ATW Daily News

FAA to streamline certification for own ship displays aimed at curbing incursions

Monday March 26, 2007

As part of an effort to reduce the risk of runway incursions, US FAA said Friday it is streamlining the certification process for technology that will allow pilots to view their aircraft's "own ship" position on runways and taxiways via a moving map display using GPS technology similar to GPS devices commonly used in automobiles.

The agency said the portable devices likely will be certified and installed as soon as summer and no later than year end, but will be allowed only for use on the ground. Essentially, it is isolating the on-ground own ship function of a Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag for fast-track certification, removing the high costs and complications associated with certifying EFBs that use GPS data and moving maps for both ground and air operations.

"This device is a game-changer," FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said, adding that its cost will be "in reach" for airlines and can be "used throughout the existing, current fleet. It needs to be in our cockpits. . .We know very well that the next aviation accident could take place on the ground."

FAA said Aviation Communication & Surveillance Systems and Jeppesen have indicated they will produce versions of the portable device. Employing detailed airport maps and GPS signals, it will display the aircraft as a moving triangle on runways and taxiways, allowing pilots to know exactly where they are and preventing them from mistakenly using the wrong runway, as happened in the Comair CRJ200 crash in Lexington, Ky., last year (ATWOnline, Aug. 28, 2006)

Director-Aircraft Certification John Hickey said technology manufacturers aren't willing to spend the $200,000 per unit required to produce devices that could meet the high certification standards required for flight operations. "The desire [to spend the money] for getting the whole package certified isn't there. There doesn't appear to be a market for it," he told ATWOnline. "We're isolating the ground application. . .and developing a new, simplified certification" that FAA estimates will cost manufacturers about $20,000 per unit, or 10% of the total certification cost.

He said requirements will be spelled out by the end of April and a system could be approved by summer. "This type of device will give pilots so much more situational awareness [on the ground] than you have today," he added.

by Aaron Karp

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