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Height Monitoring



Minimum Monitoring Requirements



  1. Update of monitoring requirements table and website

    As significant data is obtained, monitoring requirements for specific aircraft types may change. When Table 1 (below) is updated, a letter will be distributed by the Regional Monitoring Agencies (RMAs) to the States concerned. The updated table will be posted on the RMA website maintained by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The secure website address is: http://portal.icao.int
  1. Initial monitoring

     All operators that operate or intend to operate in airspace where RVSM is applied are required to participate in the RVSM monitoring program. Table 1 establishes requirements for initial monitoring associated with the RVSM approval process. In their application to the appropriate State authority for RVSM approval, operators must show a plan for meeting the applicable initial monitoring requirements.
  1. Aircraft status for monitoring

     Aircraft engineering work that is required for the aircraft to receive RVSM airworthiness approval must be completed prior to the aircraft being monitored. Any exception to this rule will be coordinated with the State authority.
  1. Applicability of monitoring from other regions

    Monitoring data obtained in conjunction with RVSM monitoring programmes from other regions can be used to meet regional monitoring requirements. The RMAs, which are responsible for administering the monitoring programme, have access to monitoring data from other regions and will coordinate with States and operators to inform them on the status of individual operator monitoring requirements
  1. Monitoring prior to the issue of RVSM operational approval is not a requirement

     Operators should submit monitoring plans to the responsible civil aviation authority and the RMA that show how they intend to meet the requirements specified in Table1. Monitoring will be carried out in accordance with this Table.
  1. Aircraft groups not listed in Table 1

    Contact the RMA for clarification if an aircraft group is not listed in Table 1 or for clarification of other monitoring-related issues. An aircraft group not listed in Table 1 will probably be subject to Category 2 monitoring requirements.
  1. Table of monitoring groups

    Table 2 shows the aircraft types and series that are grouped together for operator monitoring purposes.
  1. Table of non-group aircraft

    Table 3 shows the aircraft types and series that are non-group aircraft (i.e. not certified under group approval requirements) for monitoring purposes.
  1. Trailing Cone Data

     Altimetry System Error estimations developed using Trailing Cone data collected during RVSM certification flights can be used to fulfil monitoring requirements. It must be documented, however, that aircraft RVSM systems were in the approved RVSM configuration for the flight.
  1. Monitoring of airframes that are RVSM compliant on delivery

     If an operator adds new RVSM compliant airframes of a type for which it already has RVSM operational approval and has completed monitoring requirements for the type in accordance with the relevant table, the new airframes are not required to be monitored. If an operator adds new RVSM compliant airframes of an aircraft type for which it has NOT previously received RVSM operational approval, then the operator should complete monitoring in accordance with this table.
  • Follow-on monitoring

     Monitoring is an on-going programme that will continue after the RVSM approval process. Long-term minimum monitoring requirements are established in Annex 6 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. On a regional basis, a programme shall be instituted for monitoring the height-keeping performance of aircraft operating in RVSM airspace in order to ensure that continued application of this vertical separation minimum meets regional safety objectives.


Group definition

Aircraft that have been manufactured to a nominally identical design and build for RVSM Airworthiness approval fall into a group established in an RVSM certification document (e.g. Service Bulletin, Supplemental Type Certificate, Type Certificate Data Sheet).


Non-group definition


Aircraft that do not fall under the group definition/for RVSM Airworthiness Approval are presented as an individual airframe.

 


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