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_ ^ ^ C D C/ 3 Roo mP L40 1 ._ j Washington , D C 20591-000 1 Attentio n Transport

Airplan e Directorat e RE : Reques t

Fo r Exemptio n Fro mFAR s Fo r Freighte r Aircraf t T o Who mIt

May Concern , Aeronautica l Engineers , Inc
. (AEI) , 776 5 N W54 * Street , Miami , FL , 33166 , petition s th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA ) for a n exemptio n fro m§ § 25.785(d) , 25.812(e) , 25.855(a) , 25.857(e) , 25.1447(c)(1) , an d25.144 9 o f Title 1 4 Cod e o f

Federa l Regulation s (1 4 CFR ) for

McDonnel l Dougla s Mode l MD-8 0 serie s (-81,-82,-83 , & -88 ) an dMD-9 0 serie s passenge r airplane s converte dt o freighter airplane s (MD-80S Fan dMD-90SF , respectively)
. Th e propose dexemption , i f

granted , woul dallo w carriag e o f si x non-crewmember s (commonl y referre dt o a s supernumeraries ) i n a n are ajus t

af t an doutsid e o f

th e flight dec k o n thes e freighter airplanes
. Th e maximu moccupanc y for thes e freighter

airplane s i s nin e person s ( 2 cre w member s an d1 observe r

i n th e cockpi t

an d6 non-cre w member s locate daf t o f th e flight dec k an dforwardo f th e carg o compartment)
. Th e petitione r

request s relie f

fro mth e followin g regulations : Sectio n 25.785(d) , at

Amendmen t

25-88 , requires , i n pertinen t part , handhold s t o enabl e passenger s t o stead y themselve s whe n movin g abou t th e cabin , i n th e even t

th e airplan e encounter s moderatel y roug hair
. Sectio n 25.855(a) , at

Amendmen t

25-116 , requires , i n pertinen t part , tha t carg o compartment s mus t mee t on e o f th e clas s requirement s o f §25.857
. Sectio n 25.857(e) , at

Amendmen t

25-9 3 requires , i n pertinen t part , tha t whe n aClas s E carg o compartmen t

i s installe do n th e airplane , th e airplan e b e use dfor carriag e o f

carg o only
. Sectio n 25.1447(e)(1) , at Amendmen t

25-116 , requires , i n pertinen t part , tha t oxyge n dispensin g unit s mus t

b e automaticall y presente dt o th e occupant s before

776 5 Northwes t 54** ' Stree t Phon e 305.594.580 2 www.aeronautical-engineers.co m Miami , Florid a 3316 6 U.S.A

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# 0
. Davi d McDonal d

Aeronautica l Engineers , Inc

. v p Operation s th e cabi n altitud e exceed s 15,00 0 feet
. Th e tota l numbe r o f dispensin g unit s an doutlet s mus t excee dth e numbe r

o f seat s b y at

leas t 1 0 percent . Th e extr aunit s mus t b e uniforml y distribute d throughou t

th e cabi n a s practicable , an dther e mus t b e tw o oxyge n mask s i n eac hlavatory
. Sectio n 25.144 9 require s th e cre w b e abl e t o determin e ther e i s oxyge n bein g delivere dt o th e dispensin g unit
. Relate dsection s o f

1 4 CFR : Sectio n 121.583(a ) contains , i n pertinen t part , alistin g o f

categorie s o f

person s wh o may b e carrie daboar dan airplan e i n part 12 1 servic e withou t

complyin g withal l o f

th e requirement s o f part 12 1 pertainin g t o carriag e o f passengers . Sectio n 121.54 7 contains , i n pertinen t part , alistin g o f

categorie s o f

person s wh o may b e admitte dt o th e flight

dec k durin g operation
. Th e petitione r

support s it s reques t

wit hth e followin g information : § 25.785(j) , Amendmen t

25-88 , require s ther e t o b e afirmhandgri p o r rai l fo r person s usin g th e aisle s durin g moderatel y roug hflight. Th e exemptio n from § 25.785(j ) i s necessary a s han dhold s are not

availabl e i n thi s area . In addition , th e supernumerary seat s wil l b e adjacent t o th e emergenc y exi t

door s (L I an dRl) , se e attache dpreliminary desig n layout) , s o handhold s are no t necessary . § 25.812(e) , Amendmen t 25-116 , require s floor

proximit y emergenc y escap e pathlighting
. Th e exemptio n from § 25.812(e ) wil l allo w trainedsupernumerarie s t o occup y th e Supernumerary Are adurin g taxi , takeoff

