

AFS

- 800, 800 Independence Avenue, S

. W., Washington, D. C. 20591. The training manual and approval documentation must be made immediately available to any representative of the FAA Administrator, upon request.

3. Except as provided in condition/limitation No. 4, b efore a pilot can serve as PIC in the

S2R

- T660 th at pilot must have successfully completed familiarization ground training

for the S2R

- T660 that in cludes a review of the approved ai rcraft flight manual and cockpit familiarization checkout . This checkout must include ground training on the aircraft’s sys tems, performance, and handling characteristic of the S2R

- T660.

4. Pilots who have logged at least 100 hours of flight time, with at least 10 hours in the preceding 12 months, in a TAI S2R

- T660 need not complete the training requirements3

of Condition No. 3. A record of this flight time must be made available by the pilot upon request by the Administrator.

5. TAI must

—

a. Ensure each pilot logs the ground training in his or her logbook, or TAI must record such training in the pilot's training record; and

b. Make thi s record of training available for review any representative of the FAA Administrator, upon request.

6. The person qualified to give training under this exemption must meet the following minimum qualifications:

a. Be authorized by TAI to give this instruction;

b. Hold at least a commercial pilot certificate; and

c. Meet the following experience requirements:

i. 500 hours of flight time in turbine

- powered agricultural type airplanes;

or ii. 1000 hours of flight time in agricultural type airplanes which includes

at least 1 00 hours of flight time in a S2R

- T660.

7. TAI must make a copy of this exemption available to each pilot who serves as PIC in

the S2R

- T660.

The Effect of Our Decision

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 9844 to November 30 , 201 5

, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/

Michael J. Zenkovich Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service