Story ID: 
Class A Airspace ACAS Reporting Revised
By: Gordon Gilbert
Caption: New requirements narrows scope of ACAS resolution advisory reports.
Word Count: 178
The NTSB issued a direct final rule to narrow the focus of its Part 830 notification requirement concerning certain Airborne Collision and Avoidance System (ACAS) conflict resolution advisories issued to an aircraft operating in Class A airspace. Currently, all ACAS advisories within Class A airspace are required to be reported.

After the change takes effect, operators will be required to report ACAS resolution advisories only “when an aircraft is being operated on an IFR flight plan and compliance with the advisory is necessary to avert a substantial risk of collision between two or more aircraft.” The Safety Board said that an assessment of notifications received under the current rule has shown that the scope of the requirement can be reduced “while still providing the NTSB notice of events that may benefit from an independent safety review.”

This direct final rule will be effective Feb. 16, 2016, unless the NTSB receives adverse remarks by the comment deadline of Jan. 14, 2016. If the Board receives any adverse comment, it will withdraw the rule and “determine appropriate further actions.”