### J^ f rV\RTMFN T O F M JU L2 b A ^1^ 1 ToddC . Emerson . #S17 5 444SoLilh River

Ro;id St . George . Ul;ili.S479( ) Telephone : (4.1.5) 6.U-3-i3 0 Fiicsiniile : (43.5 ) 634-:vS() 5

UNITE D ST A IK S O FAMKRIC A

DKFARTMEN T O FIRANSPORTAHO N OFFIC E O FHEARING S WASHINGTON , D.C . I n Ih c Matter of : SkyVVes l Airlines . Inc . FAADOCKhTCP : Unassigne d' ^ FA A Ca.se No . 201INM06()0 I I Judge ; Una.ssigned

JUDG E NO T ASSIGNED :

ANSWE RAND AFFIRMATIV E DEFENSE S SkyVVes t Airlines , Inc . {"SkyWesl") , h y it s coun.sel . heieb y tile s its Answer , pursuan t to Rul e 20 9 of

the Rule s o

f Practic e (1 4 C.F.R . 13.209) . an dstate s a s follows :

.SkyWest admit s tha

t i t wa s advise dthroug h aFina l Notic e of

Propose dCivi l Penalt

y tha i the FA A propose dt

o asses s acivi l penall y i

n the amoun

t o f S99.()00 , ando n Ma

y 3 I . 20 1 1 .SkyVVes t suhmitie dawriilei i rei|iies l fu r ahearing .

### 1 . I

n respons e to Paragrap h I . SkyWes t admit s tha

i i t is now ;in

dwa s a t all lime s material lierelo . ili e lioltler

o f Scliedule dAir

Carrie r Certificate No . SWIAOI \.\ . andcondiiel s it s vipevalioii s pursviai

u l o Par t 12 1 of iho Federa

l Aviatio n RegviUuiv>n

s (FAR) . 2 . I n respons e t

o Paragrap h 2 . SkyWes t

admit s tha

t Paragrap h D0S 5 t)f

SkyWest' s Operation s Specification s (O p Specs ) authorize s SkyWes t to us e N4I0SW , aBombardier CL-600

- 2B1 9 civi l aircraft , i

n th e conduc t

o f SkyWest" s Pa

n 12 1 operations . 3 . I n respons e to Paragrap h 3 . SkyWes t admit s tha

t Paragrap h D()S 5 of

SkyWesi' s OpSpee s authorize s SkyWes t

to us e N9S4CA . aBombardier CL-6()0-2 B 1 9 civi l aircraft , i n th e conduc t of SkyWest' s Par

t 12 1 operations . 4 . I n respons e t

o Paragrap h 4 . SkyWes t

admit s tha

i Paragrap h D08 5 of

SkyWest' s OpSpec s authorize s SkyWes t

t o us e N41ISW . aBombardier CL-600-2B1 9 civi l aircraft , i n Ihe conduc t of SkyWest' s Par

t 12 1 operations . 5 . I n respons e to Paragrap h 5 , SkyWes t admit s tha

t Paragrap h A09 8 of

SkyWest' s OpSpec s retjuir e tha t aircraf t loadin g fo

r Bombardier

CL-600-2B1 9 aircraf

t b e accomplishe di

n accordanc e wit

h SkyWest' s Weight

t. ^ Balanc e Operation s Manual . SP41()0 . Par t XII . revisio n Gri g o

f 1 AP R10(W& B Manual) . 6 . h i respons e to Paragrap h 6 . SkyWes t admit s tha

t SkyWest' s Wc^

B Manua l contain s the loadin g >cheduie s an

dinstruction s lo r

SkyWest' s Bombardier

CL-W)0-2

B 1 9 aircraft .7 . I

n respons e t o Paragrap h 7 . SkyWes t admit s tha t

SkyWest' s WfSi

B Manual , Chapte r

2 , paragraj)! ! 5 S define s "Standar dChecke dBags " a s an y ba g weighin g 5 0 poimd s o r less . S . I n respons e t o Paragrap h K . SkyWest' s W& B Manual . Chapte r 2 , paragrap h 5 0 define s "Planesid e Valet " a s equivalen t t o aPlaiiesid e Loade dBa g o r Servic e Item . 9 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 9 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

