The FAA has released details on a new policy that encourages owners of general aviation aircraft to install additional safety equipment that is not required by FAA regulations. The new policy will reduce costs and streamline the installation of Non-Required Safety Enhancing Equipment (NORSEE) into aircraft.
The NORSEE policy, a result of industry and government collaboration, is an expansion of a 2014 FAA policy. That policy simplified the design approval and installation requirements for angle of attack (AOA) indicators, and the new NORSEE policy is expanding that to include avionics, electronic instruments, displays and mechanical equipment. Approved NORSEE provides increased situational awareness, independent warnings or other advisory indications, and provides additional protection to pilots and passengers. Some examples of NORSEE are traffic advisory systems, terrain awareness and warning systems, attitude indicators, fire alert and suppression systems, and autopilot or stability augmentation systems.
According to FAA officials, the policy has the necessary flexibility to cover installing new technology and safety equipment into Part 23, 27 and 29 aircraft that are “determined to be a minor change to type design,” and that “the benefits must outweigh the risk.” The policy also will help to reduce equipment costs by allowing applicants additional flexibility to select various industry standards that suit their product, as long as the selected equipment meets the FAA’s minimum design requirements.
Details to Keep in Mind
One important thing to remember is that NORSEE approval under this policy isn’t an approval for installation of that equipment on the aircraft. It just means that equipment is eligible for installation on that aircraft. In some situations, installation of the equipment may require modifications that are considered to be a major change to type design, or to the aircraft itself. If this is the case, the applicant will still be required to follow the appropriate certification or field approval process, such as obtaining a supplemental type certificate.
The full copy of the NORSEE policy can be found here, and the FAA will keep a list of approved NORSEE on their website, which they will update on a regular basis.
Featured Image: Jack Snell
