& . Davi d M . McDonal d Aeronautica l Engineers , Inc . v p operation s February 2 , 201 2 U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n Docke t Managemen t

Syste m 40 0 7'^ Stree t

S W;; ; Roo mP L40 1 \ Washington , D C 20591-000 1 '' ^ r^ J • •^~ . ^-y-^'f : •A-'.- ] U -^^:^--r :

f " Attentio n Transpor t

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 ) ha s bee n grante dan exemptio n fro mcertai n Federa l Aviatio n Regulation s (FAR ) pursuan t t o 1 4 CF RPart

11 , vi aExemptio n No . 9722 , allowin g th e carriag e o f u p t o 4 non-crewmember s (commonl y referre dt o a s supernumeraries) . In additio n t o th e exemption s requeste dan dgrante di n Exemptio n 9722 , AE I als o seek s an exemptio n fromth e requirement s o f

FA R§25.81 0 Thi s reques t i s substantiall y similar

t o th e request s grante dt o othe r freighter conversio n ST C holders . Th e petitione r

request s relie f

fro mth e followin g regulations : §25.810(a)(1) , Amendmen t 25-114 , require s ther e b e asel f supportin g emergenc y exi t slide for passengers . §25.810((a)(2 ) provide s tha t flight cre w may utiliz e an escap e rop e for emergenc y egress . Th e petitione r

support s it s reques t

wit hth e followin g information : AE I hold s numerou s Supplementa l Typ e Certificate s for modificatio n o f

transport aircraft . Wit

h regar dt o thi s petition , 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 afreighte r

withaClas s Emai n dec k carg o compartment . Ove r 20 0 Boein g aircraf t hav e bee n converte db y AE I t o freighters . Som e operator s o f AE I freighter s nee dt o b e abl e t o carry supernumerarie s t o assis t withspecia l carg o suc havaluabl e 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 in 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 d73 7 freighters t o mee t th e need s o f

thei r clientele . I n thi s case , th e supernumerarie s ar e limite dt o amaximu mo f 4 persons . Ther e ar e fa

r fewer supernumerarie s o n afreighter tha n passenger s o n apassenge r aircraft . Th e supernumeraries , unlik e passengers , wil l b e traine do n emergenc y procedures , includin g emergenc y egress . Pursuan t t o Exemptio n No . 9722 , th e supernumerarie s wil l b e give n aprefligh t briefin g o n emergenc y

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& . Aeronautica l Engineers , Inc . Davi d M . McDonal d V P Operation s procedure s durin g preflight . Th e supernumerarie s ar e seate dimmediatel y adjacen t t o th e emergenc y exits . Base dupo n th e above , AE I submit s tha t th e requiremen t

for emergenc y slide s i s no t necessary an dthat

escap e rope s wil l provid e a n equivalen t

leve l o f safety t o th e supernumeraries . AEI' s emergenc y rop e installatio n consist s o f apermanentl y mounte drop e abov e an dimmediatel y adjacen t t o th e forwardport

doo r (LI) . Th e rop e i s sufficientl y lon g t o reac hth e groun dwhethe r droppe dou t

th e L I doo r

o r th e R l door . Reques t for 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 freighter ST C holder s an dbecaus e th e grantin g o f tfiis petitio n wil l no t

creat e ne w precedent . 2 . Publi c Interes t Th e carriag e o f

an appropriat e numbe r

o f attendant s aboar da

n 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 in raisin g th e leve l o f

safel y o f th e cargo , th e airplane , th e flight crew , an dconsequently , th e publi c i n general . In addition , thes e exemption s wil l enhanc e th e utility o f th e aircraft , thereb y helpin g t o reduc e shippin g costs , whic hwil l i n turn b e i n th e publi c interest . Thi s exemption , therefor e serve s th e publi c interes t for safety reason s an dals o for increase d airfreigh t utility , bothdomesticall y an dinternationall y an dconsisten t commercia l operation s amon g al l AE I freighter

operators . AE I respectfull y request s that thi s petitio n b e granted .

Sincerely , Davi dM . McDonald , Vic e Presiden t

776 5 Northwes t 54'* ' Stree t Miami , Florid a 3316 6 U.S.A . Phon e 305.594.580 2 Fa x305.594.580 4 www.aeronautical-engineers.co m dmm@aeronautical-engineers.co m