Within 6 Months
Aug. 17, 2015 NEW
Transponders for Gliders
An advanced NPRM solicits comments on whether the FAA should remove the exemption for gliders to be equipped with and to operate transponders in airspace in which airplanes and helicopters currently must have an operating transponder. The proposal stems from the approximately 45 near-collisions between powered aircraft and gliders that took place between 1988 and 2014, including the nonfatal midair between a Part 91K Hawker 800 and a Part 91 Schleicher glider. The glider had a transponder but the pilot had turned it off to conserve electric power.
Aug. 20, 2015 NEW
Modification to Restricted Areas
This action modifies the designated altitudes of restricted area R-4501B, Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., by raising the ceiling to a single altitude of 4,300 feet msl across the entire restricted area instead of 1,500 feet msl in the north and 2,200 feet msl in the south. The change also adds exclusions to the boundaries of R-4501C, R-4501F and R-4501H to address overlapping restricted areas.
Aug. 31, 2015 NEW
Advanced NPRM on Aircraft Engine Emissions
Turbine aircraft engine carbon dioxide gas emissions would be regulated under rulemaking proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, which assumes that aircraft CO2 emissions endanger public health and welfare. The proposal covers subsonic jets with mtows starting at 12,500 pounds and turboprops starting at 19,000 pounds. The proposal also clears the way for the EPA to work with the International Civil Aviation Organization on the CO2 standard. ICAO is expected to establish a standard next February that will cover new and possibly in-production aircraft. Comments are due by August 31.
Sep. 9, 2015 NEW
Filing Serious Incident Reports Electronically
The NTSB is seeking approval from the Office of Management and Budget to provide a Web-based means for people to submit serious incident reports to the agency. The Board will use the information provided on the electronic report form to determine whether to launch an investigation into the incident. Comments are due by September 9.
Sep. 14, 2015 NEW
Revised Means of Complying with Icing Certification
The European Aviation Safety Agency is proposing to introduce an acceptable means of compliance with the certification specifications related to supercooled large droplet (SLD) icing conditions which may be used by large turbine aircraft and engine manufacturers. To this end, this notice of proposed amendment enables the use of a means of compliance based on “comparative analysis.” Manufacturers could thus be given “credit from previously certified large aeroplane type designs having proved to safely operate in SLD icing conditions.” Adoption of the rule would bring EASA SLD requirements in harmony with those of FAR Part 25, adopted on Nov. 4, 2014.
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
Four months remain to the Dec. 31, 2015 deadline after which jets up to an 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.
Within 12 Months
March 4, 2016
Contract Maintenance Requirements Effective Date
Certain Part 135 on-demand operators have until March 4, 2016, to comply with new requirements. Under the new rules, Part 135 on-demand operations flying aircraft with 10 or more seats (excluding pilot seats) are required to develop FAA-acceptable policies, procedures, methods and instructions when using contract maintenance. The new rules also require these operators to provide a list to the FAA of all people with whom they contract their maintenance.
June 8, 2016
European ADS-B Out Mandate
The ADS-B Out requirement in Europe is June 8, 2016, for new aircraft and June 7, 2020, for retrofit. The date for retrofits is about six months later than the U.S. ADS-B Out mandate.
August 25, 2016 NEW
European Safety Standards for Private Operators
Europe’s new rules for so-called “non-commercial operations with complex motor-powered aircraft” will affect all private operations with large business turbine airplanes and helicopters. Between now and Aug. 25, 2016, which is the final deadline for implementation, owners must develop safety management systems and take other required steps to bring their aircraft and operations to a level of compliance that is “up to the safety standards of commercial operators.”
Beyond 12 Months
Jan. 1, 2020
U.S. ADS-B Out Mandate
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