### BARNET T LA WOFFICES , P.C
. CHARLE S R
. BARNETT , II I ATTORNE Y A T LA W 815-356-864 7 LAK E I N TH E HILL S AIRPOR

T (3CK ) Toll Fre e 800-578-551 2 815-356-704 2 fa

x 841 1 PYOT T ROAD , SUITEII O crb@bamettlegal.co m LAK E I N TH E HILLS , ILLINOIS 6015 6 - 970 4
Marc h2 , 201 2 U.S
. Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Docke t Operation s Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mW12-I4 0 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , SE
. : ^ Washington , D C 2059 0 - ^ Dea r Si r o r Madam , Pleas e findenclose daPetitio n for Exemptio n t o 1 4 C.F.R
. I f yo u requir e an y addition^ ' infonnation , pleas e feel free t o contac t thi s office
. Regards ,

Charle s R
. Barnett , II I 

### End
.PETITIO N FO REXEMPTIO N T O 1 4 CF R

Marc h2 , 201 2 U S Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Docke t Operation s 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S E Wes t Buildin g Groun dFloo r Roo mW12-14 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 Pursuan t t o 1 4 CF R§ 11.8 1 th e followin g informatio n i s provide di n support o f Operatio n Migration' s petitio n for

a n exemption : Thi s petitio n for

exemptio n i s mad e by : Charle s R
. Barnett , II I Barnett La w Offices , P C Lak e In Th e Hill s Airport (3CK ) 841 1 Pyott

Road , Suit e 10 9 Lak e I n Th e Hills , Ulinoi s 60156-970 4 Tel
. 815-356-864 7 Fa x 815-356-704 2 crb@bamettlegal.co m A s counse l fo r Operatio n Migration , Inc , an d Jo e Duf f C.E.O
. Operatio n Migration , Inc
. 639-162 3 Military Roa d Niagar aFalls , N Y US A 14304-174 5 Tel : 905-982-109 6 joe@operationmigration.or g
Th e specifi c section s o f

1 4 CF Rfromwhic hOperatio n Migratio n seek s a n exemptio n ar e 91.319(e ) an d61.315(c ) 2 an d3 ; § 91.31 9 Aircraf

t havin g experimenta l certificates : Operatin g limitations
.
(e ) N o perso n ma y operat e a n aircraf t tha t i s issue da

n experimenta l certificat e unde r §21.191(i ) o f thi s chapte r

for compensatio n o r

hire , excep t

aperso n ma y operat e a n aircraf t issue da n experimenta l certificat e imde r §21.191(i)(l ) for

compensatio n o r

hir e to —An d

§ 61.31 5 Wha t

ar e th e privilege s an dlimit s o f my spor t

pilo t certificate ? (a ) I f yo u hol dasport

pilo t certificat e yo u ma y ac t

a s pilo t i n comman do f

alight-sport

aircraft , excep t a s specifie di n paragrap h(c ) o f thi s section
. [••• ] (c ) Yo u ma y no t

ac t a s pilo t i n conmian do f

alight-sport

aircraft : (1 ) Tha t i s carryin g apassenge r

o r propert y for

compensatio n o r

hire
. (2 ) Fo r compensation o r

hire
. (3 ) In fiirtherance o f

abusiness
.
Th e reason s wh y grantin g Operatio n Migration' s reques t woul db e i n th e publi c interest ; tha t is , ho w i t woul dbenefi t

th e publi c a s awhol e ar e a s follows : In th e 1940' s onl y fifteen Whoopin g crane s existe di n th e world
. The y migrate dfromnorther n Canad at o Texa s wher e the y wer e threatene db y hurricanes , huma n encroachment , chemica l spill s o r avia n diseases
. I n orde r

t o safeguar dth e specie s fromextinctio n asecon dinsuranc e flock wa s needed
. However , Whoopin g crane s learn t o migrat e b y followin g th e paren t generation
. Unfortunately , al l o f th e bird s tha t

