Before the United States Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. Joint Petition of Atlas Air, Inc., Kalitta Air Llc., Sout
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BEFORE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. JOINT PETITION OF ATLAS AIR, INC., KALITTA AIR LLC., SOUTHERN AIR INC. AND WORLD AIRWAYS, INC. FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.9(a), 121.135 (a)(4), 121.135 (b)(21), and 121.141 DOCKET NO. FAA-2014-0184 COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE CARGO AIRLINE ASSOCIATION Yvette A. Rose Senior Vice President Cargo Airline Association 1620 L Street, NW Suite 610 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 293-1030 (202) 293-4377 (fax) [email protected] May 6, 2014 BEFORE THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON, D.C. JOINT PETITION OF ATLAS AIR, INC., KALITTA AIR LLC., SOUTHERN AIR INC. AND WORLD AIRWAYS, INC. FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM 14 C.F.R. §§ 91.9(a), 121.135 (a)(4), 121.135 (b)(21), and 121.141 DOCKET NO. FAA-2014-0184 COMMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THE CARGO AIRLINE ASSOCIATION INTRODUCTION The Cargo Airline Association (“CAA” or “Association”) is the nationwide trade organization representing the interests of the all-cargo air carriers. In response to the FAA’s Notice (79 Fed. Reg. 21506 (April 14, 2014)), CAA submits the following comments in support of the Joint Petition for Exemption filed with the FAA by Atlas Air, Kalitta Air, Southern Air and World Airways referenced above (“Joint Petition for Exemption”). Two of CAA’s members, Atlas Air and Kalitta Air, are Petitioners in this case; a complete membership list is attached hereto. The Association supports the Joint Petition for Exemption and the request for expedited action. Petitioners seek a narrowly limited exemption to their operations of B-747 aircraft of the requirement for a 9.0g (“9G”) forward restraint set forth in 14 C.F.R. § 25.561(b)(3). The design requirements of Part 25 are incorporated by reference into the air carrier operating regulations contained in Parts 91 and 121. As stated by the Petitioners, the 9G requirement was established in the 1950s based on passenger compartment seating analyses. Much has changed in the air cargo business since the 1950s, and certainly new aircraft designs and new customer demands have come into the marketplace. Taking this and other cargo-specific data and all-cargo aircraft analyses into account, the Petitioners have provided substantial and detailed rationale to justify the use of a 3G forward restraint rather than the outdated 9G standard in the limited circumstances at issue herein. With regard the technical aspects of cargo loading, weight and balance, and the cargo shifting probabilities, CAA supports the findings of the Petitioners and submits that a 3G forward restraint requirement would provide an equivalent level of safety and would not compromise safe operations. The Joint Petition for Exemption raises important public interest considerations. U.S. operators of B-747 aircraft are currently at an economic and competitive disadvantage to their foreign air carrier counterparts who do not follow the 9G requirement. The Petitioners’ customers, which include the U.S. military and humanitarian organizations, also suffer from restrictions placed on the airlines that would inhibit the handling of critical missions. The Petitioners detail the loss of millions of dollars of air cargo business because of this competitive disadvantage. The all-cargo industry is a significant driving force in our economy and throughout the world. The shipment of cargo by air is a relied upon means of transport where just-in-time delivery and urgent humanitarian missions are a necessary component to expanding worldwide demand. Safety must be the driving force in all operations, but care must be taken not to impose restrictions that are not justified or can be accomplished with an equivalent level of safety by other means and that impair the ability to serve the needs of the growing world economy. The Association supports the Joint Petition for Exemption and would urge the agency to act expeditiously in favor of the Petitioners. Respectfully submitted, Yvette A. Rose Senior Vice President May 6, 2014 THE CARGO AIRLINE ASSOCIATION The Voice of the Air Cargo Industry MEMBERSHIP LIST ALL-CARGO AIR CARRIERS * ABX Air, Inc. Wilmington, OH * Atlas Air, Inc. Purchase, NY * FedEx Express Memphis, TN * United Parcel Service Louisville, KY DHL Express Miami, FL Kalitta Air Ypsilanti, MI AIRPORT ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Alaska International Airport System Anchorage, AK Ft. Wayne International Airport Ft. Wayne, IN Louisville International Airport Louisville, KY Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Memphis, TN OTHER ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Bristol Associates, Inc. Washington, DC Campbell-Hill Aviation Group Alexandria, VA Keiser & Associates Oakland, CA * Member, Board of Directors .