§ 60.15 Initial qualification requirements. ( a ) For each FSTD, the sponsor must submit a request to the responsible Flight Standards office to evaluate the FSTD for initial qualification at a specific level and simultaneously request the Training Program Approval Authority (TPAA) forward a concurring letter to the responsible Flight Standards office. The request must be submitted in the form and manner described in the applicable QPS.
( b ) The management representative described in § 60.9(c) must sign a statement (electronic signature is acceptable for electronic transmissions) after confirming the following: ( 1 ) The performance and handling qualities of the FSTD represent those of the aircraft or set of aircraft within the normal operating envelope. This determination must be made by a pilot(s) meeting the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section after having flown all of the Operations Tasks listed in the applicable QPS appendix relevant to the qualification level of the FSTD. Exceptions, if any, must be noted. The name of the person(s) making this determination must be available to the responsible Flight Standards office upon request.
( 2 ) The FSTD systems and sub-systems (including the simulated aircraft systems) functionally represent those in the aircraft or set of aircraft. This determination must be made by the pilot(s) described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, or by a person(s) trained on simulator systems/sub-systems and trained on the operation of the simulated aircraft systems, after having exercised the operation of the FSTD and the pertinent functions available through the Instructor Operating Station(s). Exceptions, if any, must be noted. The name of the person(s) making this determination must be available to the responsible Flight Standards office upon request.
( 3 ) The cockpit represents the configuration of the specific type; or aircraft make, model, and series aircraft being simulated, as appropriate. This determination must be made by the pilot(s) described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, or by a person(s) trained on the configuration and operation of the aircraft simulated. Exceptions, if any, must be noted. The name of the person(s) making this determination must be available to the responsible Flight Standards office upon request.
( c ) Except for those FSTDs previously qualified and described in § 60.17, each FSTD evaluated for initial qualification must meet the standard that is in effect at the time of the evaluation. However— ( 1 ) If the FAA publishes a change to the existing standard or publishes a new standard for the evaluation for initial qualification, a sponsor may request that the responsible Flight Standards office apply the standard that was in effect when an FSTD was ordered for delivery if the sponsor— ( i ) Within 30 days of the publication of the change to the existing standard or publication of the new standard, notifies the responsible Flight Standards office that an FSTD has been ordered;
( ii ) Within 90 days of the responsible Flight Standards office notification described in paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section, requests that the standard in effect at the time the order was placed be used for the evaluation for initial qualification; and
( iii ) The evaluation is conducted within 24 months following the publication of the change to the existing standard or publication of the new standard.
( 2 ) This notification must include a description of the FSTD; the anticipated qualification level of the FSTD; the make, model, and series of aircraft simulated; and any other pertinent information.
( 3 ) Any tests, tolerances, or other requirements that are current at the time of the evaluation may be used during the initial evaluation, at the request of the sponsor, if the sponsor provides acceptable updates to the required qualification test guide.
( 4 ) The standards used for the evaluation for initial qualification will be used for all subsequent evaluations of the FSTD.
( 5 ) An FSTD sponsor or FSTD manufacturer may submit a request to the Administrator for approval of a deviation from the QPS requirements as defined in Appendix A through Appendix D of this part. ( i ) Requests for deviation must be submitted in a form and manner acceptable to the Administrator and must provide sufficient justification that the deviation meets or exceeds the testing requirements and tolerances as specified in the part 60 QPS or will otherwise not adversely affect the fidelity and capability of the FSTDs evaluated and qualified under the deviation.
( ii ) The Administrator may consider deviation from the minimum requirements tables, the objective testing tables, the functions and subjective testing tables, and other supporting tables and requirements in the part 60 QPS.
( iii ) Deviations may be issued to an FSTD manufacturer for the initial qualification of multiple FSTDs, subject to terms and limitations as determined by Administrator. Approved deviations will become a part of the permanent qualification basis of the individual FSTD and will be noted in the FSTD's Statement of Qualification.
( iv ) If the FAA publishes a change to the existing part 60 standards as described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section or issues an FSTD Directive as described in § 60.23(b), which conflicts with or supersedes an approved deviation, the Administrator may terminate or revise a grant of deviation authority issued under this paragraph.
( d ) The pilot(s) who contributes to the confirmation statement required by paragraph (b) of this section must— ( 1 ) Be designated by the sponsor; and
( 2 ) Be qualified in— ( i ) The aircraft or set of aircraft being simulated; or
( ii ) For aircraft not yet issued a type certificate, or aircraft not previously operated by the sponsor or not having previous FAA-approved training programs conducted by the sponsor, an aircraft similar in size and configuration.
( e ) The subjective tests that form the basis for the statements described in paragraph (b) of this section and the objective tests referenced in paragraph (f) of this section must be accomplished at the sponsor's training facility or other sponsor designated location where training will take place, except as provided for in the applicable QPS.
( f ) The person seeking to qualify the FSTD must provide the responsible Flight Standards office access to the FSTD for the length of time necessary for the responsible Flight Standards office to complete the required evaluation of the FSTD for initial qualification, which includes the conduct and evaluation of objective and subjective tests, including general FSTD requirements, as described in the applicable QPS, to determine that the FSTD meets the standards in that QPS.
( g ) When the FSTD passes an evaluation for initial qualification, the responsible Flight Standards office issues a Statement of Qualification that includes all of the following: ( 1 ) Identification of the sponsor.
( 2 ) Identification of the make, model, and series of the aircraft or set of aircraft being simulated.
( 3 ) Identification of the configuration of the aircraft or set of aircraft being simulated (*e.g.*, engine model or models, flight instruments, or navigation or other systems).
( 4 ) A statement that the FSTD is qualified as either a full flight simulator or a flight training device.
( 5 ) Identification of the qualification level of the FSTD.
( 6 ) A statement that (with the exception of the noted exclusions for which the FSTD has not been subjectively tested by the sponsor or the responsible Flight Standards office and for which qualification is not sought) the qualification of the FSTD includes the tasks set out in the applicable QPS appendix relevant to the qualification level of the FSTD.
( 7 ) A statement referencing any deviations that have been granted and included in the permanent qualification basis of the FSTD.
( h ) After the responsible Flight Standards office completes the evaluation for initial qualification, the sponsor must update the Qualification Test Guide (QTG), with the results of the FAA-witnessed tests together with the results of all the objective tests described in the applicable QPS.
( i ) Upon issuance of the Statement of Qualification the updated QTG becomes the Master Qualification Test Guide (MQTG). The MQTG must be made available to the responsible Flight Standards office upon request.
[Docket No. FAA-2002-12461, 71 FR 63426, Oct. 30, 2006, as amended by Docket FAA-2014-0391, Amdt. 60-4, 81 FR 18217, Mar. 30, 2016; Docket No. FAA-2022-1355, Amdt. No. 60-7, 87 FR 75711, Dec. 9, 2022]