DAVID LEARMOUNT / LONDON
Notice of proposed amendment could complete effort to allow 'modern' turboprops to fly at night or daylight IFR
Europe is set to allow single-engine instrument flight rules (SE-IFR) operations if a Joint Aviation Authorities notice of proposed amendment (NPA) is approved as drafted. The new rule would allow certain single-engined turboprop aircraft to fly at night or in daylight IFR with either passengers or cargo - at present banned by Joint Aviation Requirements (JARs) - but would demand high equipment specifications and special pilot training.
This final draft has been produced by a working group set up in 1996. It published an advance NPA in 1998, which has now been updated to take account of industry and regulatory reactions. Final submissions to comment on the new JAR on SE-IFR can be made between 1 July and 30 September.
Late last month, a founder member of the group, Swiss manufacturer Pilatus, attacked the JAA for dragging its feet in publishing the NPA (Flight International, 4-10 June). The group also includes single-engine turboprop manufacturers Cessna, EADS Socata and New Piper.
The NPA would allow operations by "modern" turboprop-powered aircraft types that can demonstrate fewer than five fatal accidents per million flying hours, compared with a rate of 8.5/million hours for piston-powered twin-engined aircraft types currently permitted to fly in instrument meteorological conditions.
In addition, approved types would be required to be equipped with back-up systems and advanced navigational equipment including:
two separate electrical generation systems, and an emergency battery able to power more than the minimum flight instruments; two independently powered attitude indicators; lapstrap or diagonal shoulder safety harnesses for passengers; an emergency oxygen system for pressurised types; engine restart capability in visible-moisture air; an approach-accuracy area navigation system able to receive emergency landing site data en route; a radio altimeter; weather radar.Pilots would have to be trained to full airline standards except for the requirement for multi-engine qualification. Initial type and recurrent training would have to contain practice in approach navigation in the glide, in the event of an engine failure, emergency glide landings, and handling of the back-up equipment and systems.
Source: Flight International
