Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.

1689 Nonconnah Blvd.
Suite 111 Memphis, TN 38132

Ph 901-348-4100

Fax 901-348-4103

November 18, 2010

U.S. Department of Transportation Docket Operations West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590

Dear, Sir / Madam

The following is supplemental information to be added to Docket FAA-2010-1128

Thank you for your consideration of our request. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions concerning this petition.

Respectfully submitted,

Santi Lombardo VP, Flight Operations (FAR 119 Director of Operations)

### TABLE OF CONTENTS

Naming of Exemption: ....................................................................................................... 3

Conditions and limitations: ............................................................................................... 4

Procedures for complying with the conditio ns and limitations associated with this exemption: .......................................................................................................................... 5

Condition 1: ................................................................................................................ 5

Condition 2: ................................................................................................................ 5

Condition 3: ................................................................................................................ 5

Condition 4: ................................................................................................................ 6

Condition 5: ................................................................................................................ 6

Condition 6: ................................................................................................................ 6

Condition 7: ................................................................................................................ 7

Condition 8: ................................................................................................................ 7

Condition 9: ................................................................................................................ 7

Condition 10: .............................................................................................................. 8

Flight Operations Manual Material: ................................................................................ 9

Pilot and Dispatcher Training Material: ........................................................................ 11

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 2

## Naming of Exemption:

Throughout this application references are made to our application for Exemption 5549 for clarity sake. We understand that when Pinnacle Airlines receives ap proval for this exemption the actual exemption number will be different. When the new exemption number is assigned we will use that exemption number from that point forward for all references to said exemption.

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 3

## Conditions and limitations:

Pinnacle Airlines proposes the following conditions and limitations in association with this proposal when operating under this exemption:

1. This exemption will apply to the CL-65 fleet.

2. Pinnacle Airlines must maintain authority to operate under the provisions of OpSpec C059.

3. This exemption will only apply to Category I operations.

4. Pinnacle Airlines will maintain a “Crew Pairing” po licy which ensures either the PIC or SIC has at least 75 hours of line operating flight time as eith er the PIC or SIC in the appropriate seat, in the type aircraft being flown.

5. The PIC and SIC must be fully qualified for Category II operations.

6. The aircraft and associated airb orne systems must be fully functional for Cat. II operations.

7. A coupled approach is used for the approach, to decision height or until initiation of a missed approach.

8. The flight crew must use an appropriate Ca tegory II instrument approach procedure.

9. Category 1 instrument approach procedures or la ndings will not be initiated or completed when the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR (3/4 Mile Visibility) and if either the cross-wind component exceeds 15 knots or the braking action is reported as less than good.

10. Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet the 300 hour PIC requirement in turbojet airplanes to conduct Category II operations in accordance w ith approved operations specifications C59(d) may conduct Category II operations under the appropriate provisions of this exemption provided he or

she has accumulated 300 hours as a pilot in a turbojet airplane.

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 4

## Procedures for complying with the conditions and limitations associated with this exemption:

Condition 1:

This exemption will appl y to the CL-65 fleet

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading



### Condition 2:

Pinnacle Airlines must maintain author ity to operate under the provisions of OpSpec C059

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading



### Condition 3:

This exemption will only appl y to Category I operations

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 5

### Condition 4:

Pinnacle Airlines will maintain a crew pairi ng policy which ensures either the PIC or SIC has at least 75 hours of line ope rating flight time as eith er the PIC or SIC in the appropriate seat, in the t ype aircraft being flown

-Pinnacle currently operates with a crew pairing policy which meets the above requirement. This policy is located in sect ion 5 of the FOM, a reference to this Exemption will be added to the FOM ensuri ng that if the crew pairing policy is not maintained, the Exemption will not be used.



### Condition 5:

The PIC and SIC must be fully qualified for Category II operations

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading



### Condition 6:

The aircraft and associated airborne systems must be fully functional for Cat. II operations

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading and the Mi nimum Equipment Lists (MEL’s) in all affected aircraft will be updated to reflect this limitation

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 6

### Condition 7:

A coupled approach is used for the approach, to decision height or until initiation of a missed approach

.

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading



### Condition 8:

The flight crew must use an appropria te Category II instrument approach procedure

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading



### Condition 9:

Category 1 instrument approach procedures or landings will not be initiated or completed when the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR (3/4 Mile Visibility) and if either the cross-wind component exce eds 15 knots or the braking action is reported as less than good.

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 7

### Condition 10:

Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet the 300 hour PIC require ment in turbojet airplanes to conduct Category II operat ions in accordance with approved operations specifications C59(d) may conduct Categor y II operations under the appropriate provisions of this exempt ion provided he or she has accumulated 300 hours as a pilot in a turbojet airplane.

-This condition will be added to the Fli ght Operations Manual (FOM) under the Exemption 5549 heading

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 8

## Flight Operations Manual Material:

The following material will be added to the FOM:

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 9

### Exemption 5549

Exemption 5549 allows a High Minimums C aptain to fly a Category II approach to Category I minimums.

This Exemption increases safety by allo wing a new pilot to fly a Category II Approach, which is coupled and monito red, rather than a non-monitored hand flown approach.

This Exemption increases reliability by allowing slightly lower minimums for a High Minimums Captain, reducing the num ber of diversions to alternates.

The following requirements must be follo wed when utilizing this Exemption:

1. This exemption applies to the CL-65 (CRJ-200 and CRJ-900) fleet.

2. This Exemption applies only to Captains who have less than 100 hours as PIC in the CL65 and are defined as High Minimums Captains by the FOM definition.

3. As with all operations, either the PIC or SIC has at least 75 hours of line operating flight time as either the PIC or SIC in the appropr iate seat, in the type aircraft being flown.

4. The PIC and SIC must be fully qualified for Category II operations.

5. The aircraft and associated airborne systems must be fully functional for Cat. II operations.

6. A coupled approach is used for the approach, to decision height or until initiation of a missed approach.

7. The flight crew must use an appropriate Category II instrument approach procedure

8. The approach (even though it is a Category II approach) will never be flown below Category I minimums

9. Category 1 instrument appro ach procedures or la ndings will not be initiated or completed when the weather conditions are below 4000 RVR (3/4 Mile Visibility) and if either the cross-wind component exceeds 15 knots or the braking action is reported as less than good.

10. Pinnacle Airlines pilots who do not meet the 300 hour PIC requirement in turbojet airplanes to conduct Category II operations in accordance with approved operations specifications C59(d) may conduct Category II operations under the appropriate provisions of this exemption provided he or she has accumulated 300 hours as a pilot in a turbojet airplane.

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 10

## Pilot and Dispatcher Training Material:

The following training material will be gi ven to all pilots and dispatchers:

Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 11Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 12Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 13Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 14Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 15Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 16Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 17Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 18Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 19Pinnacle Airlines FAR 121.652 Exemption Application 20