Program Overview

1
Domestic U.S. Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum
(DRVSM)
Presentation 2

• Program Overview
• Oct 11, 2004

2
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

3
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.

4
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.

5
Access to Information

• FAA RVSM and DRVSM website
• 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

6
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

7
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

8
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

9
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

10
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)

11
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

12
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

13
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

14
RVSM Implemented PlannedAs of January 2004
Canada North 4/02
Japan/Korea 2005
Canada South 1/05
Europe 1/02
Domestic US 1/05
NAT 3/97
Mid East 11/03
Pacific 2/00
Pacific 2/00
EUR/SAM Corridor 1/02
WATRS 11/01
Western Pacific South China Sea 2/02
Asia/Europe South of Himalayas 11/ 03
CAR/SAM 1/05
Australia 11/01
Implemented
Planned
V10-1 Jan 04
15
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

16
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

17
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

18
Aircraft Equipage forRVSM 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

19
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

20
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.

21
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

22
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

23
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

24
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

25
Percentage of Flights Now Conducted Between FL
290-410 Projected to be RVSM-Compliant by 1/20/05
26
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

27
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

28
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