Within 6 Months
July 14, 2015 NEW
Proposals Could Lead to Changes in Drug-Testing Rules
The Department of Health and Human Services recently published two NPRMs that aim to revise the current drug-and-alcohol testing programs for federal employees, including those of the DOT. While the proposed changes would initially apply only to pilot, mechanic and flight attendant employees of the DOT/FAA, some agencies, including the DOT, are required to follow these guidelines in developing drug-testing programs for their regulated industries. However, the DOT could not adopt these or any other revisions to the drug/alcohol testing regulations without issuing its own NPRM.
July 27, 2015 NEW
Easing Applications to Operate in RVSM
This proposal would revise the FAAâs requirements for an application to operate in reduced vertical separation minimum (RVSM) airspace by eliminating the âburden and expenseâ of developing, processing and receiving approval of RVSM maintenance programs. An applicant to operate in RVSM airspace would no longer be required to develop and submit an RVSM maintenance program solely for the purpose of an RVSM authorization. However, because of other FAA airworthiness regulations, all operators would continue to be required to maintain RVSM equipment in an airworthy condition. Comments are due July 27, 2015.
September 2015 (tentative)
Position Reporting Proposal From ICAO Member countries of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommended the adoption of a tracking standard for aircraft crews that requires them to report their positions at 15-minute intervals. Adoption by the 36-state ICAO Council is expected as early as this fall. Operators would be able to comply with the mandate using existing and planned technologies and procedures, ICAO said. The proposal is considered a first step toward implementation of a more comprehensive three-tiered approach to tracking normal, abnormal and distress conditions.
Dec. 1, 2015, and Jan. 1, 2017
European Union Tcas Version 7.1 Directive
Turbine aircraft 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 Eight months remain to the December 31 deadline after which jets with an mtow of up to 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 be, 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
Apr. 22, 2016
Helicopter Ambulance Control Centers
New FAR Part 135.619 requires operators with 10 or more helicopter air ambulances to have operations control centers beginning April 22, 2016. Operational control specialists must undergo an FAA-approved initial training program and pass a knowledge and practical test. The operations control center must at a minimum maintain two-way communications with pilots, provide pilots with weather briefings, monitor the progress of the flight and participate in the preflight risk analysis required under recently revised Part 135.617.
May 4, 2016 NEW
Upset Prevention and Recovery Training
Upset prevention and recovery training requirements for all European airlines and commercial business jet pilots are being developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency with an effective date of May 4, 2016. The new mandate, aimed at better preparing pilots to handle loss-of-control events potentially leading to accidents, is based on ICAO standards and recommended practices, as well as procedures being developed by the EASA in consultation with industry experts. Agency officials said that although loss-of-control events are rare, 97 percent of them over the past five years have caused fatal accidents.
June 8, 2016, and June 7, 2020
Europe ADS-B out Mandate
The earliest 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, which requires the equipment to be operational in aircraft that fly under IFR and where transponders are currently required starting Jan. 1, 2020.
Beyond 12 Months
Jan. 1, 2020
U.S. Installation Deadline for ADS-B out Avionics
A final FAA rule requires installation of ADS-B out equipment by Jan. 1, 2020, for aircraft flying in Class A, B and C airspace. The equipment is designed to allow air traffic controllers to know where aircraft are with greater precision and reliability than current ATC radar.
February 2020
European Controller-Pilot Datalink Com Delayed
Europe will postpone requiring aircraft operators to equip for controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC) for five years, until February 2020, to accommodate technical problems. The European Commission expects the entity managing the Single European Sky ATM Research (Sesar) effort will recommend remedial actions for ground infrastructure issues next year. Additionally, European Commission figures showed that only 40 percent of operators would have been ready to use CPDLC by the original deadline of Feb. 5, 2015.
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