Avionics News March 2014 - 16

F R O M
R I C
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A EA V I C E P R ES I D E N T O F G OV E R N M E N T & I N D U ST RY A F FA I RS

The Aircraft Electronics Association's international membership continues to grow. Currently, the AEA represents avionics
businesses in more than 40 countries throughout the world. To better serve the needs of the AEA's international membership,
the "International News and Regulatory Updates" section of Avionics News offers a greater focus on international regulatory
activity, international industry news and an international "Frequently Asked Questions" column to help promote standardization.
If you have comments about this section, send emails to avionicsnews@aea.net.

UNITED STATES

News & Regulatory Updates
Aircraft Certification Service
Reorganization/Merger
The Federal Aviation Administration announced
effective Feb. 9, 2014, the FAA's Aviation Safety Office
(AVS), Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) Aircraft
Engineering Division (AIR-100), and Production and
Airworthiness Division (AIR-200) have merged to
become the Design, Manufacturing and Airworthiness
Division, AIR-100. The new AIR-100 Division is divided into five branches: the Certification and Procedures
Branch (AIR-110); Technical and Administrative
Support Branch (AIR-120); Systems and Equipment
Standards Branch (AIR-130); Operational Oversight
Policy Branch (AIR-140); and System Performance and
Development Branch (AIR-150).
The current Aircraft Engineering Division responsibilities include developing and standardizing regulations, national directives, policy, procedures and
advisory material for continued operational safety, type
certification, design approval, and for authorization and
oversight of designated representatives of the administrator for civil aeronautical products. The current
Production and Airworthiness Division responsibilities
include developing and issuing regulations, national
directives, policy and procedures for continued operational safety, production and airworthiness certification
and approvals, and certain designated representatives
of the administrator. Those combined responsibilities
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2014

will remain intact in the newly established Design,
Manufacturing and Airworthiness Division.
All Aircraft Engineering Division and Production
and Airworthiness Division previously issued advisory circulars, orders, notices, and guidance will
remain in effect until revised, changed or deleted.
The documents will be reviewed and modified
according to priority.

Operations in Reduced Vertical
Separation Minimum
On Jan. 24, 2014, the FAA published FAA Notice
N 8900.250, which provides revised guidance for
FAA Flight Standards District Offices and aviation
safety inspectors assigned to operators conducting
airplane operations under Title 14 of the Code of
Federal Regulations Part 91. This notice amends the
letter of authorization B046 template.
Efforts to streamline the process for issuing RVSM
LOA B046 have led to changes in FAA Order 8900.1
and related changes to the Part 91 LOA B046 template. New guidance was developed to better address
varying aircraft management agreements and ensure
that appropriate persons are identified in paragraph 4
and new paragraph 5 of the LOA. FAA Order 8900.1,
Volume 4, Chapter 10, Section 1, Evaluate an
Operator's Application to Conduct Flight in Reduced
Vertical Separation Minimum Airspace, has been
rewritten with paragraph 4-1236E providing updated
guidance for LOA template paragraph 4, Responsible
Person, and the newly added paragraph 5, RVSM
Point of Contact. The changes identified in this
notice are for the Part 91 LOA B046 template only.

Avionics News March 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2014