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Septembe r20 , 201 0 Docket Managemen t Facilit y U S Departmen t of Transportatio n 1200 Ne w JerseyAvenue , S E West Buildin g Groun d Floo r Roo m W12-14 0 Washington , DC 2059 0 Dea rSi ro rMadam , Pleas e fin d enclose d a n origina l an d two copie s of a petitio n fo rexemptio n fro m Seaborn e Airline s relatin g t o relie f fro m specifie d provision s of 14CF R Par t 121 , Appendi xK

, Paragrap h 5

. Informatio n i n suppor

t of thi s request i s containe d i n th e petitio n i n electroni c format o n compac t disk s (CDs)

. Thi s petitio n concern s a regulator y complianc e deadlin e of Decembe r20 , 2010 , whic h i s critica l t o th e Seaborne' s continue d operations

. Unfortunately , th e informatio n an d dat a (thi s supplemen t i s no w o n fil e wit h AE G Kansas Cit y an d ou rCM O i n Miami ) we use d as t o suppor t thi s request ha

s onl y bee n availabl e t o u s i n th e las t 6 0 days

. As a result , we ar e askin g that ou rrequest b e processe d as a matte rof seriou s urgency. " Mos t sincerely ,

^ • > Ome rErSelcu k Presiden t & CE O

"Flyin g Yffl U wit h th e Powe ro f TWO "

### jemRTMEN T O F :tANSP0RW10 N ;:Kb T OPERATION S ir ' 2 2 A 10=5 0 Septembe r

20 , 201 0 Docke t Managemen t

Facilit y U S Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 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 Re : Reques t

fo r Exemptio n Petitioner : Seaborn e Virgi n Islands , Inc. , d.b.a
. Seaborn e Airline s b y it s President/CEO , Mr
. Ome r ErSelcu k Petitioner' s Contac t

Information : 1210Watergu t Christiansted , V I 0082 0 (340 ) 773-599 1 extensio n 2 3 oerse!cuk(5),seaborneairlines.co m Background : Seaborn e Virgi n Islands , Inc. , doin g busines s a s Seaborn e Airline s hold s Ai r Carrie r Certificat e Number : S9BA675 J an dha s operation s specification s authorizin g it t o conduc t

domestic , flag an dsupplementa l operation s in th e island s o f th e Caribbean
. Seaborn e primaril y provide s passenge r servic e t o Puert o Ric o an dth e Virgi n Islands
. Seaborne' s flee t consist s exclusivel y o f

DeHavillan dDHC-6-30 0 aircraft
. O n Decembe r

20 , 2010 , certai n regulator y provision s i n 14CFRPar t

121 , Appendi x K

regardin g th e sourc e o f performanc e dat atha t

wil l in th e absenc e o f

exemptio n relief

, prohibi t furthe r operation s i n accordanc e with Par t 121
. Relie f Sough t fro mRegulator y Sections : 14CFRPar t

121 , Appendi x K , Paragrap h 5(a) , FINA L AIRPLANE PERFORMANC E OPERATIN G LIMITATIONS
. Throug h a n amende dtyp e certificatio n progra mo r asupplementa l typ e certificatio n program , eac h airplan e describe di n paragrap h L aan dl.b.i i o f thi s appendi x mus t

b e show n t o compl y wit h th e commute r

categor y performanc e requirement s specifie din thi s appendix , whic h ar e include din par t 2 3 o f thi s chapter
. Natur e an dExten t

o f th e Requeste dRelie f In part , th e provision s o f

14CFRPar t

121 , Appendi x K , requir e that , after Decembe r

20 , 2010 , th e DeHavillan dDHC-6-30 0 aircraf t operate db y Seaborn e Airline s sho w complianc e with th e commute r categor y performanc e requirement s specifie din Appendi x K
. Furthermore , thi s appendi x state s tha t thi s complianc e mus t

b e demonstrate db y eithe r an amende dtyp e certificatio n progra mo r asupplementa l typ e certificatio n program . Seaborn e Airline s i s requestin g relie f fromth e restrictio n specifie db y th e statement ; ^'Throug h a n amende dtyp e certificatio n progra mo r asupplementa l typ e certificatio n program. "I

n lie u o f thi s requirement
. Seaborn e Airline s i s askin g tha t it b e abl e t o demonstrat e complianc e with th e commute r

categor y performanc e requirement s o f thi s Appendi x b y usin g Supplemen t 3 7 t o th e DeHavillan dDHC-6-30 0 Aircraf t Fligh t Manual , date dJun e 25 , 2010
. Thi s Supplemen t wa s prepare db y th e manufacture r

an dapprove db y Transpor t Canad ao n Jun e 25 , 2010
. Analysi s Seaborn e Airline s believe s tha t th e requiremen t

t o demonstrat e complianc e throug h a n amende dtyp e certi f catio n progra mo r

asupplementa l typ e certificatio n progra mshoul dhav e als o include dth e optio n t o us e dat aprovide db y th e manufacture r a s supplement s t o th e AFM
. W e believ e tha t th e FAA' s languag e i n thi s provisio n wa s base do n th e FAA' s understandin g a t th e tim e th e final rul e wa s publishe d tha t n o manufacture r

ha ddevelope dperformanc e dat atha t woul dmee t

th e specifie dcriteria
. In researchin g th e matter , w e hav e bee n informe dtha t th e manufacture r

had , in fact , develope dperformanc e dat atha t woul dmee t

thes e criteria
. Th e manufacture r state s i n paragrap h 9-37.1. 3 o f Supplemen t

