# Windshear -- Training and Simulator Requirements

FSTD Guidance Bulletin 03-05

*(NOTE: A description of policy concerning windshear approval for
simulators not required to comply with the 14 CFR Part 121 requirements
follows at the end of this paper under the title: **"NSP Policy
Concerning Advisory Circulars AC120-40B, Appendix 1 and AC120-40C Draft,
Appendix 1, Windshear Test Requirements")***

**14 CFR Part 121 Regulatory References:**

According to 14CFR Part 121.358, Low-Altitude Windshear System Equipment
Requirements, the following airplane types must be equipped with
"...either an approved airborne windshear warning and flight guidance
system, an approved airborne detection and avoidance system, or an
approved combination these systems..."

1\. A-300-600;

2\. A-310, all series;

3\. A-320, all series;

4\. B-737-300, -400, and -500 series;

5\. B-747-400

6\. B-757, all series;

7\. B-767, all series;

8\. F-100, all series;

9\. MD-11, all series;

> 10\. MD-80 series equipped with an EFIS and Honeywell-970 digital
> flight guidance computer.

11\. Any airplane manufactured after January 2, 1991.

This section goes on to say that "...all other turbine-powered
airplanes..." (Not listed above or that were manufactured prior to
January 2, 1991) "...must be equipped with, as a minimum requirement, an
approved airborne windshear warning system. These airplanes may be
equipped with an approved airborne windshear detection and avoidance
system, or an approved combination these systems."

This section deals with Part 121 operations ***only***, and defines
"turbine-powered airplanes" as including "turbofan-," "turbojet-,"
"propfan-," and "ultra-high bypass fan-powered" airplanes - but it
specifically ***excludes*** "turbopropeller-powered" airplanes.

With the original issuance of the rule, there was the possibility for an
authorization to extend the compliance date for this windshear equipment
requirement. This extension was tied to the compliance date established
for TCAS II retrofit **\[**Section 121.358(c)(2)**\]**, which, according
to the table in Section 121.356(a), would not be later than December 30,
1993.

The above discussion is strictly applicable to Part 121 requirements and
does not apply outside of Part 121. However, training conducted under
Part 142 (and ***not*** for Part 121 purposes), or training for those
operations conducted under Parts 91, 125, or 135, ***may*** include
windshear training provided the simulator has been evaluated, found
satisfactory, and recommended for such use.

**Training Program Requirements:**

According to 14CFR Part 121.409(d), "...each certificate holder required
to comply with Section 121.358, ... must use an approved simulator for
each airplane type in each of its pilot training courses that provides
training in at least the procedures and maneuvers set forth in the
certificate holder's approved low-altitude windshear flight training
program."

The recommended training program, contained in the Windshear Training
Aid, published by the FAA in February 1987, contains an "Example
Windshear Training Program." Contained within this example, is a
"Simulator Training Program" section. This section sets out Basic
Exercises and Optional Exercises, as to when and where the training crew
should encounter a windshear. These exercises are described below:

**Basic Exercises:**

+------+-------------------------------+------------------------------+
| 1\.  | Takeoff - After Liftoff       | During Initial Climb         |
|      |                               |                              |
|      |                               | (5 examples given)           |
|      |                               |                              |
|      |                               | or During Rotation**\***     |
|      |                               |                              |
|      |                               | (4 examples given)           |
+------+-------------------------------+------------------------------+
| 2\.  | Takeoff - On Runway           | Prior to V~R~                |
|      |                               |                              |
|      |                               | (3 examples given)           |
+------+-------------------------------+------------------------------+
| 3\.  | Approach                      | During ILS Approach          |
|      |                               |                              |
|      |                               | (4 examples given)           |
+------+-------------------------------+------------------------------+

**\***Airplane lifts off as shear is recognized.

**Optional Exercises:**

+----+---------------------+-------------------------------------------+
| 1  | Takeoff (Complex)   | Demonstrates real-world application of    |
| \. |                     | windshear techniques.                     |
|    |                     |                                           |
|    |                     | (1 example given)                         |
+----+---------------------+-------------------------------------------+
| 2  | Approach (Complex)  | Demonstrates real-world application of    |
| \. |                     | windshear techniques.                     |
|    |                     |                                           |
|    |                     | (1 example given)                         |
+----+---------------------+-------------------------------------------+
| 3  | Stick Shaker        | Demonstrates basic airplane response near |
| \. | Practice            | stall during windshear encounter and      |
|    |                     | recovery.                                 |
|    |                     |                                           |
|    |                     | (4 examples given - 2 takeoff, 2 landing) |
+----+---------------------+-------------------------------------------+
| 4  | Increase V~R~ Speed | Demonstrates correct use of increased     |
| \. |                     | rotation speed precautionary technique.   |
|    |                     |                                           |
|    |                     | (1 example given)                         |
+----+---------------------+-------------------------------------------+

A reminder -- these exercises are ***"suggested***,***"*** and are not
required. The training program content will be as submitted by the
operator and approved by the Training Program Approval Authority (TPAA).
The TPAA is the Principal Operations Inspector (POI), Training Center
Program Manager (TCPM), and/or the assigned operations inspector at a
Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), as appropriate, who exercises
authority on behalf of the Administrator in approving the airplane
flight-training program in which the simulator will be used.

**Qualification of Simulators Used for Windshear Training Under 14 CFR
Part 121:**

The basic requirements for a simulator to be satisfactorily evaluated
and qualified for windshear training are set out in Appendix 5 of the
current guidance for Airplane Simulator Qualification, Advisory Circular
(AC) 120-40B.

