AFS-13-268-E 

April 23, 2013 

 Exemption No. 10231A 

 Regulatory Docket No. FAA-2006-26080 

Mr. R. Todd Walsh 

Director of Operations 

Sky Lease I dba TradeWinds Airlines, dba TradeWinds 

243 A Burgess Road 

Greensboro, NC 27409 

Dear Mr. Walsh: 

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

No. 10231. 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 4, 2013, you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 

behalf of Sky Lease I d.b.a. TradeWinds Airlines d.b.a. TradeWinds (TradeWinds for an 

extension of Exemption No. 10231. That exemption from § 121.434(c)(1)(ii) of Title 14, 

Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) allows TradeWinds to substitute a qualified and 

authorized check airman or aircrew program designee for an FAA inspector to observe a 

qualifying pilot in command (PIC) who is completing initial or upgrade training specified in 

§ 121.424 during at least one flight leg that includes a takeoff and a landing. 

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 TradeWinds. 
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Our Decision 

The FAA has determined that the justification for the issuance of Exemption No. 10231 

remains valid with respect to this exemption 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 grant your petition, subject to the following conditions and limitations. 

Conditions and Limitations 

1. A TradeWinds check airman or aircrew program designee may conduct a PIC 

observation in place of an FAA inspector when— 

a. The Administrator preapproves that substitution for each observation of 

qualifying PIC candidate, thus reserving first right of refusal to the FAA in 

each case. TradeWinds, therefore, must contact an appropriate FAA office, in 

each instance, before substituting that check airman or aircrew program 

designee; 

b. The qualifying PIC candidate has completed no less than 10 hours of 

supervised operating experience (OE) and accomplished no fewer than two 

takeoffs and landing; and 

c. The qualifying PIC candidate is performing PIC duties during a complete 

flight leg, including flightdeck preparation, before starting engines checklist, 

taxi, takeoff, all other flight phases, landing, taxi, and securing checklist. 

2. Each TradeWinds check airman or aircrew program designee conducting a PIC 

observation in place of an FAA inspector must— 

a. Be approved by the Administrator to conduct the observation; 

b. Have served as a check airman or aircrew program designee for TradeWinds 

no less than 6 months; and 

c. Not supervise the OE or conduct the initial line check for the qualifying PIC 

candidate being observed. 

3. TradeWinds must maintain student, check airman, and aircrew program designee 

records that demonstrate compliance with the conditions and limitations of this 

exemption. 
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The Effect of Our Decision 

Our decision extends the termination date of Exemption No. 10231 to April 30, 2015, unless 

sooner superseded or rescinded. 

 

Sincerely, 

/s/ 

John S. Duncan 

Deputy Director, Flight Standards 

 Service