Wants To Streamline Certification
Knowing where you are on what
runway or taxiway is critical information... especially if
unfamiliar with an airport, in poor weather or at night.
Traditionally, pilots have acquired that information by simply
looking out their windshield. Now, the FAA wants to provide a
moving map display with 'own ship' position as an adjunct to the
electronic flight bag.
After reviewing safety data, including the safety benefits of
'own ship' position versus the potential safety risks, the FAA
announced they are changing their certification process to enable
this technology to be available later this year while maintaining
all appropriate safety standards, according to the FAA.
Paper charts and manuals have increasingly been replaced by the
Electronic Flight Bag or EFB: an electronic display system that
gives pilots information about a variety of aviation data. They
range from laptop-like devices totally independent of the aircraft
that can be used on planes across the existing fleet, to high-end
displays permanently installed and fully integrated into the
airplane's cockpit for newer aircraft.
The FAA is focusing on a third type of device, referred to as a
"Class 2 system" that is still portable but takes its power and
data directly from aircraft systems.
Most EFBs incorporate a feature called Airport Moving Map, a
display that provides a constantly updating view of an airport's
runways, taxiways and structures to help pilots identify and
anticipate the airplane's location on the surface. Using GPS, the
moving map shows a pilot his or her actual position, or "own ship",
on the airport surface.
The FAA's research has reportedly demonstrated that pilots
typically glanced at the 'own ship' display then quickly looked out
the window to verify that information visually. This eliminates a
major concern that pilots would be too "heads down" while utilizing
such a device.
The FAA has now decided to streamline the process of certifying
the 'own ship' position function of moving map displays and get it
launched as soon as possible. Certification standards will remain
the same and policy changes are being explored to make this
cost-effective for operators. The new policies should be finalized
and ready for use by the end of April 2007.
By finding ways to simplify certification, the FAA said it
believes the cost of certification for surface operations could
drop to as little as $20,000 per unit -- about one-tenth the
original anticipated cost of EFB certification for ground and air
operations.