In this appendix, the requirements for the "windshear models" used must
"...provide cues necessary for recognition of the onset of a windshear
phenomena and potential performance degradation that would require a
pilot to initiate recovery procedures." The degradation "cues" should
include one or more of the following:

1\. Rapid airspeed change of at least ±15 knots.

2\. Stagnation of airspeed during the takeoff roll.

3\. Rapid vertical speed change of at least ±500 feet per minute.

4\. Rapid pitch change of at least ±5 degrees.

Further, these "windshear models" must be adjustable in intensity (or
other parameter to achieve the desired effect) so that when encountered,
either of the following results may be achieved (at the option of
instructor) --

1\. Airplane performance permits the pilot to maintain a satisfactory
flightpath.

2\. Airplane performance does not permit the pilot to maintain a
satisfactory flightpath (i.e., the airplane will crash).

There are only four (4) objective tests that are conducted as a part of
the simulator evaluation for windshear training recommendation. The
sponsor must submit two (2) of the "windshear models" available in the
simulator (one takeoff and one approach). The simulator is flown through
calm air (to observe/record performance without the presence of
windshear) and then through the selected survivable windshear (to
observe/record performance with the presence of windshear) for both the
takeoff and the approach case. The results of these tests will be
compared to the results of these same tests conducted initially and
reviewed/accepted by the NSPM engineering staff.

As part of the Objective Tests, the current requirement is to
electronically record and plot the time histories of the following
parameters:

1\. Indicated or calibrated airspeed.

2\. Indicated vertical speed.

3\. Pitch attitude.

4\. Indicated or radio altitudes.

5\. Angle of attack.

6\. Elevator position.

In the near future, a requirement for two (2) additional parameters to
be recorded and plotted will be added, as follows:

7\. Engine data (thrust, N~1~, or throttle position).

8\. Wind magnitudes (simple windshear model assumed -- more complex
models may require lateral, vertical, and longitudinal plots).

In addition, a functional evaluation of the simulator's performance in a
windshear will be conducted. In this evaluation the simulator will be
flown in at least two (2) "windshear scenarios." One scenario will
include parameters that enable the pilot to maintain a satisfactory
flightpath and one scenario will include parameters that do not enable
the pilot to maintain a satisfactory flightpath (i.e., the simulator
will crash). Also, the functional test may include the examination of
other scenarios at the discretion of simulator evaluation specialist
conducting the evaluation. The scenarios used for this functional
evaluation will be selected from the basic exercises or the optional
exercises recommended in the Windshear Training Aid, if available, or
from those scenarios approved and available to the instructors in the
simulator for windshear flight training. It may be that only the two
scenarios used for objective testing are available for flight training
and, consequently, available for functional testing. If this is the
case, the simulator evaluator will notify the TPAA of this limited
capability as part of the NSPM response and recommendation to the TPAA.

The equipment installed in the simulator relating to windshear warning
and flight guidance or detection and avoidance, must operate and
function the same or equivalently to the system(s) installed in the
airplane for this purpose. This equipment must provide for the same
alerting or advisory notification to the flight crew when the simulator
is subjected to any environmental conditions that would have provided
alerting or advisory notifications to the flight crew in regular
operations in flight. The simulator must operate equivalently to the
airplane in any circumstance approaching that of a windshear (i.e.,
rapid airspeed change of at least ±15 knots; stagnation of airspeed
during the takeoff roll; rapid vertical speed change of at least ±500
feet per minute; or rapid pitch change of at least ±5 degrees) and not
only when specific environmental models are used, or when specific
aircraft configurations are selected, or when specific geographic models
(including visual models) are selected. In the report to the TPAA, the
simulator evaluator will state that the simulator performs correctly
only when these circumstances are found to exist. Otherwise, this report
will likely contain recommendations for limitations on windshear
training and may, if circumstances warrant, conclude that the evaluation
is unsatisfactory, resulting in windshear training ***not*** being
authorized.

NSP Policy Concerning Advisory Circulars AC120-40B, Appendix 1 and
AC120-40C Draft, Appendix 1, Windshear Test Requirements

[Background:]{.underline} Advisory Circular (AC) AC120-40B and Advisory
Circular 120-40C Draft each contain an "Appendix 1" section that lists
general simulator standards required for each level of simulator
qualified under the applicable AC.

In each referenced AC, Appendix 1, Section 2, Item O, describes the
requirements associated with windshear models. These windshear models
are required to be a part of each simulator qualified at Level C or
Level D. The Appendix 1 "COMMENTS" column associated with the windshear
model description for each AC states "Tests required".

[Policy:]{.underline} For simulators [not]{.underline} required to
comply with AC 120-40B, Appendix 5, or AC 120-40C Draft, Appendix 6
(i.e., simulators that are [not]{.underline} used to satisfy the
training requirements of a 14 CFR Part 121 low-altitude windshear flight
training program) NSP policy interprets the windshear tests required by
Appendix 1 of each AC to be subjective demonstrations only. If these
subjective demonstrations are satisfactory, the simulator will be
considered to be in compliance with the windshear test requirements of
Appendix 1 of the applicable AC

Objective windshear test cases are not required to be included in the
QTG/ATG for these simulators. Although objective test cases are not
required, the QTG/ATG for all Level C or Level D simulators qualified
under AC 120-40B or AC 120-40C Draft must include information describing
the wind model implemented in the simulator windshear demonstrations.
The QTG/ATG should reference the "FAA Windshear Training Aid" if it is
the source of the wind model used or present airplane related data on
whatever alternate wind modeling method was implemented. The required
QTG/ATG description of wind modeling should be in the form of a
statement of compliance.

**[The FAA Windshear Training Aid]{.underline}** may be found at:

<http://www.ntis.gov/search/product.asp?ABBR=AVA19756KK00&starDB=GRAHIST>