FAA Cautions Operators on Part 91 Exemption Limits

 The FAA is advising operators to check exemptions and special conditions on their aircraft to ensure they have been abiding by any limitations included. Recently, the FAA became aware that some airplanes added to a flight department’s operations specifications have had exemptions containing certain conditions that may have been overlooked by the operator, the agency said.

According to the agency, several petitioners have been granted full or partial exemption from emergency exit provisions of Part 25.813(e), mainly to allow the petitioner to install executive interiors on an airplane. The list of specific conditions applicable to this exemption includes one requiring that the airplane not be operated for hire or offered for common carriage. 

The FAA told AIN that to date, “We have not found any Part 135 operator to be flying with this exemption applied to an aircraft, but there is a potential for one, and we are actively working with the operators to validate and ensure they are not.” To emphasize this particular limitation and recommend actions, the agency has published InFo for operators’ letter 18006.

The InFo letter advises operators to review their fleets’ aircraft records for exemptions related to Part 25.813(e). If exemptions are noted, the letter recommends that operators “review the conditions and limitations section for information that may preclude operating the aircraft for hire or offering it for common carriage."