FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ISSUES NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING ON HELICOPTER CERTIFICATION
On November 1, 2017, the FAA issued a NPRM on Normal and Transport Category Rotorcraft Certification.The FAA requests that all commentary be received by January 30, 2018.
Background. The current rule addressing helicopter certifications and airworthiness standards was first published in 1964 and is said to be inconsistent with current FAA-accepted industry standards and practices because it does not adequately cover the growing changes in the marketplace toward increased automation in the primary flight controls.
Summary. The FAA proposes to revise 14 CFR part 27 Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category Rotorcraft, and part 29 Airworthiness Standards: Transport Category Rotorcraft related to the certification of rotorcraft, to amend certification standards of normal and transport category helicopters as a necessary means to address modern designs currently used in the rotorcraft industry in an effort to reduce the burden on applicants for certification of new rotorcraft designs. The proposed changes would also incorporate the requirements of equivalent level of safety findings that the FAA has imposed as conditions for approving certain design features.
According to the FAA, the existing airworthiness standards are insufficient because they fail to address increasing design complexity. Thus, to address these advances, the FAA currently issues reoccurring special conditions, equivalent level of safety findings (ELOS), and means of compliance (MOC) issue papers. The FAA hopes that this proposed rule address these problem areas by updating those standards that cause unnecessary burdens in cost and time to both the FAA and the rotorcraft industry.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Shelley Ewalt.
* * * * *
McBreen & Kopko’s Aviation Group represents air carriers, fixed base operators (FBOs), airport managers, aviation service providers, and business aircraft owners and operators on a wide range of aviation issues including regulatory matters, commercial transactions, aircraft finance matters, and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights.