GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CIVIL AIRWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS
CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT SERIES 'R' PART VI
ISSUE I, DATED 26TH AUGUST '1992
FILE NO. 11-690/92-AI(2) EFFECTIVE : FORTHWITH
Subject :Approval of Airborne Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
installations in aircraft.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The purpose of this Civil Airworthiness Requirements is to
clarify current policy, and to provide the basic criteria
which must be satisfied before a Global Positioning System
(GPS) installation may be approved.
1.2 At present, GPS is in a developmental testing phase, and the
presently deployed satellite constellation is insufficient
to satisfy the coverage and integrity requirements.
1.3 Therefore, GPS is accepted as an AID to navigation only. It
is NOT APPROVED as a sole means of navigation of the
aircraft in any country. It remains the responsibility of
the pilot to determine his position using APPROVED
Navigation Aids on board his aircraft.
2. APPROVAL CRITERIA
2.1 Stand alone Airborne GPS equipment.
2.1.1 Stand alone airborne GPS equipment. (i.e. a GPS system
which has a dedicated display and provides no signals
to any other aircraft system) may be installed as "non
required equipment" on a "no-hazard no-interference"
basis. In order for the installation to be approved,
it must meet the following criteria:
a) The installation must be shown not to interfere
with the operation of any other equipment;
b) A means must be provided to indicate to the flight
crew when the GPS receiver has failed or is unable
to perform position calculations. (any failure
warning provided as part of the normal GPS display
will satisfy this requirement. This requirement
may also be satisfied by the provision of a
warning light located in a prominent position in
clear view of the pilot).
c) The installation must be in accordance with the
manufacturers instructions and limitations, or in
a manner acceptable to the Director General of
Civil Aviation.
d) The aircraft must be placarded to clearly indicate
that navigation MUST NOT be predicated on the use
of GPS.
e) A statement must be inserted into the relevant
section of the Flight Manual (radio limits page or
equivalent) detailing any operating limitations
and/or restrictions applicable to the particular
GPS system.
NOTE : Any flight manual supplement provided by the
manufacturer must be included in the approved DGCA
flight manual.
2.2 Airborne GPS systems which provide signals or navigation
information to other aircraft systems.
2.2.1 GPS systems which provide signals or navigation
information to other aircraft systems, (including
instruments or displays, or auto pilots, but excluding
area navigation systems), must, in addition to the
above requirements, also comply with the following:
a) There must be a means provided to indicate to the
flight crew the source of the navigation system
data being supplied. The position of a selector
switch is not acceptable.
NOTE : Indications must be unambiguous, and must be
provided for ALL sources of navigation data which
may be provided by other systems.
b) If the GPS is coupled to the auto pilot, the
installation must not compromise the requirements
that (i) the Autopilot be quickly disengaged by
the pilot to let him control the aircraft (ii)
unless there is automatic synchronization, each
system must have a means to readily indicate to
the pilot the alignment of the actuating device in
relation to the control system it operates.
c) An unambiguous means must be provided to indicate
to the flight crew when the GPS has failed or has
reverted to dead reckoning mode. Where the GPS
supplies warning or status output to external
annunciators then these annunciators must be
installed, and must be located in a prominent
position in clear view of the pilot.
d) A statement must be inserted into the relevant
section of the Flight Manual detailing normal
operating procedures (relating to the interface
between the aircraft and the GPS) as well as any
operating limitations and/or restrictions
applicable to the particular GPS system. As a
minimum, this information would include any
supplement supplied by the manufacturer, and an
entry on the Radio Limitations (or equivalent)
page.
2.3 Multi Sensor Area Navigation Systems (RNAV)
2.3.1 A multi sensor area navigations system which utilises a
GPS sensor must, in addition to the requirements of
para 2.2.1, provide an unambiguous indication when any
sensor, including GPS, has failed or cannot provide the
accuracy necessary for that phase of flight.
3. APPROVAL PROCEDURE
3.1 GPS installations may be installed by personnel holding
appropriate licence, or by an Authorised person. Depending
on the installation involved, delegations for Radio,
Instrument, Electrical, Structures and Weight and Balance
may be required.
Sd/-
(S. L. Srivastava)
Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation