FAA Final Rule On Enhanced Flight Vision
System To Take Effect In March
January
26, 2017 -
An Enhanced flight vision system (EFVS) is equipment
that can be installed in the cockpit of an aircraft that
allows the pilots to better detect an image outside the
aircraft and in some cases better than unaided human
vision.
Under current FAA regulations, a pilot or crew could
only use an EFVS system along with his or her own
natural vision to descend below the decision altitude,
decision height, or minimum descent altitude down to 100
feet above the touchdown zone elevation of the intended
runway, using certain straight-in landing instrument
approach procedures.
Under the new rule which will take effect March 13,
2017, pilots will allow permits operators to use an EFVS
in lieu of natural vision to continue descending from
100 feet above the TDZE to the runway and to land on
certain straight-in IAPs under instrument flight rules
(IFR).
This final rule also revises and relocates the
regulations that permit operators to use an EFVS in lieu
of natural vision to descend to 100 feet above the TDZE
using certain straight-in IAPs.
Additionally, this final rule addresses provisions that
permit operators who conduct EFVS operations under parts
121, 125, or 135 to use EFVS-equipped aircraft to
dispatch, release, or takeoff under IFR, and revises the
regulations for those operators to initiate and continue
an approach, when the destination airport weather is
below authorized visibility minimums for the runway of
intended landing.
This final rule establishes pilot training and recent
flight experience requirements for operators who use
EFVS in lieu of natural vision to descend below the
DA/DH or MDA. EFVS-equipped aircraft conducting
operations to touchdown and rollout are required to meet
additional airworthiness requirements.
This final rule also revises pilot compartment view
certification requirements for vision systems using a
transparent display surface located in the pilot's
outside field of view. The final rule takes advantage of
advanced vision capabilities, thereby achieving the Next
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) goals of
increasing access, efficiency, and throughput at many
airports when low visibility is the limiting factor.
Additionally, it enables EFVS operations in reduced
visibilities on a greater number of approach procedure
types while maintaining an equivalent level of safety.
Wikimedia - Night vision devices for military personnel
have been operational since the time of World War II.
Their use has been adopted also by military pilots,
mainly in rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters). The use of
such devices has been suggested for use by commercial
pilots since the 1970s, but it was not until 1999 that
the first commercial, FAA certified system, was
airborne. Still, the pilot could not use the system to
lower an aircraft below the required natural vision
limit. In 2004, the FAA published correction 91-281 to
landing guidelines, which allowed pilots to use the
visual display provided by an EFVS to lower down to 100
feet above the landing zone (if no other restrictions
apply). This marks the first time an EFVS gave a
concrete commercial advantage over unaided vision.
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