, flight, an dlanding
. Thi s are ai s i n th e immediat e proximit y o f th e forwardemergenc y exits
. Sinc e th e supernumerarie s wil l b e trainedo n emergenc y procedures , includin g emergenc y egress , an dimmediatel y adjacen t t o th e exits , th e lac k

o f additional lightin g wil l no t adversel y affec t

safety
. § 25.855(a) , Amendmen t 25-116 , require s tha t

carg o compartment s mus t mee t on e o f th e clas s requirement s o f

§ 25.857
. AEI' s conversio n result s i n th e mai n dec k bein g classifie da s a Clas s Ecarg o compartment . Exemptio n fro m1 4 CF R25.855(a ) i s requeste da s thi s CF Rrequire s an y carg o compartmen t

t o compl y wit hadesignate dclassificatio n o f § 25.85 7 whic hwoul d exclud e th e carriag e o f

supernumerarie s i n th e are aforwardo f th e 9 Gbulkhead
. Th e 9 Gbulkhea d als o fimction s a s asmok e barrie r betwee n th e mai n carg o compartmen t an dth e Supernumerary Are aan dcockpit
. § 25.857(e) , Amendmen t 25-93 , define s th e attribute s o f aClas s Ecarg o compartment , an d mandate s that

aClas s Ecarg o compartmen t ma y not b e o n an y airplan e othe r

tha n on e utilize d exclusivel y for

th e carriag e o f

cargo . Th e exemptio n from § 25.857(e ) wil l allo w for u p t o 5

776 5 Northwes t 54'* ' Stree t Phon e 305.594.580 2 www.aeronautical-engineers.co m AAiami , Florid a 3316 6 U.S.A

. Fa x305.594.580 4 dmm@aeronautical-engineers.co m& , Davi dMcDonal d

Aeronautica l Engineers , Inc

. v p Operation s supernumerarie s o n th e aircraf t wh o ar e otherwis e prohibite dfro mbein g presen t o n an aircraf

t wit haClas s Ecarg o compartment . § 25.1447(c)(1) , Amendmen t 25-116 , requires , i n pertinen t part , tha t oxyge n mask s mus t

b e immediatel y availabl e t o eac hseate doccupant , b e automaticall y deploye dwithmanua l backup , an dexcee di n numbe r

th e quantity o f

seat s b y te n percent , withth e extr aunit s distribute devenl y throughou t

th e cabin
. Th e exemptio n from § 25.1447(c)(1 ) wil l mandat e a n equivalen t leve l o f safet y for supernumerarie s i n th e Supernumerary Are ab y requirin g portabl e oxyge n bottle s that wil l b e mounte dwithi n reac ho f th e supernumerarie s whil e i n thei r seats . Thes e bottle s wil l mee t th e requirement s o f

§ 25.1447(c)(1) , excludin g th e requiremen t tha t th e numbe r

o f oxyge n unit s mus t excee dth e numbe r

o f seat s b y at

leas t te n percent . Sinc e th e supernumerarie s wil l b e traine d i n emergenc y procedure s an dwil l b e withi n reac ho f aportabl e oxyge n bottl e at al l times , an equivalen t

leve l o f safety i s maintaine dwithou t havin g a n additional 10 % suppl y cushion
. Al l feature s o f

th e Clas s Ecarg o compartmen t require db y § 25.85 5 an d§ 25.85 7 wil l b e retaine dan d al l safet y requirement s o f

part 2 5 a s define db y th e certificatio n basi s o f th e airplan e i n Typ e Certificat e Dat aShee t

(TCDS ) A6W Ewil l b e complie dwith
. §25.1447(c)(1 ) als o require s tw o sel f presentin g oxyge n mask s i n eac hlavatory
. Th e AE I MD-80SF/MD-90S Fwil l not hav e a permanentl y enclose dlavatory , s o thi s requiremen t i s inapplicable
. § 25.144 9 require s th e pilot s b e abl e t o determin e ther e i s oxyge n bein g delivere dt o th e dispensin g unit
. T o th e exten t tha t § 25.144 9 require s th e cre w t o b e abl e t o determin e i f oxyge n i s bein g provide dt o th e portabl e bottle s bein g utilize db y th e supernumeraries , AE I als o seek s exemptio n fromcomplianc e withthi s CFRa s i t i s technicall y an dcommerciall y infeasibl e t o compl y withth e requirement s o f § 25.1449
. Supernumerarie s wil l b e trainedt o confirmoxyge n flow usin g th e equipmen t provided
. Supportin g information : AE I hold s numerou s Supplementa l Typ e Certificate s for modificatio n o f

