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Avionics Workshop 2004

Avionics Workshop 2004. ACARS Certification Issues. ACARS Certification Issues. Presented by: Jacques Levesque Avionics & Electrical Systems (AARDD/A) (613) 952-4412 Levesqj@tc.gc.ca. ACARS Certification Issues. Presentation Outline Background Proposed Approval Process (RTCA DO-296)

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Avionics Workshop 2004

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  1. Avionics Workshop 2004 ACARS Certification Issues

  2. ACARS Certification Issues Presented by: Jacques Levesque Avionics & Electrical Systems (AARDD/A) (613) 952-4412 Levesqj@tc.gc.ca

  3. ACARS Certification Issues Presentation Outline • Background • Proposed Approval Process (RTCA DO-296) • Current Approval Process • Conclusion

  4. ACARS Certification Issues Aim “Update Industry on recent development regarding the Certification of ACARS equipment intended for transmission of AOC and ATS messages that contain information having the potential to adversely affect the safety of flight.” AOC – Aeronautical Operational Control ACARS – Aircraft Communications and Reporting System ATS – Air Traffic Services

  5. ACARS Certification Issues Background • ACARS originally intended for: • Aeronautical Administrative Communication (AAC) • Aeronautical Operational Control (AOC) • Approval basis: No-effect or Minor effects • Formerly termed “Non-interference, No-hazard” • User Modifiable Partitions • Operational Approval

  6. ACARS Certification Issues Background (continued) • Expansion of AOC and ATS Applications • Potential safety hazards • W&B, Take-off Data, Clearances (Oceanic & PDC), • Lost, delayed, misdirected or corrupted messages • Design integrity incompatible with hazard criticality • Solution: Flight Manual Limitations • But no guidance on how to comply with the Limitations • Convening of RTCA Special Committee 201 • Develop acceptable guidance • Do away with Flight Manual Limitations

  7. Clearances: • Oceanic or Pre-Departure Aeronautical Operational Control (AOC or Operator’s Dispatch Centre) Air Traffic Services (ATS) Network (ACARS) • Clearances • Weight & Balance • Take-Off Data Aircraft

  8. ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process • Existing Guidance Material: • FAA AC 20-140 Guidelines for the Design Approval for Aircraft data Communication Systems (August 1999) • FAA AC 120-70 Initial Air Carrier Operational Approval for Use of Digital Communication Systems (February 2000) • Supplemented by RTCA DO-296 to cater specifically for AOC Datalink Applications • SC 201 supported by Operators, Aircraft & Equipment Suppliers, Industry Associations, FAA, TCCA

  9. ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process (Continued) ! Scope ! RTCA DO-296 proposes guidance material for AOC Datalink applications (software) and equipment (Hardware) where the DAL is incompatible with the functional hazards criticality. The guidance is in the form of risk reduction strategies (architectural and Procedural) that can be implemented for Operational Approval. RTCA DO-296 guidance is suitable only for Major category hazards; less severe hazards do not require mitigation; AOC Datalink not considered suitable for messages criticality more severe than Major. DAL – Design Assurance Level

  10. ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process (Continued) RTCA DO-296’s proposed approach: • Identifies safety requirements in the form of DAL (per DO-178B and DO-254), for AOC messages, including some ATS messages, delivered to the pilot via the AOC Application • Provides acceptable risk reduction strategies: Architectural and Procedural • Bridges responsibilities between the Type Design and Operational Approvals Title: Safety Requirements Standard for Aeronautical Operational Control (AOC) Datalink Messages (October 2004)

  11. ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process (Continued) Type Design Approval Activities, the applicant must: • For new type design approvals: • Identify/declare software and hardware DAL of airborne AOC Datalink equipment • Provide evidence that DAL criteria are satisfied • Annotate the DAL in Flight Manual Normal Operating Procedures Section • For legacy systems: • Annotate the DAL in Flight Manual Normal Operating Procedures Section

  12. ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process (Continued) Operational Approval activities, the applicant must: • Identify AOC Messages • Assess hazard criticality (if message is lost, delayed, misdirected, or corrupted) • Identify messages presenting Major category hazards • Establish compatibility with equipment DAL • If incompatibility exists, apply an effective risk reduction strategy or combination thereof as defined by DO-296 (architectural or procedural) • Provide evidence that hazards have been identified and effectively mitigated

  13. (New Type Design) Identify DAL (Legacy systems) Identify DAL in R/AFM Provide Evidence ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process (Continued) Operational Approval Identify Messages Contributing to Major Category Hazards Design Assurance Level C ? Yes No Develop Risk Reduction Strategy(ies) Type Design Approval Operational Approval Provide Evidence

  14. ACARS Certification Issues Proposed Approval Process (Continued) Pertinent Notes: • Assessment must consider end-to-end communication processes • Appendices in DO-296 provide application guidelines for specific AOC and ATS messages • Onus with Operator to demonstrate risks have been adequately mitigated

  15. ACARS Certification Issues Current Airworthiness Approval Process • TCCA will continue to require the inclusion of limitations in the Flight Manual or Supplement until the recommendations of SC-201, documented in RTCA DO-296, have been adopted. • Limitations required for all ACARS installation having user-modifiable partitions intended for AOC Datalink applications. • The authority to use DO-296 as acceptable guidance material should be communicated by way of a Policy Letter or other appropriate guidance material.

  16. ACARS Certification Issues Current Airworthiness Approval Process (Continued) Acceptable means of compliance: • FAA AC 20-140 Guidelines for the Design Approval for Aircraft data Communication Systems (August 1999)

  17. ACARS Certification Issues Current Airworthiness Approval Process (Continued) Wording of the Flight Manual Limitations: “Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) The ACARS is approved for the transmission and receipt of messages that will not create an unsafe condition if the message is improperly received. An unsafe condition may exist if: • The message or part of the message is delayed or not received, • The message is delivered to the wrong recipient, or • The message content is corrupted. Crew actions based on messages such as pre-departure clearance, digital automatic terminal information services, weight and balance, take-off data (speeds, trim settings, runway distances), are prohibited unless approved operational procedures are used to verify that the message is received by the intended recipient, that the message is valid and the content is not corrupted.”

  18. ACARS Certification Issues Conclusion • Challenge • Operators • Operational Authority • Endorsement

  19. ACARS Certification Issues Questions ?

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