New FAA certification initiative

[9 lives]

The FAA seems to be working on some very progressive thinking about certification standards for future GA aircraft. The document can be found here:

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/rulemaking/committees/documents/media/Part.23.Reorganization.ARC.FINAL.Report.pdf

We need aircraft we can afford to operate. If the FAA actually follows this path, GA will become more progressive and affordable. I'll be watching with interest. What the FAA does, other authorities will follow......

[bookworm]

There is a parallel EASA Rulemaking Task (http://easa.europa.eu/document-library/terms-of-reference/tor-rmt0498). The initiative is intended to bring global airworthiness requirements together at a technical level using international industry standards.

[maxred]

Have not read it all yet, but the most encouraging aspect has to be an acknowledgement of the stark issues and decline of the GA industry. At the forefront is safety, linked in part to the overburdening of current legislation.

It is of course, a massive ship to turn, but at least acknowledging the issues has to be a giant leap.

The ARC looked at how outdated design requirements and certification regulations affect both initial
certification and alteration processes.**The prescriptive and outdated rules are the major barriers to
installing safety‐enhancing modifications in the existing fleet and to fielding newer, safer airplanes
because they inhibit innovation.**The ARC also looked at harmonization of requirements between
authorities that could improve safety and reduce costs.**A

[AdamFrisch]

If it goes through as proposed (and it most likely will since it's FAA initiated) - it will be the biggest change since the CAR 3 rules were implemented 50 years ago. It's a dream come through. Not only will it simplify and reduce cost for todays manufacturers trying to certify aircraft (a section so prohibitively complex and expensive that has resulted in us still flying 40-50 year old planes), but it will significantly reduce the cost of ownership, maintenance and make planes safer.

The proposed Primary Non-Commercial category (for part 23 planes 20 years or older) would make a certified plane not for hire as easy to maintain as an experimental. Not only that, you would now be legal to install non-certified avionics and safety equipment etc, such as Garmin G3X, Dynon, harness belts etc. And if you want to put it back into for hire category, all you need to do is comply with part 23 again and take the non certified stuff out.

This is a godsend. It could be the biggest change to GA in the last 50 years, if implemented. And if FAA passes this, EASA will have to follow. Everyone wins.

Fingers crossed.:ok: