FAA Memorandum AIR-100-17-160-PM05; Policy clarification to Order 8100.15, Organization Designation Authorization, Chapter 3, paragraph 3-10.c. allowing ODA developed equivalent training for FAA Conformity Determination and Airworthiness Approval Tag courses

Order 8100.15, Organization Designation Authorization (ODA), Chapter 3, paragraph 3-10.c, allows an ODA holder the ability to seek Organization Management Team (OMT) concurrence to conduct initial and/or recurrent training for Unit Members (UMs) equivalent to FAA required training.

The FAA created this guidance for ODA holders who desire to provide equivalent FAA training to their manufacturing ODA UMs with concurrence from their OMT. This memorandum authorizes manufacturing OMTs to determine the capability of an ODA holder to conduct equivalent training without the need to coordinate with AIR-160 or AFS-640. ODA holders taking advantage of this option are responsible for evaluating their training programs to ensure that the programs meet the expectations of this memorandum and specific course materials meet the required training standards associated with each course. Courses may be added in the future. The FAA has identified the following two course standards: 1. FAA Conformity Determination; and 2. Airworthiness Approval Tag

FAA AC 20-164A – Designing and Demonstrating Aircraft Tolerance to Portable Electronic Devices

This Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Advisory Circular (AC) identifies RTCA, Inc., document DO-307A, Aircraft Design and Certification for Portable Electronic Device (PED) Tolerance, dated December 15, 2016, as an acceptable means for designing and demonstrating aircraft tolerance to potential electromagnetic interference from portable electronic devices (PEDs).

The FAA wrote this AC for aircraft manufacturers and modifiers who want to design and demonstrate that their aircraft can tolerate passengers and flightcrew using PEDs without adverse electromagnetic interference to aircraft systems.

EASA ToR RMT.0671; Engine bird ingestion

Issue/rationale The objective of this task is to consider the need to improve the ability of aircraft engines to be able to cope with the ingestion of birds that can reasonably be expected to be experienced during the service life of the engine. This will be achieved by evaluating whether the current engine certification specifications (CS-E) that require demonstration of the ability of the engine to continue to operate following the ingestion of small and medium birds into the core of engines are sufficiently robust in the current environment. In addition, an evaluation of the current CS-E for the demonstration of large-flocking-bird ingestion to be applied to engines with an inlet area of 1.35-2.5 m 2 will be considered based on service experience. Amendments to CS-E will be developed and proposed as required based on this analysis, which will further mitigate the risk of an unsafe event resulting from an engine bird ingestion

EASA ToR RMT.0586; Tyre pressure monitoring system

Issue/rationale Improper tyre pressure, in particular underinflation, remains a major contributing factor to tyre- and wheelfailure-related accidents or incidents. These kinds of occurrences continue to occur regularly despite a number of regulatory changes established over the last 40 years. It is widely recognised that ensuring correct aircraft tyre inflation pressure is the most important factor for safe tyre operations. The specific objective of this rulemaking task is to propose a regulatory change to ensure that the tyres’ inflation pressures of large aeroplanes remain within the pressure specifications defined by the aircraft manufacturer.

EASA ToR RMT.0397; Unintended or inappropriate rudder usage – rudder reversals

Issue/rationale — Service experience and occurence investigations show that, regardless of training, some pilots make inadvertent and erroneous rudder inputs. Some pilots might also have a wrong understanding of what the design maneuvering speed (VA) is and the extent of structural protection that exists when an aeroplane is operated at speeds below its VA. — Applying inappropriate rudder inputs like rudder reversals may exceed the aeroplane structural limit loads or even ultimate loads. The worst-case scenario is the failure of primary structure and/or flight controls which can lead to a catastrophic loss of control of the aircraft, similar to what happened to the American Airlines A300-600 in November 2001.

EASA ED Decision 2017/016/R; Amendment to Appendix I – Aircraft type ratings for Part-6 aircraft maintenance license, AMC & GM Part-66 – Maintenance Certifying Staff

This Decision addresses a regulatory coordination issue related to aircraft type ratings for Part-66 aircraft maintenance licences. According to the acceptable means of compliance (AMC) to Part-66, type ratings should be endorsed on a licence in accordance with Appendix I to AMC to Part-66 ‘Aircraft type ratings for Part-66 aircraft maintenance licence’. The specific objective of this rulemaking task is to ensure a common standard throughout the Member States. Executive Director Decisions are issued regularly to amend this list following the changes coming from industry, to add new aircraft types, or remove aircraft types that became obsolete.