Checkboard, imho, it's typically not a 'duty pilot' whom grants an Ops Manual 'exemption' (and if he / she does that then they're an idiot, imho... and the aircraft Commander's an even bigger idiot for accepting it)... it's the manager of the Compliance Dept (probably working in conjunction with the Manager of the Safety Dept) whom has to make a safety case, i.e. to operate outside of the approved Ops Manual requirements as laid down & approved by the relevant National Aviation Authority (NAA) of the country where the airline's AOC / OL is held... wherein a case for AMC (Alternative Means of Compliance) has to be made to that NAA and it is they (the NAA and it's on-duty Flight Ops Inspector / FOI plus his / her compliance team working with them) whom then grant permission for any such variance to occur.
Just imagine a case where an airline 'duty pilot' gave his / her permission to operate into / out of an airfield without any RFF cover and something then occurred that involved either damage to the aircraft and / or injuries (or worse) to the pax and which required that RFF be immediately available (but it wasn't) ?! In that instance, do you have any idea of the sort of ****-storm that would (very rightly) rain down upon the airline's Accountable Manager's head (plus all others involved) from the NAA above him (above them) ?!!
Last edited by King Chile; 9th Dec 2020 at 16:38.