The FAA has partially granted an exemption that EAA sought to allow Young Eagles pilots to be reimbursed for fuel costs, but EAA says the requirements the FAA would impose are too onerous. “Meeting [the exemption’s requirements] would literally be impossible for EAA,” said Sean Elliot, EAA’s vice president of advocacy and safety. To comply with the exemption would require a “total restructure” of the Young Eagles and Eagle Flights programs, he said. EAA would have to create an all-new chapter monitoring, data gathering, and approval system. “EAA regretfully will not exercise the privileges of exemption 10841, and does not intend to renew it,” Elliot said.
EAA filed the petition in April 2012. The FAA’s partial grant of the exemption would require EAA to maintain a record of all fuel disbursements, notify the local FSDO in advance of all flight operations, and provide a copy of the exemption to the FSDO 72 hours before each event. “Such requirements would end the ability for Young Eagles and Eagle Flights programs to operate in a decentralized and autonomous manner as is now done,” EAA said.
