THE US FEDERAL Aviation Administration issued final rules on 14 December, bringing Part 135 regional carriers operating ten- to 30-seat aircraft up to the same safety and training standards as those of Part 121 major long-haul US airlines. The harmonised rules are contained in new Part 119 carrier certification requirements.
The aviation agency has compromised on several key aircraft-equipment issues and stretched out some implementation dates. It has also decided to maintain the longstanding policy which forces commercial airline pilots to retire at 60 - although it will not implement the rule for the 200 regional pilots affected until 1999.
The idea is to set a single level of safety for all scheduled commercial flights with ten or more passenger seats. The final rule means many regional airlines will now have to provide weather radar, safety officers, certificated despatchers and standardised de-icing programmes.
The FAA says that the so-called commuter rule will cost the US regional-airline industry $75 million over 15 years.
FAA proposals to insist on costly new equipment, including fireproof passenger-seats and floor-level emergency lighting, have already drawn objections. Raytheon Aircraft, for example, argues that the rule change would force Beech 99/1300/1900s out of regional-airline service.
The FAA believes that it will be difficult, if not impossible, for 112 older ten- to 19-seat regional aircraft, including de Havilland Twin Otters, Beech 99s, Fairchild SA226 Metros and Embraer EMB-110s, to meet new performance requirements. The FAA is compromising by allowing these aircraft to stay in regional-airline service for an additional 15 years.
The deadline for installing flame-resistant seat cushions is also 15 years, and the FAA will not require floor-level emergency lighting and locking cockpit doors on ten-to 19-seat regional aircraft.
The FAA has also issued the related Air Carrier Training Rule, which requires more comprehensive training, including crew-resource-management training for regional-airline pilots.
Source: Flight International
