NPA 2021-04

Regular update of the Certification Specifications and Acceptable Means of Compliance for Airborne Communications, Navigation and Surveillance ‘CS-ACNS’

The objective of this Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) is to maintain a high level of safety and address interoperability compliance of aircraft with the requirements of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1207/2011 laying down requirements for the performance and the interoperability of surveillance for the single European sky (the single European sky interoperability Regulation), and to ensure the provision of consolidated means of compliance for aircraft manufacturing and modification industries.

This NPA proposes amendments to the Certification Specifications and Acceptable Means of Compliance for Airborne Communications, Navigation and Surveillance (CS-ACNS) applicable to all aircraft. In particular, it proposes to: 

  • remove redundant information, and remove some information that could lead to confusion;
  • enhance the clarity of the text with better or complementary information;  
  • align some CS-ACNS specifications, AMC or GM with the implementation aspects;
  • make some editorial corrections; 
  • include some pieces of information that were missing from CS-ACNS, and delete an AMC reference that does not exist; and
  • correct several misleading references.

This regular update is the outcome of the selection of non-complex, non-controversial, and mature rulemaking candidate subjects.

The proposed amendments are expected to maintain a high level of safety, ensure interoperability of aircraft, and reduce the regulatory burden for compliance with the single European sky interoperability Regulation. The proposed amendments are also expected to increase the efficiency of implementing CS-ACNS.