AFS-12-089-E 

December 1, 2011 

 Exemption No. 10286A 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2010-1018 

Mr. Richard B. Shideler 

Director of Maintenance 

NetJets Aviation, Inc. 

4111 Bridgeway Avenue 

Columbus, OH 43219 

Dear Mr. Shideler: 

This letter is to inform you that we have amended your Exemption No. 10286. It explains the 

basis for our decision and describes its effect. 

The Basis for Our Decision 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is amending Exemption No. 10286 for 

NetJets Aviation, Inc. (NetJets). That exemption from § 43.3(g) of Title 14, Code of Federal 

Regulations (14 CFR) allows NetJets’ properly trained pilots (under an approved training 

program) to accomplish supervised updates of navigational software databases of installed 

flight management systems. The relief applies to all aircraft maintained under parts 91, 

subpart K, and 135. 

The FAA determined the need to provide additional relief from §§ 91.1443(b)(3) and 

135.443(b)(3) in Exemption No. 10286. The exemption also needed to address operations 

outside the United States. 

We are amending the current grant of exemption from § 43.3(g) to provide relief from the 

requirement that the maintenance log be signed by a certificated mechanic or repairman as 

required by §§ 91.1443(b)(3) and 135.443(b)(3) only as it applies to the logbook entry. This 

relief is addressed in item No. 5 of the conditions and limitations of Exemption No. 10286. 

Loading of navigational databases is identified as a preventive maintenance task in 

Appendix A to part 43. That work must be documented in the logbook by a certificated 

mechanic or repairman. Granting an exemption from § 43.3(g) to allow NetJets’ pilots to 
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load navigational databases within the parameters of item No. 5 in the conditions and 

limitations of Exemption No. 10286 will result in pilots’ loading software databases in places 

and at times where certificated mechanics and/or repairmen are not available. This 

necessitates an exemption from §§ 91.1443(b)(3) and 135.443(b)(3) to permit those same 

pilots to make the logbook entry required by item No. 5 in the conditions and limitations of 

Exemption 

No. 10286. 

We also find that we did not address NetJets’ operations under this exemption outside the 

United States as required in § 11.83. We have reviewed the corresponding International Civil 

Aviation Organization Standards and Recommended Practices and have identified no 

differences with the regulation from which we grant this exemption. However, a foreign 

country still may not allow NetJets to operate in that country under this exemption if it so 

chooses. 

Our Decision 

The FAA has determined the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 10286, as 

amended, remains valid and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the authority provided 

by 49 U.S.C. §§ 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrator has delegated to me, I have 

amended Exemption No. 10286. 

The Effect of Our Decision 

The termination date of Exemption No. 10286, as amended, is extended to 

December 31, 2013, unless sooner superseded or rescinded. All conditions and limitations of 

Exemption No. 10286, as amended, remain the same. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. Pilots will be trained on all specific makes and models of the flight management 

computer to which they will be uploading navigational software databases. 

Training on one make and model will not enable the pilot to update databases in 

other makes and models. 

2. Upon successful completion of training, each pilot will be authorized, in writing, by 

the director of maintenance or authorized designee to perform navigational 

software database uploads on systems for which they have received training. 

3. The software being uploaded will not contain system operating software. The 

upload must include the navigational database only. The director of maintenance is 

responsible for ensuring the software being uploaded does not contain operating 

system software. 

4. NetJets must have written procedures available to the pilot to perform the task and 

to evaluate the accomplishment of the task, including those tasks that require a 

decision concerning the airworthiness of the aircraft. 
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5. Each completed task must include the maintenance log entries, including the name 

of the person performing the upload, the date of the upload, the database revision 

number uploaded, and the aircraft location at the time of upload. 

6. This grant of exemption from § 43.3(g) includes only the uploading of navigational 

software databases as listed in Appendix A to part 43, paragraph (c)32, and does 

not extend to other preventive maintenance tasks identified in Appendix A to part 

43. 

7. NetJets may operate outside the United States under this exemption, unless 

otherwise prohibited by a foreign country. 

This letter must be attached to, and is a part of, Exemption No. 10286. 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

John W. McGraw 

Acting Director, Flight Standards 

 Service