Jan. 20, 2015
FAA Withdraws New Rule on Use of ATDs NEW
Five days before it was to go into effect, the FAA on January 15 withdrew a direct final rule (no prior proposal was published seeking comments) that would have allowed pilots to obtain credit for initial and recent experience for up to 20 hours of instrument time in an approved aviation training device (ATD). After the direct final rule was published on December 3, the agency received 20 comments, all positive except for two.
Within 6 Months
Feb. 18, 2015
Halon Phaseout Schedule Proposed by EASA NEW
The European Aviation Safety Agency has proposed a phase-out schedule for the use of halon fire-extinguishing agents in lavatory waste receptacles and portable handheld fire extinguishers in large private and commercial airplanes and rotorcraft. Comments are due by February 18. The agency says there are currently or soon will be two alternative fire-extinguishing agents available. The proposed schedule calls for the replacement of halon in lavatories on newly built aircraft starting Jan. 1, 2016, and in handheld extinguishers on newly built aircraft starting Jan. 1, 2019. End dates for the use of halon on current and new type-certified aircraft are already in effect under EU regulations.
Feb. 22, 2015 REVISED
Dispatcher Training Comment Period Extended
Additional supporting documents have been added to the proposed revised policy for dispatcher certification courses and the proposal’s comment period has been extended to February 22 this year from December 22 last year. The agency says there is a need to establish 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.” According to the agency, the proposed guidance, contained in a revision of FAA Order 8900.1, and a new AC will “clarify the requirements currently found in FAR Part 65, Subpart C.”
March 6, 2015 NEW
Carriage of Musical Instruments
A final rule from the DOT sets revised rules, effective March 6, for carrying musical instruments as carry-on baggage or checked baggage. This rule, which responds to difficulties musicians have encountered when transporting their instruments during air travel, applies to all U.S. airlines and commuter carriers, as well as air-taxi operators providing transportation to the public directly regardless of the size of the aircraft they operate.
March 18, 2015 NEW
Fuel Tank Lightning Protection
Newly certified Part 25 airplanes are the subject of an FAA proposal and draft advisory circular to upgrade lightning protection standards for fuel tanks and related systems. This proposal would establish design and maintenance requirements to prevent fires and explosions from lightning strikes. The requirements would apply to type certification of new or significantly modified transport-category airplanes, as well as to applicants for STCs dealing with modifications to fuel tanks structures and systems. Comments are due by March 18. The FAA identified only four instances of fire and/or explosions of fuel tanks from suspected lightning strikes since 1959, with the last one occurring in 1976.
April 22, 2015
Corrections to New Helicopter Operating Rules
On Feb. 21, 2014, the FAA published a final rule upgrading helicopter private, commercial and air ambulance operations, effective April 22, 2015. The FAA has corrected Part 91.155 and removed duplicative flight visibility requirements for operations in Class G airspace. Also, the agency fixed Part 135.609 to delineate VFR and IFR operations. Finally, the agency corrected Part 135.621(b) by clarifying the intended list of topics that must be included in the certificate holder’s FAA-approved medical personnel training program.
Apr. 23, 2015
Approvals Required for Extended Ops in WATRS Airspace
Revised OpSpec/MSPec/LOA B045, Extended Overwater Operations Using a Single Long-Range Communication System, will require certain operators to obtain a mandatory new approval by April 23, 2015. The approval applies to Part 91K, 121, 125 or 135 operators using a single long-range com system in the West Atlantic Route System, Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico. The current template for B045 is combined for Parts 121, 125 and 135, causing “confusion with respect to operational control organizations,” the agency said. “The new templates are tailored to the operational control organization and communication requirements of each part.”
Within 12 Months
Dec. 1, 2015 and Jan. 1, 2017
European Union Tcas Version 7.1 Directive
Turbine aircraft that are approved to carry 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
About 10 months remains to the Dec. 31, 2015 deadline after which jets with an mtow of 75,000 pounds or less 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 affects 457 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. Of the 17 models of airplane affected by this ban, hushkits are currently available for at least seven: the Dassault Falcon 20; Learjet 23, 24 and 25; Sabreliner 80; and Gulfstream II and III.
Beyond 12 Months
June 8, 2016 and June 7, 2020
Europe Delays ADS-B “Out” Mandate
The earliest ADS-B out requirement in Europe was Jan. 8, 2015, for new aircraft, with retrofit installations due Dec. 7, 2017. The new dates are June 8, 2016, for new aircraft and June 7, 2020, for retrofit. The revised date for retrofits is more closely aligned with the U.S. ADS-B out mandate, which requires the equipment to be operational in aircraft that fly under IFR and where transponders are currently required starting Jan. 1, 2020.
