Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, any interested person may petition the Regional Director concerned for a temporary or permanent exemption from any requirement of this part.

The Regional Director concerned does not issue an exemption from any rule of this part if the grant of exemption would be inconsistent with a specific provision of, or the purpose of, the AADA, or any other applicable Federal law.

Each petition filed under this section must—

Unless otherwise authorized by the Regional Director concerned, be submitted not less than 60 days before the proposed effective date of the exemption;

Be submitted in duplicate to the FAA Regional Office or Airports District Office having jurisdiction over the area in which the airport is located;

Contain the text or substance of the rule from which the exemption is sought;

Explain the nature and extent of the relief sought; and

Contain any information, views, or arguments in support of the exemption.

The Regional Director concerned either grants or denies the exemption and notifies the petitioner of the decision. The FAA publishes a summary of the grant or denial of petition for exemption in the Federal Register.

The summary includes—

The docket number of the petition;

The name of the petitioner;

A citation of each rule from which relief is requested;

A brief description of the general nature of the relief requested; and

The disposition of the petition.

Official FAA records, including grants and denials of exemptions, relating to petitions for exemption are maintained in current docket form in the Office of the Regional Counsel for the region concerned.

Any interested person may—

Examine any docketed material at the Office of the Regional Counsel, at any time after the docket is established, except material that is ordered withheld from the public under section 1104 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1504); and

Obtain a photostatic or similar copy of docketed material upon paying the same fee as that prescribed in 49 CFR part 7.