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Paper charts and manuals have increasingly been replaced by the Electronic Flight Bag or EFB: an electronic display system that gives pilots information about a variety of aviation data.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.

FMI: www.faa.gov