December 3, 2020

Dear Aviation Business Professional:

This week, the Federal Aviation Administration granted the National Air Transportation Association’s (NATA) request for an extension to exemptions regarding certain crew training and checking requirements. Exemption No. 18509C amends Exemption No. 18509B, extending crewmember relief to March 31, 2021. The exemption, available to all Part 119 certificated carriers operating under Part 135, was initially granted to NATA in March. NATA remains grateful to the FAA for understanding the needs of the industry in ensuring access to air transportation remains available and the timeline required to address the currency matters of operators. 

Operators that submitted a Letter of Intent prior to November 30, 2020 in accordance with the original issuance of this exemption have met the requirement of Condition and Limitation No. 1 and do not have to submit another letter. Also, operators will be required to update the safety risk assessment or safety analysis and corresponding risk mitigations. Every Part 135 operator should obtain and carefully review these exemptions.

Exemption No. 18509C
Regulations addressed: §§ 135.293(b), 135.295(e) and (g), 135.297(c)(1)(i) and (ii), 135.331(c)(3), (5), and (7), 135.347(a), and 135.351(b)(2) and (c) of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), provides relief to allow NATA members and other part 135 air carriers/operators to use alternative methods to conduct certain required crewmember emergency procedures during recurrent and upgrade training, testing, or checking.

The exemption provides additional time for completion of recurrent training and qualification activities of up to three calendar months after the month that the activity was due to have been completed. With this extension, the crewmember’s grace months are December 2020, January 2021, and February 2021. If the crewmember completes the training in December-February, the crewmember will be considered to have completed it in December 2020.

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero. 

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.