Story ID: 
FAA Updating Helicopter Certification Standards
By: Mark Huber
Caption: Minor changes to FAR Parts 27 and 29 attempt to streamline approval process for new helicopter technologies and features.
Word Count: 251
Amendments to FAR Parts 27 and 29—governing normal and transport category civil rotorcraft certification standards—will take effect on April 11 and follow an analysis of comments from interested parties after a related notice of proposed rulemaking. 
These standards date back to 1964 and the FAA maintains that the changes are necessary “to address modern designs currently used in the rotorcraft industry and will reduce the burden on applicants for certification of new rotorcraft designs.” In some cases, new technology has rendered the regulations in Parts 27 and 29 obsolete. This final rule revises those regulations. 
The changes are designed to eliminate the need for recurring special condition approvals, means of compliance (MOC) issue papers, and equivalent level of safety (ELOS) findings in specific areas. The latter includes engines, engine instruments, one-engine-inoperative training mode, elimination of the differentiation between single and twin-engine helicopters, and performance-based requirements for lithium-ion batteries. It does not cover advanced systems such as fly-by-wire flight controls.  
According to the FAA, “Compliance with the regulatory changes implemented by this final rule will continue to be shown by the same testing, analysis, and inspections required by existing special conditions, ELOS findings, and MOC issue papers.” However, “By updating the affected standards, many of these special conditions, ELOS findings, and MOC issue papers are now unnecessary, thus reducing the burden on both the FAA and industry,” according to the agency.