37 ; "I n th e 1970s , d e Havillan dinvestigate dth e possibilit y o f certifyin g th e DHC- 6 Serie s 30 0 landplan e i n complianc e wit h FA R2 5 standards
. Althoug h th e aircraf t wa s neve r

certifie dt o thi s standard , th e necessar y performanc e dat arequire dt o compl y with FA R2 5 certificatio n at amendmen t

leve l 2 3 wa s collected , <malyzed , an dapprove dfo r us e with 6 speciall y constructe d '300S ' aircraft
. Sinc e th e performanc e requirement s at FA R2 5 amendmen t

leve l 2 3 ar e almos t identica l t o th e commute r categor y requirement s o f FA RPar t

2 3 a t amendmen t

leve l 57 , thi s dat a ha s bee n use da s th e basi s fo r aircraf t performanc e presente din thi s supplement
. Th e performanc e dat agenerate dt o mee t

thes e certificatio n requirement s i s suitabl e t o b e use di f complianc e with th e operationa l performanc e requirement s o f E U OP S 1/CA

R704/FA R12 1 i s required
. It ma y als o b e suitabl e for

us e wher e othe r

operationa l rule s ar e i

n effect. " A s aresult
. Seaborn e Airline s i s requestin g that , i n additio n t o a n amende dtyp e certificatio n progra mo r asupplementa l typ e certificatio n program , th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n recogniz e Supplemen t 3 7 a s athir doptio n t o demonstratio n complianc e wit h th e commute r

categor y performanc e requirement s specifie di n thi s appendix , (14CF RPar t 121 , Appendi x K ) whic h ar e include di n par t 2 3 o f thi s chapter
. Equivalen t

Leve l o f Safet y I t i s imperativ e tha t

al l partie s understan dtha t Seaborn e Airline s i s no t

requestin g relie f

fro man y performanc e requiremen t o f part 12 1 bu t rathe r i s requestin g tha t

Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n recogniz e Supplemen t

3 7 a s an approve dmetho dt o demonstratio n compliance
. Sinc e thi s supplemen t

wa s prepare db y th e manufactur e an dapprove db y Transpor t Canada , w e believ e tha t th e dat ai s a s accurat e a s coul db e obtainedfroman y othe r source . A s aresult , Seaborn e Airline s believe s tha t

th e sam e o r

possibl y agreate r

leve l o f safet y woul dexis t

b y grantin g th e us e o f

th e manufacture' s supplemen t dat at o mee t

performanc e requirements
. Benefi t t o th e Publi c Interes t I f Seaborn e Airline s i s unabl e t o us e th e manufacture' s dat at o demonstrat e complianc e with performanc e requirements
. Seaborn e Airline s wil l b e force dt o conduc t operation s in accordanc e with regulator y requirement s with lesse r

safet y standard s after

December
. I f

Seaborn e Airline s wa s unabl e t o absorb th e financial impac t

o f thi s restriction , man y o f

ou r passenger s woul db e force dt o fly o n " 9 o r less " pisto n powere daircraf

t o r worse , singl e engin e aircraf t t o som e o f

th e islan ddestination s w e currentl y serve . Currently , Seaborn e Airline s carrie s approximatel y 85 % o f th e loca l passenge r

traffi c betwee n St
. Croix , V I an dSt
. Thomas , VI
. W e believ e tha t

th e FA A spok e t o thi s concer n in th e publicatio n o f th e final rul e (F RVol
. 60 , NO
. 244 , 6583 2 date dDecembe r

20 , 1995 ) b y statin g tha t som e carrier s"...migh t replac e thei r

equipmen t

with airplane s configure dfor fewe r tha n 1 0 passengers . Thi s airplan e grou p i s no t

covere db y thi s rulemakin g an dha s ahighe r acciden t rat e than th e 10-1 9 passenge r airplanes
. Therefore , a

n unintende deffec t

o f thi s rul e coul db e a

n increas e in th e acciden t rate. " (F R65857 ) In addition t o thi s unintende dconsequence , tw o unforesee n situatio n occurre dwel l after thi s rul e wa s adopted
. Firstly , th e presumptio n wa s tha t th e 1 5 year

complianc e perio dcontaine di n th e rul e would ; "..
. allo w operator s sufficien t tim e t o plan for

th e replacemen t

o f thes e airplane s withou t incurrin g an enormou s economi c loss
. It als o wil l allo w manufacturer s tim e t o develo p bette r substitute s for

thes e airplanes. " (F R65893 ) Contrary t o thi s presumption
. Seaborn e Airline s i s no t awar e o f an y replacemen t

