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 conditions 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, Inc. (TAI), for an extension of Exemption No. 9844. 

That exemption from § 61.31(a)(1) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allows TAI 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, you 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 petition 

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 that 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 Division 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 the 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 Administrator 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. 

Under 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 systems, 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 showing 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, before a pilot can serve as PIC in the 

S2R-T660 that pilot must have successfully completed familiarization ground training 

for the S2R-T660 that includes a review of the approved aircraft flight manual and 

cockpit familiarization checkout. This checkout must include ground training on the 

aircraft’s systems, 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 requirements 
3

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 this 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 100 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, 2015,

unless sooner superseded or rescinded. 

Sincerely,

/s/

Michael J. Zenkovich

Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service