use dth e easter n flyway wer e extirpate dfromtha t are ab y th e lat e 1800' s s o ther e wer e n o parent s t o teac hthe mth e route . Begirmin g i n 1993 » Operatio n Migratio n develope dth e onl y know n metho do f reintroducin g endangere dbird s i n amigrator y situation
. Thi s i s accomplishe db y imprintin g th e bird s o n handler/pilot s an dconditionin g the mt o follo w aspecifi c ultraligh t aircraft
. In 1998 , th e Internationa l Whoopin g Cran e Recover y TeamaskedOperatio n Migratio n t o spearhea da

n attemp t t o establis hasecon dflock tha t migrate dfromWisconsi n t o Florida
. A n associatio n o f

nin e Federal , Stat e an dprivat e agencie s know n a s th e Whoopin g Cran e Easter n Partnershi p (WCEP) , wa s forme di n 1999
. Beginnin g i n 200 1 ane w generatio n o f Whoopin g crane s wa s hatche deac hyear a t th e USG S Patuxen t

Wildlif e Researc hCente r

i n Maryland
. I n Jun e the y wer e transferre db y privat e aircraf t t o Wisconsi n wher e thei r conditionin g continued
. I n th e fail , the y wer e le dalon g apreselecte drout e t o Florid athat covere d128 0 mile s an dseve n states . Th e bird s wer e monitore dove r th e winte r

an dmad e th e return tri p bac k

t o Wisconsi n o n thei r

own . Ther e ar e no w 10 0 Whoopin g crane s i n th e eastern flyway. S o far , the y hav e produce dthre e offsprin g tha t hav e learne dthi s sam e rout e fix)mthei rparents . Thes e thre e ar e th e first wil dhatched , migrator y Whoopin g crane s i n this are asinc e th e las t nes t wa s reporte di

n 1878
. Th e imag e o f

amode maircraf

t leadin g a n ancien t

specie s ha s generate dworldwid e medi a attentio n whic hprovide s a n unprecedente deducatio n opportunity
. Throug hJourne y North , thi s projec t reache s 1. 6 millio n student s eac hyear withonlin e stud y plans
. I t ha s bee n feature do n suc hmedi aoutlet s a s 6 0 Minutes , 20/2 0 an dNationa l Geographi c an di s th e subjec t o f a t leas t nin e books
. Throug hOperatio n Migration' s liv e we b camer aan dth e socia l media , w e reac h hundred s o f

thousand s o f

followers
. Althoug hOperatio n Migratio n receive s n o fimding assistanc e fromth e U S Fis han dWildlif e Service , ihe y hav e complete dcritica l task s t o contribut e bot ht o th e recover y effort s o f th e specie s unde r

th e Endangere dSpecie s Ac t a s wel l a s supportin g th e multi-nationa l Migratory Bir dTreaty Act
. In summary , ther e ar e man y benefit s t o America n people :

• It safeguard s acriticall y endangere dspecies
. • I t fulfill s th e mandat e o f

th e Internationa l Whoopin g Cran e Recovery Tea m • It fiilfills th e mandat e o f

th e Endangere dSpecie s Ac t o f th e U S Fis han dWildlif

e Service
. • It promote s th e conservatio n an drestoratio n o f wetian dhabitat
. • It provide s a n unprecedente deducatio n opportunity
. • I t promote s eco-touris mi n Wisconsin , Florid aan dalon g th e migratio n rout e Th e reason s wh y grantin g th e exemptio n woul dno t adversel y affec t

safety , o r

ho w th e exemptio n woul dprovid e aleve l o f safety at leas t equal t o tha t

provide db y th e rul e fromwhic h yo u see k th e exemptio n ar e a s follows :

• Operatio n Migratio n pilot s ar e hig htim e pilot s tha t hav e bee n flying ultraligh t aircraft , specificall y weight-shif

t aircraft ^ for man y years . Befor e th e FA A institute dth e Sport Ligh t Category thes e pilot s hel dothe r certificate s t o fly ultraligh t aircraft
. • Operatio n Migratio n pilot s complet e a n extensiv e traiiun g progra mtha t i s designe dt o safel y an dspecificall y allo w th e whoopin g cran e flock t o migrat e fromWisconsi n t o Florida
. • T o kee p th e bird s wil dan dawa y frompeople , th e Operatio n Migratio n rout e wa s specificall y designe dthroug huncontrolle dairspac e awa y fromairport s an dove r ope n rura l areas . Landin g site s ar e mostl y o n privat e propert y i n isolate dfar mfields.
• Becaus e th e bird s lear n t o soar o n th e vortice s create db y th e wingtip
. Operatio n Migratio n wil l fly onl y i n calm , col dai r at sunrise
. Condition s mus t b e perfec t

