Avionics News April 2014 - 24

AVIONICS BUSINESS INTERNATIONAL

Agency for installing the EX600 in about 80 models of
200, 300 and 400 series Cessna piston singles, piston
twins and turboprop twins.
to be appropriate for those markets, considering the dif"IAE, one of our international Part 145 shops, took our
ferences in those markets, and seeking approvals for those
EX600 and ran with it," explained Avidyne's Tom Harper.
products."
"Avidyne got the (European) TSO and the (EASA) STC;
Like in the U.S., moving products through individualIAE went out and got the AML - and it may be a first."
nation certification and installation approvals is critical
Avidyne pursues international approvals as a matter of
to the export success of avionics products, according to
course, Harper explained, with the U.S. approval process
participants - just like approval from the Federal Aviation
morphing directly into the international-approvals pipeAdministration is for sales in the U.S.
line once an FAA TSO and STC are in place.
As Stone outlined them, the basics of the process of
"We always look to where we can get AML approval
seeking approvals for avionics products from foreign reghere - it can help overseas, particularly in those countries
ulatory agencies closely parallels that of the FAA.
that accept the FAA's standards, outright with a review,"
Approvals take two forms. "First
Harper said.
is the appliance approval - we call it
In many countries, the lack of a
the TSO," Stone said, for the product
TSO-type approval can prevent the
"T H E U .S . F L E E T I S
or device. "Next, we need airworthiproduct from ever seeing a cockpit
SIZA B L E , BU T T H E F L E E T
ness approval, which here would be
- unlike here where non-TSO prodIS P R E T T Y S I G NI F I CA NT
under a manufacturer's type certifiucts can be used in many instances.
cate, STC (supplemental type certifARO U ND T H E WO R L D.
Like in the U.S, an AML can be a sigicate) or PMA (FAA parts manufacnificant market booster by reducing
IT' S C R I T I CA L F O R
turing authority). A TSO alone does
costs.
O U R P RO D U CT S TO
not necessarily qualify a product for
And not all products hold true inBE A P P RO P R I AT E F O R
installation in an aircraft."
ternational appeal. Most satelliteTHOSE MARKETS,
Individual states may accept FAA
based datalink weather and satelliteCO NS I D E R I NG T H E
approvals but enforce a review of
radio receivers, such as Avidyne's
DIF F E R E NCE S I N T H O S E
the FAA approval paperwork; other
MLB700, can only receive signals
authorities may want documents
MAR K E T S , A ND S E E K I NG
over North America. And no nation
submitted to gain FAA approval.
other than the U.S. is currently using
APP ROVA L S F O R TH O S E
Roger Southgate, director of
the 978 UAT (universal access transP RO D U CT S ."
Rockwell Collins' Avionics Cerceiver) technology for ADS-B-based
Bill Stone, Garmin
tification Office, noted, "There is
surveillance, so those products have
quite a bit of variation, depending
little to no market overseas - where
on many questions and the nation
national preferences overwhelmingly
involved."
turned to the Mode S-based 1090 ES
He noted how, in the U.S., a single STC can lead to an
(extended squitter) technology.
approved model list, in some cases covering hundreds of
While avionics makers' efforts to gain the myriad inaircraft - and saving the STC users significant dollars.
ternational approvals may be expensive and complex,
"Some other nations require individual approval for
the amount of business available makes the effort wortheach airframe and don't allow something like an AML -
while, adding to a company's market penetration and its
and it makes everything more expensive," Stone noted.
ability to support overseas and domestic customers flying
"In Europe, we generally have to approach it as an indioutside the U.S.
vidual thing, plane model by plane model."
Fulfilling common core needs
But to every rule there's often an exception, one that
The invention of flight gyros, airborne communicaAvidyne's Bedfordshire, England, dealer earned for the
tion and navigation radios satisfied needs of the world
manufacturer's EX600 multifunction display.
of flight, which remains dependent on such gear to help
In September 2012, IAE Ltd. received an AML mipilots fly straight-and-level, navigate accurately, monitor
nor change approval from the European Aviation Safety
Continued from page 23

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Avionics News April 2014

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