ERA releases guidance to members on future avionic equipage

The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) has published advice on the current and planned avionics fitment required for aircraft operating in European airspace.

• As part of its ongoing work on avionics, ERA is helping to revise EASA’s Surveillance, Performance and Interoperability (SPI) Implementing Regulation.
• The aim of the revised regulation is to provide greater clarity to the airline community, establish a realistic timeframe for implementation of airborne requirements and define a framework for the development of ground-based ADS-B infrastructure.

In pursuit of a common airspace infrastructure across Europe, the European Commission has mandated that EU air operators equip aircraft with new avionics hardware to allow them to continue flying in European airspace. However, in some cases, the systems have been found not to be sufficiently technologically mature and operators are being required to retrofit aircraft that were not designed to accommodate significant adjustments to their electronics and avionics architecture.

The mandate for retrofit compliance is currently under review and ERA is taking part in EASA’s SPI Rulemaking Task Group, a small team of experts responsible for providing the European Commission with a more comprehensive approach to ADS-B integration. This work clearly demonstrates ERA’s commitment to promoting the strategic future of the association’s members in the field of ATM technology.

In addition, as part of its technical work and advice, ERA has recently published guidance on the avionics fitment required for aircraft operating in European airspace. This useful brochure provides an overview of the currently mandated equipage, including background on the evolution of the regulations and a timeline for implementation. The publication, along with ERA’s other technical publications and expert analysis, can be downloaded from ERA’s website at www.eraa.org/publications/otherpublications

ERA head office, UK, 17 May 2017