I am led to believe that the 7 year notice is an ECAC 'rule'.
For 8.33, that was truncated I agree. But the agreement to put it in place was ratified at the EUR RAN meeting which took place in Vienna 1994. The implementation was in October 1999. So, OK it wasn't 7 years, but industry had at least 5 to get their act together
ACAS is another case in point. Agreed in 1995 that it should come in in 2000. 5 years again for industry to do something. Hey, maybe my 7 year is a mistake and it should only read 5 !!
RVSM, notified in 1994, coming in in 2002.
RNAV carraige, agreed in 1990, to come in in 1998. Yet we still have people flogging about with exemptions
Can't comment on the ELT type of thing as I have no knowledge of that programme. But the cynic in me says that 'industry' promises to the authorities that all the bits of kit for these programmes are no problem and that the timescales can be met. They then go off and think, mmmm, 5/7 years away, let's not worry about that just now. The operators say, mmmm, 5/7 years away. I'll pop down the local avionics shop six months before and get it cheaper and to a better spec. End result is manufacturers way behind the drag curve and operators unable to get their hands on kit which has literally just come into production and with the availability of hens teeeth.
And as for ATC systems.......
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10 West
UK ATC'er
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