SkyWest' s Wc^ B Manual , Chapte r 2 . paragrap h 4 9 define s "Plauesid e Loade dBag " a s an y ba g o r ite mtha t

i s place da

t th e doo r o r step s o f a n aircraf

t o r i n Ih e passenge r

loadin g bridg e an dsubsequentl y place di n th e aircraf t carg o bin/pit . 10 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 10 , SkyWes t admit s tha i SkyWest' s W& B Maiuial . Chapte r 2 , paragrap h 2 . A.2 4 define s "Heav y Cheeke dBags " a s an y ba g weighin g mor e tha n 5 0 pounds , bu t

les s tha n 10 0 pounds . 11 . In respons e t o Paragrap h 11 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

SkyWest' s W& B Manual . Chapte r 3 , paragrap h 2 . D . 1 require s th e loadin g agen t t o mark th e numbe r

o f standar dan dheav y bag s o n th e Carg o Loa dRepor t (CLR) . 12 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 12 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

SkyWest' s W& B Manual , Chapte r 3 . paragrap h 2.1. 2 require s th e loadin g agen t t o verif y ih e piec e coun t

t) f al l Standar d Cheeked . Heav y Checkeil . an dplanesid e Loaded/Servic e Ite mBaggag e upo n completio n o f loadiriiz .

### 13 . I

n respons e to Paragrap h 13 , SkyWes t admit s tha

t SkyWest' s Wtt B Manual . Chapter 4 , paragrap h ii.

H recinirc s the loadin g agent tt ) write the tota

l numbe r of StandardCheckei l Baggag e loade dmeac h carg o bi n o n th e CL Ri n the "Standar dChecked " block . 14 . I n respons e to Paragrap h 14 . SkyWes t admit s tha

t SkyWest' s WA B Manual . Chapter 4 . paragrap h 8. 9 require s the loadin g agent t o write th e tota

l number of Heavy Checke d Baggag e loade di

n each carg o bi n o

n th e CL Ri n th e "Heav y Checked " block . 15 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 15 . SkyWes t admit s tha

t SkyWest' s W& B Manual . Chapte r 4 . paragrap h S.I

O require s the loadin g agent to write the tota

l nunibe r o f planesid e valet baggag e loade di

n eac h carg o bi

n o n th e CL Ri n ihe "Planesid e Valet/Servic e Items " block . 16. I n respons e t

o Paragrap h 16 , SkyWes t

admit s tha

t SkyWest' s W& B Manual , Chapte r 4 , paragrap h 1 1 - Aircraf

t Loading , contain s the warning : 

# A VVARNINi j - INACCaRAT E LOADING . .REPORTING . O R F.i^lLUR E T O REP'IiR T INFORMATIO N COUL D CAUS E ISSUE S WIT H AIRCRAF T PERFORMANC E AN D HANDLING . RESULTIN G I N TH E ENDANG£RMEN T O F HUM.A N LIFE .



### III . 17 . I n resjions e to Paragrap h 17 . SkyWes t admit s tha

t o n November

22 . 2010 , a

t Billing s Loga n International Airpor

t (BIL) . Billings . Montana . SkyWes t loade dpassenger s and baggag e ont o N4I0SW . t o b e operate da s Fligh

t 465 9 boun dfo

r Salt Lak e Cil y International Airpor

t (SLC) , Salt

Lak e City . Utah . ^IS . I

n resjions e t o Paragiai) h IS , SkyWes t i s wiihou t

sufficien t

informatio n o r

knowledg e fro m wliic h t o formabelie f

a s t o th e trut h o f

th e allegatio n tha t

SkyWest' s personne l a t BI L loade dM ^ Standar dChecke dBags , an dtw o Heav y Checkei l Bag s marke dwit h aHeav y Ba g Tag . ont o N410S Wan dtherefor e denie s th e same . 19 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 19 . SkyVVes t admit s tha t

th e CL Rfo r

Fligh t 465 9 liste d"4 0 Standar dChecke dBags " an d"{ ) Heav y Checke dBag s o n boar dN410SW " 20 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 20 . SkyWes t admit s tha t

the y operate dN41()S Wa s Fligh t 465 9 t o SLC . IV . 21 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 21 . SkyWes t admit s tha t

o n Decembe r

14 , 2010 . at

Lo s Angele s Internationa l Airpor t

(LAX) , Lo s Angeles . California . SkyWes t loade dpassenger s an d baggag e ont o iN984CA , t o b e operate da s Fligh t 669 2 boun dfo r

Sa n Dieg o Internationa l Airpor t (SAN) . Sa n Diego . California . 22 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 22 . SkyWes t i s withou t

sufficien t

informatio n o r

knowledg e fro m whic h t o for

mabelie f

a s l o th e trut h o f

th e allegatio n tha t

SkyWest' s personne l a t LA X loade d1 9 Standar dCheeke dBags , an don e Heav y Checke dBa g marke dwit h aHeav y Ba g Tag . ont o N984CA . 23 . I n respons e t o Parai^rap h 23 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

th e CL Rfo r

Fligh t 669 2 liste d"2 0 Staiidart l Bags " an d" 5 Heav y Bags " o n board .I

24 . h i respons e \ o Paragrap h 24 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

i t operate dN984C A a s Fligh t 669 2 t o i SAN . :

I 15 . I n respons e l o Paragrap h 25 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

o n Decembe r

15 . 2010 . a

t LAX , SkyWes t loadei l passenger s an dbaggag e ont o N4 1 ISW . t o b e operate da s Fligh t 480 0 boun dfo r

SAN . i I 26 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 26 , SkyWes t i s withou t

sufficien t

informatio n o r

knowledg e fro m whic h t o formabelie f

a s t o th e trut h o f

th e allegatio n tha t

SkyWest' s personne l a t LA X loade d4 3 Standar dChecke dBags , fo r Heav y Checke dBag s marke dwith aHeav y Ba g Tag . an d1 2 planesid e vale t bag s ont o N4 1 IS Wan dtherefor e denie s th e same . 27 . I n respons e t o Paragrap h 27 . SkyWes t admit s tha t

th e CL Rfo r

Fligh t 480 0 listei l "5 9 j Standar dChecke dBags" . " 0 Heav y Checke dBags" , an d"0 " planesid e vale t bag s o n board" . 28 . I n respons e l o Paragrap h 28 , SkyWes t admit s tha t

the y operate dN4 I IS Wa s Fligh t 480 0 l o SAN . V ISkyWes t generall y denie s ai l remainin g allegation s set fort h i n th e Complaint . AlFrRMAIIV K

DKFKNSK S 1 . Th e propose dpenall y i s excessiv e an dviolate s FA\ Apolicy . 2 . SkyWes t

ma y hav e othe r

alTirmativ e ilefense s no t cunentl y know n but

whic h ma y becom e know n throug h discovery . SkyWes l reserve s ih e righ t l o alleg e suc h affiiinaliv e defense s a s ihc y becom e known .

r< h DATE D thi s 15'Mayo f July , 2011 , 

# \9

M 

# i ^ Tod dC Emerso n Afionic' v fo r

SkyWes l Airline sCKRTIHC.Vr E O K SKRVIC K Ih e undersigne dhereb y certifie s tha t o n thi s 15 ' tla y o f

July , 20 1 I , atru e an dcorrec t cop y o f di e foregoin g ANSWK RAN D AFFIRMATIV E DFFFNSF S wa s serve da s folh)ws : Federa l .Aviatio n Administratio n SO O Indu'peiKlene e Avenu e S W Washington . D C 2059 1 Attn : Hearin g Docke t

Clerk . AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Building-Suit e 2W100 0

(Federa l lixpress j Jeffre y M . Haipe r

Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n Northwes t

Mountai n Region , ANM- 7 160 1 Lin dAvenu e S.W . Renton , Washiuiiio n 9805 7

(hiiesimil e (uu l FeJeni l Fxpress }