Within 6 Months

Oct. 14, 2015 EXTENDED COMMENT DEADLINE

Revised Means of Complying With Icing Certification

The European Aviation Safety Agency extended the deadline one month, to Oct. 14, 2015, for comments on its proposal introducing a new acceptable means of compliance with the certification specifications related to supercooled large droplet (SLD) icing conditions that may be used by large turbine aircraft and engine manufacturers. This Notice of Proposed Amendment enables the use of a means of compliance based on “comparative analysis,” meaning that manufacturers could be given “credit from previously certified large airplane type designs proven to operate safely in SLD icing conditions.” Adoption of this rule will bring EASA SLD requirements in harmony with those of FAR Part 25, adopted on Nov. 4, 2014.

Oct. 22, 2015 EXTENDED COMMENT DEADLINE 

Dispatcher Training Policy 

The FAA reopened the docket, added more supporting documents and set a new comment deadline of Oct. 22, 2015, for a proposal that could affect business aircraft operations that employ FAA-certified dispatchers. The agency says there is a need to establish a “formal policy” related to the operation and oversight of FAA-approved aircraft dispatcher certification courses because the current lack of a policy “has led to a wide range of inconsistencies with respect to individual course approvals.” The proposal was published last October and the comment period originally closed on Dec. 22, 2014. To date, there are 44 FAA-approved aircraft dispatcher certification courses.

Oct. 27, 2015   NEW

Proposal To Raise U.S. Overflight Fees

If the FAA adopts this proposal, current overflight fees would rise by approximately $5 per 100 nm and be phased in over a three-year period. Under the proposal, the overland segment would be bumped to $61.75 from the current $56.86, and the oceanic segment would go up to $26.51 from the current $21.63. Comments on the proposal are due by Oct. 27, 2015. Overflight fees apply to aircraft that transit U.S.-controlled airspace but neither land in nor depart from the U.S.

Nov. 2, 2015 NEW

EASA Upset Prevention and Recovery Training

All levels of EASA-certified pilots are affected by a Notice of Proposed Amendment that would require training on the subjects of in-flight loss-of-control prevention and recovery. The new training standards are focused on people who intend to pursue careers as airline transport-rated pilots. Nevertheless, upset prevention training is also to be integrated into existing flight syllabi for all pilot certificates. The newly developed upset recovery training in an airplane would be mandated for ATP courses and also serve as a pre-requisite before starting multi-pilot type rating courses. New simulator instructor training standards are to be increased also. The expected compliance date of the provisions is April 2018. Comments on the NPA are due by Nov. 2, 2015.

Nov. 17, 2015

Bird Strike Certification Revisions

The FAA is seeking comments on the need for, and the possible scope of, changes to the bird-strike certification requirements for FAR Part 25 transport-category airplanes. The agency is not currently proposing specific regulatory action but is gathering comments from airplane manufacturers and other interested parties on six specific questions about this subject. Two of the questions are: Should the bird weight requirement be applied consistently across the airplane structure, windshields and airfoils, and should the bird weight requirement be raised to eight pounds for all certification testing (from four in some cases) or to some other value? Comments are due Nov. 17, 2015.  

Dec. 1, 2015 REMINDER

Mandatory Upgrade to 90-day Underwater Locator Devices

The deadline is Dec. 1, 2015, for manufacturers to comply with Technical Standard Order C-121B, which mandates discontinuing production of acoustic, self-powered underwater locator devices (ULDs) with 30-day batteries installed, and instead producing ULDs with batteries meeting a minimum performance standard of 90 days. The TSO also requires operators flying aircraft with 30-day ULD batteries installed to upgrade to the higher standard as those batteries expire, or are no longer serviceable. December 1 is a nine-month extension from the original deadline.

Dec. 1, 2015 and Jan. 1, 2017 European Union Tcas Version 7.1 Directive

Turbine aircraft that are approved to carry at least 19 passengers, certified before April 1 last year and equipped with Tcas II version 7.0 must be upgraded to the latest version of 7.1 traffic alert and collision avoidance system software by Dec. 1, 2015. ICAO does not require that version 7.1 software be installed for international flights as a retrofit until Jan. 1, 2017. All other applicable airplanes were required to have 7.1 Tcas II software installed by April 1 last year.

Dec. 31, 2015

Deadline to Meet Stage 3 Noise Levels

Three months remain to the Dec. 31, 2015, deadline after which jets up to a mtow of 75,000 pounds may no longer operate in the contiguous U.S. unless they meet Stage 3 noise levels. When the rule was published on July 2, 2013, the FAA said the mandate affected 457 U.S. registered owners of 599 principally Stage 2 business jets, though several models can now, or will be able to be, hushkitted or re-engined to meet Stage 3 before the deadline. The rule also applies to non-U.S.-registered aircraft.

Beyond 12 Months

Jan. 1, 2020

U.S. ADS-B out Mandate

ADS-B out equipment must be operational starting Jan. 1, 2020, in aircraft that fly in the U.S. under IFR and where transponders are currently required, namely class A, B and C airspace. The ADS-B Out requirement in Europe is June 8, 2016 for new aircraft and June 7, 2020 for retrofit.