transpor t aircraft
. AE I hold s ST C ST01827L A whic hallow s conversio n o f Boein g 737-300/40 0 aircraf t t o afreighter withaClas s Emai n dec k carg o compartment . A similar Exemptio n ha s bee n approve dfor th e B73 7 converte dfreighter ; se e Exemptio n 9722
. AE I i s developin g asimilar freighte r conversio n ST C for th e MD-8 0 an dMD-9 0 serie s aircraft
. Som e operator s o f AE I freighters nee dt o b e abl e t o carry supernumerarie s t o assis t withspecia l carg o suc havaluable carg o requirin g security and/o r perishable , fragile, o r

liv e carg o requirin g specia l attentio n t o ensur e it s saf e delivery
. Th e interes t o f th e petitione r

i s i n providin g aleve l o f safet y for th e crew , supernumeraries , carg o an d aircraf t that wil l allo w operator s o f

AE I converte dMD-80/9 0 freighters t o mee t th e need s o f

thei r clientele
. Th e FA A approve dAircraf t Fligh t Manua l (AFM ) wil l contai n asupplemen t withth e operatin g limitatio n restrictin g th e carriag e o f occupant s accommodate dt o thos e define db y § 121.58 3 wh o hav e bee n traine dfor suc hduties
. I n addition , an FA A approve dtrainin g pla n wil l b e initiate dt o instruc t

th e supernumerarie s i n th e prohibitio n agains t smoking , an dprocedure s i n

776 5 Northwes t 54'* ' Stree t Phon e 305.594.580 2 www.aeronautical-engineers.co m Miami , Florid a 3316 6 L).S.A

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# 0, Davi d McDonal d

Aeronautica l Engineers , Inc

. v p Operation s equipmen t

us e relatin g t o fire suppression , ditching , an demergenc y evacuation
. I n addition , th e Supernumerary Are awil l mee t th e followin g safet

y requirements : A n automaticall y activate d visua l an daura l decompressio n signal immediatel y recognizabl e throughou t th e cabi n are awil l b e provide dt o automaticall y notif y supernumerarie s whe n t o do n oxygen . Fligh t cre w activated , lighted , "Faste n Seat

Belt " sign s wil l b e provide dtha t ar e visibl e t o th e supernumerarie s whil e i n th e supernumerary are at o warn th e supernumerarie s t o return t o thei r seat s an dfaste n seatbelts
. A standar daircraf

t intercom/publi c addres s (PA ) syste mwil l b e retaine dan dth e P A syste mwil l b e audibl e withi n th e Supernumerary Area
. Two-wa y communicatio n fromth e supernumerary seatin g are at o th e flight

dec k wil l b e provide db y mean s o f aflight phon e installe dwdthin reac ho f at leas t on e o f th e supernumerary seats . Finally , th e followin g placard s wil l b e provided : 1
. N o Smokin g Signs ; 2
. Externa l Doo r Operatin g Instructions ; 3
. Emergenc y Slid e o r Rop e Operatin g Instructions ; 4
. Externa l Doo r Exi t Marking , 5
. Warnin g requirin g th e smok e barrie r doo r t o remai n close ddurin g flight; and , 6
. Warnin g prohibitin g person s i n th e Clas s Ecompartmen t durin g flight. Reques t fo r Waive r o f Publi c Commen t AE I request s waive r

o f th e norma l publi c commen t proces s sinc e thi s reques t i s substantiall y similar

t o thos e alread y grante dt o othe r freighte r ST C holder s an dbecaus e th e grantin g o f

thi s petitio n wil l not

creat e ne w precedent
. Publi c Interes t Th e carriag e o f

an appropriat e numbe r

o f attendant s aboar dan aircraf t t o monito r

an dt o atten dt o th e specia l requirement s o f valuable , fragile, perishable , o r liv e anima l cargo , serve s th e publi c interes t

i n raisin g th e leve l o f

safet y o f th e cargo , th e airplane , th e flight crew , an d consequently , th e publi c i n general
. I n addition , thes e exemption s wil l enhanc e th e utility o f th e aircraf t thereb y helpin g t o reduc e shippin g costs , whic hwil l i n tur n b e i n th e publi c interest
. Thi s exemption , therefore , serve s th e publi c interes t for safet y reason s an dals o for increase dairfreigh t

utility , bothdomesticall y an dinternationall y an dconsisten t commercia l operation s amon g al l AE I freighte r operators . AE I respectfull y request s that thi s petitio n b e granted
.

Sincerely , ^-"Davi dM
. McDonald V POperation s

776 5 Northwes t 54 * Stree t Phon e 305.594.580 2 www.aeronautical-engineers.co m Miami , Florid a 3316 6 U.S.A

. Fa x305.594.580 4 dmm@aeronautical-engineers.co m