FAA Final Rule re Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA)

[Sandy]

The final version of FAR 61.129 became effective on June 27, 2018. While the original proposal required a PFD along with an MFD including "an integrated autopilot", leaving many to wonder whether that only included a G1000 with a GFC700 autopilot, following the comment period the final rule, that is now effective, has no such "integrated autopilot" requirement, although it does require a two-axis autopilot integrated with the heading and guidance system in the MFD, whereby the G1000 / KAP140 birds fall under the new definition of a Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA), meaning that they can be used for all preparation for a Commercial Pilot license.

Sandy

[Rich]

Do you not still need to log some time in a complex aircraft for commercial?

[Sandy]

Whoops! The Rule becomes effective on July 27, 2018, not June 27.

According to the FAA, the new Rule is intended to, "Allow TAA to be used to meet some or all of the currently required 10 hours of training that must be completed in a complex or turbine-powered airplane for the single engine commercial pilot certificate. TAA could be used in combination with, or instead of, a complex or turbine-powered airplane to meet the aeronautical experience requirement and could be used to complete the practical test."

The revised FAR 61.129 states...

(ii) 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane, or a technically advanced airplane (TAA) that meets the requirements of paragraph (j) of this section, or any combination thereof. The airplane must be appropriate to land or sea for the rating sought;

For completeness, FAR 61.129(f) defines a technically advanced aircraft, as follows:

(j) Technically advanced airplane. Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, a technically advanced airplane must be equipped with an electronically advanced avionics system that includes the following installed components:

(1) An electronic Primary Flight Display (PFD) that includes, at a minimum, an airspeed indicator, turn coordinator, attitude indicator, heading indicator, altimeter, and vertical speed indicator;

(2) An electronic Multifunction Display (MFD) that includes, at a minimum, a moving map using Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation with the aircraft position displayed;

(3) A two axis autopilot integrated with the navigation and heading guidance system; and

(4) The display elements described in paragraphs (j)(1) and (2) of this section must be continuously visible.

So, it will no longer be necessary to have training in a complex aircraft for the commercial license.

Sandy

[Rich]

That's a big deal. Lots of folks are having trouble lining up complex aircraft to use.

[Kurt h]

I read an article a couple of months back that basically said the training and checkride could be done in a TAA aircraft, but the applicant still must have 10 hours of retract time in their logbook to qualify for a commercial certificate. Which for many of us still means we have to go rent a 1970s era retract trainer, which are becoming very difficult to find.

[Sandy]

@Kurt,

When the FAA (or any other federal agency) proposes to change a rule (or add new rules, etc.), they publish what's called a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ("NPR") in the Federal Register. That NPR is followed by a "Comment Period" during which members of the public, as well as industry personnel, can provide written comments to the agency regarding the proposed rule. The agency will then, generally, consider those comments prior to issuing a final rule. Often the proposed rule, as set out in the NPR, is modified based on those comments before the final rule is adopted. As you noted, the article that you read was several months old, as it was based on information that was available prior to the conclusion of the Comment Period and the issuance (on June 27, 2018) of the final rules. As pointed out in comments received by the FAA during the Comment Period the 70's era aircraft that were previously required to be used for training for the Commercial license have become more difficult to find, rent, and maintain, and the FAA took them into consideration when it issued the final rule. So, you are correct about what the situation was, but that has changed, so all training can now be done in a TAA.

In my own case, I had purchased a Piper Lance (a complex aircraft) in 1988. At that time my insurance company required that I take dual instruction prior to soloing the plane or carrying passengers, whereby I logged the time needed to satisfy the Commercial training in the Lance, prior to soloing and during the time that I owned it, whereby I have already satisfied that requirement. Despite the fact that my logbook entries are about 30 years old, there is no requirement for them to be more recent. On the other hand, if I did not, already, satisfy that portion of the requirements, as of July 27, 2018, the 10 hours of dual time could be done in a DA40 equipped with a G1000 and either a KAP140 or GFC700, in that another change was to modify the proposed rule regarding the definition of a TAA to change the wording of the definition whereby the initial proposal that the autopilot be integrated with the MFD was modified to simply require that the autopilot be integrated with the navigation and heading guidance system of the MFD, with comments from the FAA specifically pointing out that the autopilot could be a standalone unit.

By the way, I received and read, yesterday, an AVweb article that noted that the final FAA rules had been issued. The AVweb article incorrectly cited the proposed TAA definition, rather than the final rule, whereby I sent them an email pointing out their error.

FYI, I am an attorney, and I handle aviation related matters, so I hope that helps.

Sandy

[Kurt h]

Sandy, great to hear they made that change. I’m ready now!