Simulator Proposal Comment Deadline Extended

The comment deadline has been extended 90 days, from October 8 to January 6, on a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published in July that seeks to amend qualification standards for some flight simulation training devices (FSTDs), specifically those capable of reproducing extended flight envelope and adverse weather training.

The FAA says revised technical evaluation criteria are necessary to fully implement the requirements recently adopted in the crewmember and aircraft dispatcher training final rule published on Nov. 12, 2013. According to the agency, the proposal also addresses several recommendations from the NTSB and the FAA’s aviation rulemaking committee.

The FAA believes the industry needs new technical standards for evaluating an FSTD for full stall and stick pusher maneuvers, upset recognition and recovery maneuvers, maneuvers conducted in airborne icing conditions, takeoff and landing maneuvers in gusting crosswinds and bounced landing recovery maneuvers.

The request for a longer comment period came from training organization FlightSafety International, industry trade group Airlines for America and a technical issues working group representing simulator manufacturers and simulator data providers.