Avionics News February 2013 - 16

F R O M
R I C
P E R I
A EA V I C E P R ES I D E N T O F G OV E R N M E N T & I N D U ST RY A F FA I RS

The Aircraft Electronics Association’s international membership continues to grow. Currently, the AEA represents
avionics businesses in more than 40 countries throughout the world. To better serve the needs of the AEA’s international
membership, the “International News and Regulatory Updates” section of Avionics News offers a greater focus on
international regulatory activity, international industry news and an international “Frequently Asked Questions” column
to help promote standardization. If you have comments about this section, send emails to avionicsnews@aea.net.

UNITED STATES

News & Regulatory Updates
AEA Participates in Final
FAA-Industry Part 23 ARC
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona
Beach, Fla., an AEA member, played host to the final
two meetings of the Part 23 Aviation Rulemaking
Committee (ARC) and the ASTM International F44
group charged with developing recommendations
that would significantly change aircraft certification
regulations for most general aviation aircraft. Part
23 covers aircraft under 19,000 pounds, from simple,
piston-powered airplanes to highly complex twinengine jets.
Ric Peri, AEA vice president of government and
industry affairs, participated in the ARC meeting, Jan.
8-11. Other members of the ARC included representatives from most major airframe and aircraft equipment
manufacturers, as well as aviation regulators from
Brazil, Canada, China, Europe and New Zealand.
The ARC has worked since November 2011 to
develop performance-based regulations that will be
readily adaptable to new technology. The committee’s
goal was to enhance safety and encourage innovation
by streamlining the process for certifying new tech16

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nologies, while also lowering the costs of developing
new products. It is expected to have final recommendations ready for the FAA to consider later this year.
Immediately following the conclusion of the meeting, Embry-Riddle noted in a statement that the original regulations were put in place in 1958, by the Civil
Aeronautics Authority, the FAA’s predecessor. As
aviation technology progressed, construction methods,
performance and complexity have evolved. While there
have been significant advances in aircraft design covered under Part 23, it also raised the costs and increased
the time for certification of all products due to the complexity of the regulations.
According to Pat Anderson, professor of aerospace
engineering at Embry-Riddle, it is difficult and expensive to get safety features like airbags or GPS into an
older airplane. “This ARC meeting is exciting not only
for new airplanes, but also because it will lower costs
and enhance safety for existing aircraft.”
Embry-Riddle also noted that the ARC meeting is a
high priority in Europe. “We’re seeing a different era of
cooperation between industry and the regulators,” said
Boudewijn Deuss, a rulemaking officer with the European Aviation Safety Agency’s Rulemaking Directorate.
“We need to have the authorities retain responsibility
for safety while industry has the flexibility for innovation and design, as long as it’s safe. Let’s regulate
safety, not design.”

Avionics News February 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News February 2013