Aprv_US_5-1-2CHKLST.doc

RVSM APPROVAL PROCESS EVENTS: U.S. OPERATORS
(May 1, 2002)
91-RVSM REFERENCE PARA or DOCUMENT ON RVSM WEBSITE
Operator Establishes Need to Obtain RVSM Approval. NOTE: ATS providers have announced intent to implement RVSM in NOTAM’s and Aeronautical Information Publications.
6c(1) & (2)
Operator Contacts Aircraft Manufacturer or Design Organization and obtains aircraft RVSM airworthiness approval documents, if available:

· For In-service aircraft: e.g., Service Bulletin (SB), Aircraft Service Change (ASC) , Supplemental Type Certificate (STC); and
· For New or In-production aircraft: e.g., Airplane Flight Manual statement, Type Certificate Data Sheet

Manufacturer advises operator whether aircraft is covered by group approval or is considered as a non-group aircraft

Manufacturer advises operator on obtaining airworthiness approval documents
11b; Aircraft Engineering Package List; Points of Contact list - Aircraft Manufacturers
Operator contacts the Certificate Holding District Office (CHDO) to arrange a pre-application meeting to discuss requirements for approval.
11.c, HBAT 99-11A /
HBGA 99-17A
Approx 60 days in advance, operator submits an application to CHDO for operational approval.
6c, 11b, 11d
Content of Application:

Airworthiness Documents. (See next page for TCAS Version 7 information).

Description of Aircraft Equipment.

Operations Training Programs and Operating Practices and Procedures.

Operations Manuals and Checklists.

Past Performance.

Minimum Equipment List.

Maintenance Program.

Plan for participation in Monitoring Programs.

Plan for reporting altitude-keeping errors.
11d, Example Application

11d(1), Aircraft Engineering Package List

11d(2)

11d(3); See next pages.

11d(4); See next pages.

11d(5)

11d(6), MMEL GC59

11d(7) and 10, FSAW 97-14

11d(8), 11h . See next pages.

11I
CHDO reviews application.
11e
HDO registers RVSM approved airframes on the FAA RVSM Approvals Database by making appropriate PTRS entries or faxing information in HBAT 99-11A/HBGA 99-17A, Attachment 4 to the FAA Technical Center.

NOTE: as individual airframes are verified to be RVSM compliant, the PTRS entries should be made or the information faxed to the FAA Technical Center.
Paragraph 5J of HBAT
99-11A/ HBGA 99-17A
For Part 121 and 135 operators, validation flight completed, if required.
11f
When operator completes airworthiness, continued airworthiness and operations program requirements, CHDO grants operational approval.
11g
1. FAA RVSM Website Address: www.faa.gov/ats/ato/rvsm1.htm then click on “RVSM Documentation” Icon.

2. RVSM Documentation Section Organization. Section headings are:
Documents Applicable to All RVSM Approvals
North Atlantic
West Atlantic Route System (WATRS)
Pacific
Europe
To be added: Domestic US RVSM (DRVSM) site

3. RVSM Area New to the Operator. Requirements and policies for operators that have received initial approval in one area of operations and are starting operations in another are reviewed in the “RVSM Area New to the Operator” document published on the website under Documents Applicable to All RVSM Approvals.

4. Operations Training, Manuals and Checklists. The following documents are references for the development of training programs and manuals:

a. 91-RVSM Appendix 4: Practices/procedures applicable to all RVSM operations
b. 91-RVSM Appendix 5: Practices/procedures applicable to oceanic RVSM operations
c. Domestic US RVSM practices/procedures are under development.
d. Practices/procedures for specific areas of operation can be found in RVSM Documentation under the individual area headings. Procedures listed include: contingency procedures, weather deviation procedures and track offset procedures. Policies include are: policies for flight planning and for operation of non-RVSM aircraft.
e. Pilot Training for TCAS Version 6.04a (if installed) in RVSM airspace .
f. TCAS II Version 7.0 Modifications.
g. Dispatcher Guidance for RVSM Operations.

5. Part 91 Appendix G Revision on TCAS II Version 7.0. Appendix G, Section 2, paragraph (g) was revised in 2001 to state:

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.

6. Monitoring Requirements. (Note: monitoring completed for one area of operations can be used to fulfill the monitoring requirements in another area). See the following documents:
Monitoring Requirements (cont’d)

Minimum Monitoring Requirements: North Atlantic. Published on both NAT and WATRS sections of the RVSM Documentation website.

Asia-Pacific Monitoring Requirements. Are published in Pacific section of RVSM Doc’s.

Europe. Eurocontrol will contact individual operators if operator aircraft are not observed by one of the three ground-based Height Monitoring Units located in Europe or by the NAT or Pacific monitoring program.

Domestic US RVSM (DRVSM) Monitoring Requirements. Will be published on the website as soon as possible.

7. Monitoring Procedures and Contacts. Contacts and procedures for monitoring using the ground-based Height Monitoring Unit (HMU) and the GPS-based Monitoring Unit (GMU) can be found:

For West and North Atlantic. See West and North Atlantic Sections. See “NAT RVSM Aircraft Height-keeping Performance Monitoring Procedures”.

For Asia/Pacific areas. See “GPS-based Monitoring System Procedures” published on Asia/Pacific Approvals Registry and Monitoring Organization (APARMO) web page. Go to RVSM homepage. Click “Asia/Pacific RVSM” at top of homepage. Scroll down and click “FAA APARMO Web site”. On APARMO website, scroll down to “APARMO Documentation”.

Monitoring For Domestic US Purposes. Operators that do not intend to conduct RVSM operations in the Asia/Pacific or Atlantic areas who wish to complete DRVSM monitoring early may contact either ARINC or CSSI, as shown in the Monitoring Procedures documents above to arrange for GMU flights.

8. Miscellaneous Document Work Underway.

a. FSAW 97-14 provides guidance to FAA inspectors on the evaluation of operator continued airworthiness maintenance programs. It is being updated.
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