i n orde r for th e bird s t o follo w th e pilot s s o Operatio n Migratio n pilot s d o no t fly i n advers e condition s o r

margina l VF Rweather
. • Whe n w e ar e able , w e recrui t th e service s o f

volxmteer

pilot s t o fly top-cover . Thes e conventiona l aircraf

t fly cfrcle s 100 0 fee t

abov e an don e quarte r

mil e ou t t o hel p monito r th e birds , commumcal e wit hAT C usin g fligh t followin g an dt o chec k

-weathe r conditioTi s ahead
.• In orde r t o fly slowl y enoug hfor th e bird s (3 8 t o 4 0 MPH ) ou r aircraf t ar e very ligh t

an d therefor e abl e t o glid e lon g distanc e an dsafel y lan di n smal l areas . • Operatio n Migratio n aircraf t ar e inspecte dannually
. • Operatio n Migratio n aircraf t ar e hangare dan dmaintaine dt o hig hstandards
. • Engine s ar e opene dfor inspectio n befor e reachin g 40 0 hour s an dreplacedo r professionall y rebuil t

befor e 60 0 hours
. • I n leadin g bird s fo

r eleve n years . Operatio n Migratio n ha s neve r experience da

n acciden t involvin g on e o f

ou r aircraft
. • Thi s exemptio n i s for th e limite dpurpos e o f

Operatio n Migratio n an dwil l no t hav e afa r reachin g impac t

o n an y othe r

certificat e holder s outsid e o f Operatio n Migration
. • Thi s reques t

i s for atemporar y exemptio n i n orde r t o allo w Operatio n Migratio n t o replac e it s fleet

o f Experimenta l Light-Sport Aircraf t wit hafleet

o f Specia l Light-Sport Aircraf t whic hwil l no t

requir e a n exemptio n for Operatio n Migration' s use . • Operatio n Migratio n anticipate s al l o f it s pilot s wil l hol dPrivat e Pilo t Certificate s prio r

t o th e commencemen t

o f th e 201 2 migration
. A summary w e ca n publis hi n th e Federa l Register , shoul dstate : Operatio n Migratio n seek s a n exemptio n from1 4 CF R§§91.319(e ) an d61.315(c ) 2 an d3 i n orde r t o conduc t

it s flight operation s usin g Ligh t

Sport Aircraf t an dLigh t

Sport Pilot s t o continu e t o suppor t

an dfacilitat e th e migratio n o f a n endangere dspecie s o f

Whoopin g cranes . Finally , a s additiona l information , pleas e not e tha t asolutio n o f

apermanen t

natur e mus t

b e i n plac e n o late r

tha n Apri l 1 , 201 2 i n orde r t o properl y pla n for

th e 201 2 fal l migration
. Operatio n Migratio n anticipate s al l o f it s pilot s wil l hol dPrivat e Pilo t Certificate s prio r

t o th e commencemen t

o f th e 201 2 migratio n an dan y flying conducte do n behal f o f Operatio n Migratio n pilot s wil l b e onl y incidenta l t o th e busines s o f Operatio n Migration
. Operatio n Migratio n believe s i t

wil l b e i n apositio n t o replac e it s fleet o f Experimenta l Light-Sport Aircraf t withafleet

o f Specia l Light-Spor t

Aircraf t prior t o th e commencemen t

o f th e 201 3 fal l migration
. An y consideratio n give n t o thi s reques t o n a n expedite dmanne r

wil l extremel y helpfii l t o th e succes s o f

th e curren t

migration
. Respectftill y Submitted , Charle s R
. Barnett , II I crb@bamettlegal.co m Barnett La w Offices , P C Lak e In Th e Hill s Airport (3CK ) 841 1 Pyott

Road , Suit e 10 9 Lak e I n Th e Hills , Illinoi s 60156-970 4 Tel
. 815-356-864 7 Fax 815-356-704 2 A s counse l for Operatio n Migration , In c