AFS

- 1 5

- 807

- E April 14, 2015

Exemption No. 3585 T Regulatory Docket No. FAA

- 2001

- 9379

Mr. Paul W. Railsback Director of Operations

Airlines for America 1301 Pennsylvania Ave nue , NW

., Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20004

Dear Mr. McGraw :

This letter is to inform you that we have granted your petition to extend Exemption

No. 3585 , as amended . It explains the basis for our decision

, describes its effect , and lists the

conditions and limitations

.

The Basis for Our Decision

By letter dated March 3, 2015 , you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on

behalf of Airlines for America, Inc. (A 4 A), for an extension of Exemption No. 3585 , as amended . That exemption from § § 121.613, 121.619(a), and 121.625 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations allows A 4 A

- member airlines and other similarly situated part 121 operators to continue to dispatch airplanes under instrument flight rules when conditional language in a one

- time inc rement of the weather forecast states that the weather at the destination, alternate airport, or both airports could be below the authorized weather

minimums when other time increments of the weather forecast state the weather conditions

will be at or abov e the authorized weather minimums.

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.2

The FAA has determined that good cause exists for not publishing a summary of the petition

in the Federal Register because the reque sted extension of the exemption would not set a precedent, and any delay in acting on this petition would be detrimental to A4 A.

Our Decision

The FAA has d etermined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 3585 remains valid with respect to this exemption and is in the public interest. Therefore, under the authority provided by 49 U.S.C. §§ 106 (f), 40113 and 44701, which the FAA Administrat or has delegated to me, Airlines for America, Inc., is granted an extension to Exemption

No. 3585, as amended , to the extent it allows A4A

- member airlines and other similarly situated part 121 operators to continue to dispatch airplanes under instrument fl ight rules when conditional language in a one

- time increment of the weather forecast states that the weather at the destination, alternate airport, or both airports could be below the authorized

weather minimums when other time increments of the weather fo recast state the weather

conditions will be at or above the authorized weather minimums , subject to the following

conditions and limitations.

Conditions and Limitations

1. Each certificate holder must list one additional alternate airport in the dispatch

release whenever the Aviation Routine Weather Report ( METAR ) , Terminal Aerodome Forecast (TAF), or any combination thereof for the destination airport or first alternate airport indicate, by the use of conditional words in the remarks section of

such META R or in one or more time increments of the TAF, that the forecast weather conditions for the destination and the first alternate airport could be less than the authorized weather minimums for those airports. However, the METAR or TAF must

indicate in anot her time increment that the weather conditions for the destination, first alternate, and second alternate airports are forecast to be not less than the applicable

authorized weather minimum values as follows

—

a. With respect to the destination airport, the f orecast weather conditions must not
be less than one

- half of the lowest weather minimum visibility value established for the instrument approach procedure expected to be used for an

instrument approach at the destination;

b. With respect to the first alternat e airport, the forecast weather conditions must

not be less than one

- half of the alternate weather minimum ceiling and visibility values specified in the certificate holder's operations specifications for that airport; and

c. With respect to the second alter nate airport listed in the dispatch release pursuant to this exemption, the METAR, the appropriate time increment of the TAF, or any combination thereof for that airport must indicate in the main body and remarks section of the METAR or TAF that the foreca st weather conditions will be at or above the alternate airport weather minimum ceiling3

and visibility values specified in the certificate holder's operations specifications for that airport.

Note: The use of area navigation ( RNAV ) instrument approach pro cedures in determining minimums is limited to destination airport or alternate(s). The operator can not base the dispatch on RNAV only approaches at both the destination and alternate airports.

2. No person may dispatch or take off an airplane when operatin g under the terms of this exemption unless the airplane has enough fuel (considering the fuel planning requirements in §121.647)

—

a. To fly to the airport to which it is dispatched;

b. Thereafter, to fly to and land at the most distant alternate airport for the airport to which it is dispatched, taking into consideration the anticipated air traffic control routing; and

c. Thereafter, to fly for 45 minutes at normal cruising fuel consumption.

3. Each certificate holder's pilot in command, while en route, must ensure b y way of air

to ground communication with the certificate holder's dispatch center and other appropriate facilities, that the pilot is receiving the most current METAR and TAF for the destination airport and the alternate airports. This current weather in formation must be used when making a decision to proceed to an alternate airport for landing.

4. Before commencing operations in accordance with this exemption, each certificate holder must obtain the approval of the appropriate FAA certificate

- holding distr ict

office. Each certificate holder must ensure that the conditions and limitations listed herein are included in its approved manual(s) for the use and guidance of its flight and ground operations personnel.

T he Effect of Our Decision

Our decision extend s the termination date of Exemption No. 3585 , as amended, to May 31, 201 7

, unless sooner superseded or rescinded.

Sincerely,

/s/ John Barbagallo Acting Deputy Director, Flight Standards Service