Boeing Gets FDR Comment Period Extended

Responding to a request from Boeing, the FAA has extended the comment deadline from February 13 to April 16 on its proposal amending digital flight data recorder (DFDR) regulations of Parts 121 and 135 to prohibit “filtering” of signals. During several accident investigations, the NTSB found that some DFDRs were filtering signals before they were recorded. “As a result, the data being recorded did not accurately reflect the aircraft’s performance or the movements of the flight control systems,” the agency said. The FAA projects that the defiltering modification would cost about $16,025 per airplane. In its request for an extension to the comment period, Boeing said it needed more time to address several issues, including cost data.