Advises FAA Require Emergency Transponder Power On UAVs; Life
Rafts On Offshore Helicopters
One week after publishing its
first-ever Probable Cause report on the downing of an unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV,) on Wednesday the National Transportation
Safety Board published a long list of recommendations to the
Federal Aviation Administration for the continued safe operations
of UAVs in national airspace.
The NTSB recommends the FAA:
Require that unmanned aircraft transponders provide beacon code
and altitude information to air traffic control and to aircraft
equipped with traffic collision avoidance systems at all times
while airborne by ensuring that the transponder is powered via the
emergency or battery bus. (A-07-65)
Require that all conversations, including telephone
conversations, between unmanned aircraft (UA) pilots and air
traffic control, other UA pilots, and other assets that provide
operational support to unmanned aircraft system operations, be
recorded and retained in accordance with Federal Aviation
Administration Orders 7210.3 and 8020.11. (A-07-66)
Require periodic operational reviews between the unmanned
aircraft system (UAS) operations teams and local air traffic
control facilities, with specific emphasis on face-to-face
coordination between working-level controllers and unmanned
aircraft pilot(s), to clearly define responsibilities and actions
required for standard and nonstandard UAS operations. These
operational reviews should include, but not be limited to,
discussion on lost-link profiles and procedures, the potential for
unique emergency situations and methods to mitigate them,
platform-specific aircraft characteristics, and airspace management
procedures. (A-07-67)
Require that established procedures for handling piloted
aircraft emergencies be applied to unmanned aircraft systems.
(A-07-68)
Require that all unmanned aircraft system operators report to
the Federal Aviation Administration, in writing within 30 days of
occurrence, all incidents and malfunctions that affect safety;
require that operators are analyzing these data in an effort to
improve safety; and evaluate these data to determine whether
programs and procedures, including those under air traffic control,
remain effective in mitigating safety risks. (A-07-69)
In response to a number of
helicopter accidents over the past several years in the Gulf Coast
oil-patch region, the NTSB also recommended Wednesday the FAA:
Require that all existing and new turbine-powered helicopters
operating in the Gulf of Mexico and certificated with five or more
seats be equipped with externally mounted life rafts large enough
to accommodate all occupants. (A-07-87)
Require that all offshore helicopter operators in the Gulf of
Mexico provide their flight crews with personal flotation devices
equipped with a waterproof, globalpositioning- system-enabled 406
megahertz personal locator beacon, as well as one other signaling
device, such as a signaling mirror or a strobe light.
(A-07-88)
FMI: Read The Full Recommendations Here And Here (.pdf)
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