Safety Recommendation: 2022-014
Safety Recommendation Text
2022-014: It is recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority review the use of magnetic tape flight data recorders used in aircraft operated by UK Air Operator Certificate holders and establish if there is a practical way to comply with the ICAO requirement to cease their use.
CAA latest update
A review of the Air Operations Regulations UK Regulation (EU) 965/2012 against flight data recorders has been carried out. This review included consideration to Schedule 13 (Penalties) of the Air Navigation order 2016 to determine whether changing CAT.IDE.A.190 and CAT.IDE.H.190 would be affected. It was confirmed that changing these implementing rules would not be affected by the restrictions in changing regulations listed in Schedule 13.
The review has recommended that an additional point be added to CAT.IDE.A.190 and CAT.IDE.H.190 respectively that reads:
- By 1 January 2028 at the latest, the FDR shall record on means other than magnetic tape or magnetic wire.
The amendments will be included in Rule Making Task (RMT) 0158-002 A and will be managed by the CAA Flight Operations Policy Team. This rulemaking task is expected to be concluded in a Statutory Instrument scheduled for May 2027.
Next update due
August 2026
Safety Recommendation: 2022-015
Safety Recommendation Text
2022-015: It is recommended that the Civil Aviation Authority require that magnetic tape flight data recorders, used in aircraft operated by UK Air Operator Certificate holders, comply with the Civil Aviation Authority Specification No. 10, regarding the error rate requirements, by checking the complete recording rather than by undertaking a sample check.
CAA latest update
The CAA have reviewed CAP 731 which details the UK requirements for maintenance of Flight data recorders.
A review and amendment of this publication has now taken place with the amendment of the CAP now complete. This amended version of CAP 731 has now been sent for publication.
This amended version captures the updated maintenance requirements within Chapter 7, (FDR System Serviceability and readout) within the chapter “Establishing the Limitations of
the readout”.
Chapter 8, General requirements for a readout, retains the requirements of Specification No. 10 or ED-55 / ED-112 as applicable to be included in the procedures for staff training.
Next update due
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