# Presentation: 658190

## Program Overview
Oct 11, 2004

- Oct 11, 2004

- Presentation 2

**Domestic U.S. Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (DRVSM)**

## Overview

- Implementation Decision for North America
- Access to Information
- Program Objectives
- Background and Operational Experience
- Benefits and Costs
- Implementation Date Factors Considered
- Planning and Preparation

## 	Sept. 22 Implementation Decision

- North American RVSM Implementation Group (NARIG) coordinates U.S., Canada and Mexican programs
- On 9/22, NARIG Steering Committee made formal decision to implement RVSM in North American airspace between FL 290-410 (inclusive) on
- 	January 20, 2005.
- On 9/27, Transportation Secretary Mineta and FAA Administrator Blakey announced the decision at
- 	ICAO Hq in Montreal.   See Press Release handout.

## Steering Committee

- Mr. Nick Sabatini, FAA Associate Administrator for Regulation and Certification
- Mr. Russ Chew, COO FAA Air Traffic Organization
- Ms Kathy Fox, VP Operations, NAVCANADA
- Sr. Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Director General Aeronautica Civil de Mexico.

## Access to Information

- FAA RVSM and DRVSM website:
- _[www.faa.gov/ats/ato/rvsm1.htm](http://www.faa.gov/ats/ato/rvsm1.htm)_
- Shows RVSM program status in airspace worldwide
- “RVSM Documentation” Webpage is single source for  information on aircraft and operator approval

## DRVSM Regulatory Basis

**New 91.180:**  published October 27, 2003 in Sub-part B
- Enables Appendix G to be applied in domestic US on the planned implementation date
- Appendix G Section 8 (Designation of Airspace):   lists international and domestic U.S. airspace where RVSM _may be_ applied
- January 20, 2005 target implementation date published in rule preamble
- 12-month Advance Notice published on 1/22/04 in Domestic/Intl NOTAM book under----Graphic Notices

## Program Coordination

- Coordination started with industry in December 2000
- FAA/Industry meetings held in February and
- 	May 2001
- High level FAA management visibility through Operational Evolution Plan (OEP) process

##  Program Objectives

- Implementation date/time:  January 20, 2005;
- 	0901 UTC
- Implement RVSM between FL 290 - 410 in:
- Lower 48 states and Alaska
- Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico High Offshore Airspace (including Houston and Miami Oceanic)
- San Juan FIR
- Simultaneous implementation planned for Canada, Mexico and Caribbean and South American ICAO regions

## NAS Operational Evolution Plan

- www.faa.gov/programs/oep
- DRVSM is para ER-4 in NAS OEP
- Principle Office of Delivery (POD):
- Director, Flight Standards Service, AFS-1

## Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum

- 1,000 ft. vertical separation applied globally, including domestic US, _**up to FL 290**_ for past 40 years
- Special provisions of RVSM program:   enable reduction of vertical separation from 2,000 ft. to
- 	1,000 ft. between _**FL 290 - FL 410 (inclusive)**_

## Major Program Elements

_**Operator Authorization.**_  Aircraft and operators authorized by Administrator or... for non-US operators/aircraft, the appropriate foreign authority
_**Aircraft Equipage and Performance.**_  Aircraft altimetry, auto-pilot, altitude alert systems modified, as necessary, to RVSM standards
_**Pilot, Controller, Dispatcher Policy/Procedures.**_  RVSM policy/procedures incorporated into controller, pilot and dispatch programs
_**Air Traffic systems and programs.**_  Revised

## Program Elements (cont.)

_**Monitoring:**_   Ground and airborne monitoring systems used to independently assess aircraft altitude keeping performance
_**Safety Analysis:**_   conducted in accordance with  accepted Collision Risk Modeling practices

## RVSM Mandate

- When RVSM airspace implemented,** **RVSM authorization required for operation in designated airspace, _with limited exceptions:_
- Exceptions discussed in Air Traffic briefing
- Policy/procedures for exceptions will be detailed in notice to be published Domestic/International NOTAM book and posted on FAA RVSM Documentation Webpage

## RVSM Implemented & PlannedAs of January 2004

**RVSM Implemented & Planned****As of January 2004**

**Pacific**
**2/00**

**Implemented**

**Planned**

**NAT 3/97**

**Asia/Europe**
**South of Himalayas 11/ 03**

**Canada South**
**1/05**

**Canada North**
**4/02**

- V10-1 Jan 04

**WATRS 11/01**

**CAR/SAM**
**      ****1/05**

**Europe 1/02**

**EUR/SAM**
**Corridor 1/02**

**Domestic US**
**1/05**

**Pacific**
**2/00**

****Western Pacific**
**South China Sea **
**2/02 **

**Australia**
**    ****11/01**

**Mid East**
**    ****11/03**

**Japan/Korea**
**2005**

## Safety and Benefits in Operations

- RVSM has proved safe and beneficial in areas where previously implemented
- Approx 13 million RVSM flights
- Approx 24 million RVSM flight hours
- Accumulating approximately 5 million flights and 7 million flight hours per year world-wide

## FAA Continuity

- FAA specialists and supporting contractors have played significant roles in national and international program development and  implementation
- Air Traffic
- Operations
- Certification
- Safety Analysis

##  RVSM Regulations

- 91.706 regulates RVSM operations outside the U.S.
- 91.180 regulates RVSM operations within the U.S.
- Both sections require operator and aircraft approval per Appendix G
- Appendix G  (RVSM Operations):   contains detailed aircraft/operator approval criteria
**Aircraft compliant with Appendix G are eligible for RVSM operations **_**world-wide**_
_**However,**_ operators must adopt operational policy/procedures in each new area of operations

## Aircraft Equipage forRVSM Operations

**!! Aircraft systems listed below **_**must**_** meet tolerances shown on next slide:**
- Two Independent Altimetry Systems
- One Automatic Altitude Control System
- One Altitude Alert System
- Transponder required by 91.215 for US operations
- ICAO transponder standards in Annex 6

## Equipment Tolerances

**Altitude Alert Threshold:**
**Aircraft type certificated prior to 4/9/1997:****	**+/-300 ft
**Aircraft type certified after 4/9/1997:   ****	****	**±200 ft
**Automatic Altitude Control System:**  _+_65 ft about acquired altitude
**Aircraft certified prior to April 9, 1997 with performance management systems:   **soft altitude hold +/- 130 ft allowed

## TCAS Version 7.0

- Part 91 Appendix G, Section 2 amended in 2001 to read:
- 	“After March 31, 2002, unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, _**if you operate an aircraft that is equipped with TCAS II in RVSM airspace,**_  it must be a TCAS II that meets TSO C-119b (Version 7.0), or a later version.”

## Parts 121, 125, 129 TCAS Reg Revision

- TCAS equipage reg revision not specific to RVSM
- Major elements of revisions:
- 121.356, 125.224, 129.18:  turbine-powered aircraft of more than 33,000 lbs max take-off weight require TCAS II equipage by 1/1/2005
- Effective May 1, 2003, initial TCAS II installation or replacement must be TCAS II, Version 7.0
- TCAS I remains acceptable for designated aircraft categories
- 135.180:  not changed

## Benefits 2005 - 2016

- Adds six additional FLs between 290 - 410
- Fuel Savings and Operating Efficiency Benefits
- 	2005 – 2016:
- $5.3 billion
- 6/1 benefit/cost ratio
- $393m first year savings---with 2.0% annual increase
- Benefits to ATC operations
- Discussed in detail in AT briefing

## Costs 2002 - 2016

- $869 million costs:
- Aircraft upgrade
- Downtime, if work not accomplished during scheduled Mx
- If TCAS II equipped, Version 7.0 upgrade
- Monitoring
- Air traffic system modification and controller training costs
- Pilot training

## Key Implementation Factor

_**Key implementation factor:**_   on January 20, 2005, approximately 85% of _flights_ now operating between
- 	FL 290-410 must be conducted by RVSM-compliant aircraft
- Intent is to avoid pushing down more than 10-15% of flights
- Based on actual NAS traffic data, industry surveys and RVSM Approvals Database, DRVSM Team has projected that this goal will be met
- Unapproved aircraft can continue to operate at/below FL 280 until they obtain RVSM authority

## Percentage of Flights Now Conducted Between FL 290-410 Projected to be RVSM-Compliant by 1/20/05

| OPERATOR/AIRCRAFT CATEGORIES | PERCENT OF TOTAL FLIGHTS | PROJECTED FLIGHTS BY RVSM-COMPLIANT AIRCRAFT | CUMULATIVE TOTAL |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Large Transport Aircraft (LTA) |  |  |  |
| Air Transport Association
(ATA) Operators (excluding
foreign associate members) | 53.94 | 53.05  | 53.05 |
| US Regional Jet Airline Operators | 15.68 | 13.86 | 66.91 |
| National Air Carrier Association | 0.95 | 0.93 | 67.84 |
| Foreign Operators (Part 129) | 6.31 | 6.21  | 74.05 |
| Miscellaneous Large Aircraft  Operators | 4.76 | 4.68  | 78.73 |
| Small Commercial/GA Aircraft (SCGA), Military & Unidentified |  |  |  |
| Military Operations | 1.25 | 0.75 | 79.48 |
| SCGA Operations (Business Jet/Turbo Prop Operators) | 16.98 | 8.49-12.74 
(50% - 75%) | 87.97-92.22 |
| Unidentified Operations | 0.12 |  |  |
| Range Projected for 
Jan. 20, 2005 |  | As of Sept 15: | Approx. 88.0-92.2%
 |

## Other Implementation Date Factors 

- Current US RVSM Approvals Database Info.
**Database does **_**not**_** yet reflect all work known to be underway on US operators’ fleets**
- Approx. 5,725 business jets, 58% of US DRVSM business jet fleet in database as RVSM-compliant
- New airframes now delivered RVSM ready
- $393 m. first year fuel savings _and_ ATC benefits at stake
- Aircraft Engineering Packages available for most aircraft
- Non-group/unique airframe process available

## Other Date Factors (cont).

- New cost-effective aircraft engineering solutions available
- Unapproved aircraft have options to:
- Operate at FL 280 and below (fuel burn penalty, but relatively short duration flights)
- If capable and traffic permitting, climb through RVSM FLs to operate at FL 430 and above
- Economic decision for some operators
- Unapproved Life guard, DoD aircraft and aircraft certification/development flights to be accommodated

## Conclusion

- DRVSM is a significant project in the NAS OEP
- Has proven safe and beneficial in other major areas around the world
- The DRVSM Team will work with FAA organizations and industry to continue progress toward successful implementation