aircraf t tha t i s no w availabl e tha t

wil l replac e th e DHC-6-30 0 in th e marke t w e currentl y serve . Secondly , ther e wa s apresumptio n at th e tim e that ; "..
. th e averag e marke t

value s for

th e pre-SFA R41 C airplane s ar e $500,00 0 for th e (DHC-6 ) Twi n Otte r

... " an dthat"..
. thes e airplane s wil l incu r areductio n i n marke t

valu e o f $56,00 0 ($20,000 , presen t

value). " (F R65905 ) Thi s presumptio n prove dt o b e substantiall y inaccurat e in tha t th e curren t

marke t valu e o f aDHC- 6 Twi n Otte r i s betwee n tw o an dahal f millio n dollar s t o thre e millio n dollar s base do n conditio n an d maintenanc e status
. I

n additio n t o th e acquisitio n cost , Seaborne' s direc t hourl y operatin g cos t

i s 65 0 dollar s pe r

hour
. A s aresult , it

i s economicall y impossibl e for Seaborn e Airline s t o serv e th e publi c an d maintai n curren t

12 1 safety level s b y operatin g thi s aircraf t in a" 9 o r

less " seatin g configuration
. Seaborne' s rol e in th e U S Virgi n Island s an dPuert o Ric o i s on e o f extrem e importan t

economicall y a s wel l a s politically
. Withou t ou r frequen t an dconvenien t

flights operatin g safel y unde r Par t 12 1 - man y aspect s o f thi s strategicall y vita l part o f th e Unite dState s woul dgrin dt o ahalt
. Thi s matte r i s on e o f grav e importanc e t o ai r

commerc e in th e Virgi n Island s an dPuert o Rico
. Therefore , w e believ e tha t grantin g o f

thi s exemptio n whic h provide s passenger s with continue dacces s t o turbopropelle r powere d twi n engin e aircraf

t i s i n th e publi c interest
. Summary for

Publicatio n in th e Federa l Registe r Seaborn e Virgi n Islands , Inc. , doin g busines s a s Seaborn e Airline s hold s Ai r Carrie r Certificat e Number : S9BA675 J an dha s operation s specification s authorizin g it t o conduc t

domestic , flag an dsupplementa l passenger carryin g operation s i n Puert o Ric o an dth e Virgi n Islands
. Seaborne' s fleet consist s exclusivel y o f DeHavillan dDHC-6-30 0 aircraft
. O n Decembe r

20 , 2010 , certai n regulator y provision s specifie di n 14CFRPar t

121 , Appendi x K , Paragrap h 5(a ) requir e th e airlin e t o demonstrat e complianc e with part 12 1 aircraf

t performanc e standard s b y developin g an amende dtyp e certificatio n progra mo r asupplementa l typ e certificatio n progra mfor thi s aircraft
. Seaborn e Airline s seek s exemptio n relie f fro mdevelopin g eithe r

o f thes e program s b y proposin g tha t performanc e dat atha t

wa s develope db y th e aircraf t manufacture r

in th e for

mo f asupplemen t

t o th e AF M b e deeme dacceptabl e b y th e FA A a s an exceptionall y superio r sourc e o f

dat afro mwhic h t o sho w complianc e with part

12 1 performanc e requirements
. In th e absenc e o f

thi s exemptio n relief
. Seaborn e Airline s coul dn o longe r conduc t operation s in accordanc e wit

h Par t 12 1 with thi s aircraf

t an dwoul db e force dt o provid e servic e t o it s customer s in accordanc e with regulator y requirement s wit h lesse r safet y standards
.Technica l Support - Contac t

Informatio n Seaborn e Airline s - Airplan e Performanc e Projec t Leade r Mr
. Lad dLewi s (954 ) 683-478 6 captainiadd@hotmail.co m Seaborn e Airline s - Chie f Operatin g Officer Mr
. Davi dZieme r (340 ) 773-599 1 extensio n 2 3 dziemer@seabomeairlines.co m Vikin g Ai r

Limite d- Produc t

Support Manage r - ATLA S Mr
. Georg e Ge e (250)656-722 7 Ex t

224 4 george.gee(g)vikingair.co m Conclusio n Seaborn e Airline s canno t ove r emphasiz e th e importanc e o f thi s issu e t o th e peopl e o f th e Unite dState s Virgi n Island s an dPuert o Ric o an dth e four hundre dthousan dpassenger s tha t w e wil l transpor t

thi s year . Furthermore , Seaborn e Airline s ha s aexcellen t safet y recor doperatin g th e Twi n Otte r for ove r 1 5 year s i n commercia l ai r

transportatio n withou t

aseriou s incident
. O n behal f o f ou r employees , customer s an dth e people s o f

th e Virgi n Island s an dPuert o Ric o I wis h t o than k yo u i n advanc e for

you r carefu l consideratio n o f

thi s reques t

for exemption
. Sincerely,

Ome r ErSelcu k President/Chie f

Executiv e Office r Seaborn e Airline s