Avionics News February 2016 - 55

THE VIEW FROM WASHINGTON
Continued from page 13

This is an important document for anyone who is performing
avionics installations on European-registered aircraft.
It's disappointing that during a time when the EASA, the
FAA, and Transport Canada are taking a serious look at their
available resources (austerity) and migrating toward a risk-based
approach to industry involvement, the early model that many of
the international authorities used in their modernization is starting
to take a look at what appears to be a step backward.
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand for decades
has been used as the model for worldwide management of
low-risk avionics installations with its AC 43-14, Avionics,
Installations - Acceptable technical data. This advisory circular
provides methods, techniques and practices that are acceptable
to the CAA NZ director for showing compliance with Part 43
general maintenance rules; and technical instructions which
are acceptable technical data under Part 21 Certification of
Products and Parts Appendix D(a)(6) for avionics installations.
Unfortunately, we ended 2015 with rumors coming from

New Zealand that the CAA is reviewing this valuable tool
for the avionics industry for revision because of the occasional misapplication of the AC and lack of enforcement by
the CAA on those who should not be using the AC.
As much as the New Zealand authority led the global
industry with the risk-based approach of AC 43-14, it once
again is leading the industry with trying to find the balance
between the simple continued airworthiness of avionics systems and the installation and maintenance of avionics products. Many authorities have leaned toward having minimally
qualified airframe technicians perform some simple remove
and replace tasks, or some simple tests using built-in test
equipment technologies.
One of the major challenges for the international regulatory authorities in the coming year will be the oversight
of airframe technicians to ensure they are not performing
avionics maintenance outside of their authority, and more
importantly, they are not exceeding their competency and
causing an unsafe condition.
2016 is off to a solid start, and all indications are that it will
be an exciting year. Happy New Year! q

AVweb:

Not for wanna-be's or used-to-be's.
Over 230,000 news-hungry
subscribers,
More than 82% are owner-pilots
who fly and buy.
AVwebFlash and AVwebBiz e-newsletters are
published four days weekly, providing the
latest GA news to active owner-pilots who
want to keep up with the latest industry
news, new products and technology-delivered
to their iPhones, iPads, Androids, tablets
and desktops.
AVweb advertisers including Avidyne,
Aspen Avionics, BendixKing, Bose, Flightcom,
ForeFlight and Sennheiser know that Avweb
delivers.

That's because AVweb subscribers are techsavvy, owner-pilots who fly and buy-not
wanna-be's or used-to-be's.
They want news they can use: expert video
in-flight demos, new product analysis and
comparison, industry commentary and blogs,
and now, features about proficiency, safety
and the emergence of restored, rebuilt and
remanufactured aircraft.
You read AVweb, your customers read AVweb.
It's free and it's fast.
Find out how AVweb advertising, webinars
and videos can deliver customers for you.
Ask about special ad rates for AEA members. Call Tom Bliss at 602-625-6815.
Or, email: tom@avweb.com.

The world's premier independent GA news source.
avionics news

february

2016

http://www.avweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News February 2016