July 20, 2018
NBAA is encouraging members to review their records for exemptions related to aircraft interiors following a recent FAA InFo, which highlighted a safety situation that could impact some Part 135 airplanes currently being operated on charter certificates.
The FAA became aware that some airplanes added to operations specifications have had exemptions containing certain conditions overlooked. A review of these exemptions in the FAA Automated Exemption System shows several petitioners have been granted full or partial exemption from § 25.813(e).
Generally, the petitioner was allowed to install an interior that included a door between passenger seats and an emergency exit. Many of these exemptions list specific conditions, including one requiring that the airplane not to be operated for hire or offered for common carriage.
“Some operators have been granted exemptions to 25.813(e) to install office-style cabins that may include a door to separate a conference room or other part of the cabin on an airplane,” said NBAA Manager of Operations Brian Koester. “The recent FAA InFO explains some of the exemptions granted to that rule contain a clause prohibiting the use of that aircraft for hire under Part 135.
“The action for our members who have an airplane configured in this manner on a charter certificate is to review the airplane’s documents to see if this particular exemption has been granted, and if it contains the prohibiting clause. If it has, they should contact their FAA principal operations inspector immediately to determine appropriate next steps,” he added.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.